Books and Science: Defending Beef: The Case For Sustainable Meat Production

Nicolette Hahn Niman, the author of "Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production," may be a vegetarian, but she sees nothing wrong with eating meat, either-if the livestock is raised in the right way.

In her book, she argues that it's fine to enjoy a cheeseburger as part of your regular diet. Hahn Niman notes that with proper oversight, livestock can even play an essential role in maintaining grassland ecosystems by performing the same functions due to the natural herbivores that once walked the earth.

"I'm neither trying to tell people they should eat meat nor that they should go vegetarian," she told Science World Report (SWR). "What I do is present well-documented facts that all reference scientific studies."

The environmental lawyer turned rancher stopped eating meat about 25 years ago. However, she argues that there's really no ecological or health reason not to.

"There's so much emotion, confusion and misrepresentation in today's discussion about meat," she adds.

Some environmentalists have argued that livestock can pollute air, erode soil and decimate wildlife populations. However, Hahn argues that when animals are raised on grass, not only are they healthier for consumption but they're more nutritious and it's better for the environment.

"As much as possible, buy directly from farms and ranches in you area and eat what's in season," Hahn Niman says, nothing what she tells other omnivores--including her husband and children. "When it comes to grazing animals, there is a seasonality for it, which matches the seasons of the grasses."

This further explains why Hahn doesn't believe in feeding animals hormones, chemicals or industrial by-products that can deplete their nutritional value and even cause health issues for the consumer down the road.

"When animals are raised the right way, it makes excellent food for those humans who chose to eat it."

For more information about Hahn Niman's book or other writing, visit her website.

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