Food for thought: Is eating meat cruel?

Roughly 1.5 billion people eat a plant-based diet. While some of those people choose to stop eating meat for moral reasons, for many others it’s a fact of life, because meat is either too expensive or unavailable where they live. On the flip side, we have the meat-eaters: It may be culturally important for some, or just an easier or tastier choice. But with the increased accessibility of fruits and vegetables as well as the meteoric rise of plant-based alternatives and lab-grown meat, is choosing to eat meat an act of cruelty toward animals?
Okyeame Kwame, a Ghanaian musician and proud vegan, argues that people can get all of the nutrients they need from plants. Okyeame also emphasizes that in almost all cases, it’s immoral for humans to consume other sentient beings. Humzah Ghauri, a food blogger and halal restaurant consultant, says that eating meat in moderation is a healthy and natural part of humanity. While Humzah acknowledges that we have some work to do to develop more humane and sustainable farming practices, he contends that halal meat is a healthier and compassionate way to partake in meat-eating. Watch the Doha Debates Podcast as they try to find common ground on the ethics of eating meat and humanity’s relationship to animals.
Doha Debates Podcast is a production of Doha Debates and FP Studios. This episode is hosted by Karen Given. Thoughts on this conversation? Let us know! Follow us everywhere @DohaDebates and join the post-episode discussion in our KZbin comments.
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[@OkyeameKwameBRA]

I have come to watch this for the fifth time . My Brother was soooo respectful.,

[@HalalFoodTherapy]

Likewise brother it was great talking to you 🙏

[@jameswolley4147]

Great discussion!

[@HalalFoodTherapy]

A great conversation and really enjoyed doing this, thanks Doha Debates for having me! 😊

[@OkyeameKwameBRA]

You are a very respectful Man and I enjoyed talking to you . Hope you will be in London on 29th July ? I will cook you a Ghanaian vegan food called red red .

[@afsalmelmuri7676]

wonderful discussion☺

[@Jakob172]

Vegan 5 years now!! best decision of my life

[@AKumar-hj5gg]

Even a child can say that killing animals is cruel when you have the option of killing plants which cannot certainly feel to the extent that animals can. It is well settled that meat eating in any form is cruel. No religion, no so called 'kind' of killing can be justified.

[@SSStofu008]

And it takes more plants to have a omnivorous food system than a plant based one so win for both animals and plants

[@businessconsultation11]

could you please tell me how can I participate in Doha debates

[@TrevorResnik]

Okyaeme was so insightful and made a lot of convincing points that took animals outside of an abstract concept. Humzah didn't really counter with anything substantial, and actually stated a lot of inaccurate information that hurt his argument. It would have been nice to have someone join the debate with experience in animal rescue who could explain animal behavior and psychology.

[@shikhu95]

why not a hindu guru on the debate who could give a profound and multifaceted answer to this question?