"The China Study" book misleading

[schiffstudent]

Have any of you heard of a book called The China Study? In this book the author's premise is that a vegan diet is the healthiest and his China research proves this. However, the Chinese are not vegans! They love meat, but they don't eat near the amount of meat westerners do. I have lived China for years and I work in a Chinese restaurant were I eat with my Chinese co workers everyday. I would say that the dishes that do contain meat, only 30% of that dish is meat, the rest are vegetables. But I think most Chinese living in the U.S., the ones I know anyways, believe that Americans eat way too much meat and this is why we have a lot of health problems.

Anyways, I think the title of this book is a little misleading. It's very very rare to find someone in mainland China that doesn't eat any meat at all. Any thoughts?

 

[youngbuck]

Yes, many conclusions drawn from "The China Study" are blatantly false.

 

[Yieu]

I like the book "The China Study" and its conclusions.

 

[schiffstudent]

I like the book "The China Study" and its conclusions.

That a diet without any animal protein is the healthiest? I know too much is definitely unhealthy but if we look at the countries with people that have the longest lifespans you'll find that they do eat meat.

 

[Yieu]

Dairy is healthy. That is one point on which I disagree with the book.

 

[Icymudpuppy]

Look at your body. If you were designed to eat only vegetation, you would have no canines, and your stomach would have fermentation chambers.

Humans are supposed to be omnivores. (eat anything you can stomach). Most other primates consume about 65% fruits and vegetables, 10% grains (wild rice being the most common), and 25% insects and lizards and eggs. Red meat and fish are a rarity for most primates unless they come across some carrion.

So, start eating the ants and crickets for your meat, lots of green groceries, and less grain. The food pyramid needs to be adjusted.

 

[Yieu]

I have taken a look. Only because you brought up these points, I will point out that our "canines" are flat, short, and dull (not long, round, and sharp), and our intestines are the length of an herbivore (3x that of a carnivore, 2x an omnivore).

That said, I generally prefer to avoid this topic, as I have no ill feelings towards those whose diets are different than mine (or anyone at all really), and I do not want anyone to mistakenly believe I do harbor ill feelings toward them, or for them to harbor ill feelings towards myself, as I have observed some people become a bit less than friendly at times on this topic.

I do not think less of others for eating things I do not, so I would hope the same in return. I respect that what others eat is a personal decision, and I would hope others might respect mine.