Vegetarians and omnivores: what is the best diet? In the New York Times bestseller: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Steven L. Hopp states that “according to the Consumers' Union, more than 70% of supermarket chickens harbored campylobacter. and/or salmonella bacteria” (p. 91). Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are now being detected in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). This means that much of the meat supply we have is contaminated. Camille Kingsolver in the Animal, Vegetal, Mineral states; “Cows and chickens that have spent their lives in feedlots, fattening themselves on foods they did not evolve for, as well as antibiotics, produce different meat than their counterparts who lived outside, outside. fresh air, eating grass” (p. 97). Which means, according to Camille Kingsolver, “not all meats are created equal” (p. 97). How safe is the food we have? Should we eat meat? Are there other options for purchasing food? These are just a few things to consider when deciding what the healthiest diet is. Being an omnivore has inherent dangers in the 21st century, so perhaps it's healthier to be vegetarian. Is it better to be vegetarian or omnivore? The best diet is neither vegetarian nor omnivorous. Let's explore our food options in America. Bring up the subject of vegetarianism and you'll usually find that people feel very strongly about it one way or another. Some of this can be attributed in part to our primitive brains because, as the film Food Inc. points out, "we are programmed to eat diets high in fat, sugar, and salt" (Kenner). Primitive man, our ancestors, needed a diet rich in proteins, fats and salt, in order to maintain muscle mass and...... middle of paper ......the, Miracle: A year of food Life. By Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. Harper: New York, 2007. 91. PrintInsel, Paul and Walton Roth. Connect fundamental health concepts. 13th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2013. 330. Print. Kenner, Robert, ed. Food, Inc... Prod. Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein, in short. Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein and Kim Roberts. Magnolia Pictures, 2009. DVD. Kingsolver, Barbara, Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. Animal, plant, miracle: a year of food life. Harper: New York, 2007. Print. Kingsolver, Camille. “Eating my sister’s chickens.” Animal, plant, miracle: a year of food life. By Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. Harper: New York, 2007. 59-97. Print "Vegetarianism." Online collection of opposing viewpoints. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Internet. March 30. 2014.