Nowadays, some people claim that cutting out meat and fish from their diet is beneficial not only for their well-being but also for the whole world. I agree with this statement to an extent, because while I agree that veganism benefits the world, I do not think that this pratice is healthy.
Each day hundreds of thousands of animals are killed for human consumption. Due to this, some animal species are becoming extinct. For instance, the population of tuna in the world is decreasing at an alarming rate. This disrupts the food chain and the ecosystem, which in the long run will affect humans as well. If less people ate fish, less of them would be hunted and that way the food chain would remain undisturbed. Therefore, it is understandable why some people choose to be vegan, as it reflects positively on the ecosystem.
On the other hand, meat and fish contain crucial nutrients for the human body. The proteins and minerals that are in these products are essential, because the human body does not synthesize them. Protein, which a lot of fish species contain, is involved in muscle, nails and hair growth. Red meat contains lot of iron, which plays the main role in oxygen supply to the tissues. Without those nutrients humans can not function and be healthy. For instance, if you did not consume food with enough iron you could develop health issues, such as iron deficiency. Hence, it would not be smart to stop eating animal products to be healthy, because the result would be quite the opposite.
In conclusion, certain people think that by not eating animals they are doing a favor to their body and to the whole planet. This is partly true because smaller consumption of animals would have a positive effect on their populations and also other species. However, not eating meat or fish can cause serious health issues, because the body can not function without certain compounds that are found in these foods. From my perspective, refusing meat and fish is beneficial for the world, but is harmful for individuals.