Should meat be banned from school canteens?

Many schools and universities around the sphere are reducing meat in
their canteen meals since vegetarian diets can have plentiful benefits.
Some universities in Berlin have already become aware and have
reduced their meat consumption. Their menus will include 68% vegan
food, 28% vegetarian food, and 2% fish-based along with one single
meat-based element offered only 4 days a week.
One of the major reasons to adopt a vegetarian diet is the appreciation
in life expectancy. The more one consumes vegetables and fruits, the
lesser is the toxin and chemical build-up in your body, thus facilitating
more healthy years and a longer lifespan. Lower cholesterol levels are
another advantage of vegetarian diets. Animal fats are a rich source of
cholesterol, and virtually, vegetarian diets are cholesterol-free. Although
cholesterol is a vital part of any human cell, it can be obtained from
vegan foods in our bodies. Lower cholesterol results in lower chances of
heart diseases and strokes. Another benefit of meat-free diets is kids will
be less obese. Many countries like China and America have more than
10 million obese kids each. One of the major factors contributing to
obesity is eating meat. Lower consumption of meat will positively reduce
obesity, and children will most definitely become less obese and more
active.
Alongside this, one fact that will shock anyone is that the meat industry
is now widely recognized as the number one contributor to global
warming, and also the leading cause of deforestation and air and water
pollution. One of the foremost issues frequently overlooked regarding the
consumption of meat is animal cruelty. Imagine growing up, knowing the
fact that you will be killed at any instant for the pleasure of others. This is
what is faced by animals. They are fed and nurtured to just get brutally
slaughtered and eaten one day. According to PETA, 29 million cows are
killed each year for meat, and approximately 9 billion chickens are
murdered for their flesh in the United States of America alone. These
alarming numbers will continue to upsurge. Additionally, many viruses
like the coronavirus or the bird flu originated by people having meat.
On the contrary, meat is a very rich source of protein and calcium. These
minerals are significant parts of our bones and teeth. Eating meat will
potentially increase a child’s growth. Calcium is also necessary for
maintaining healthy communication between the brain and other parts of
the body. It plays a role in muscle movement and cardiovascular
function. Likewise, Meat has a possibly high amount of zinc content,
which can help to boost immunity. Due to its antioxidant properties, zinc
is responsible for creating antibodies to fight free radicals that may put
us at a higher risk for chronic diseases, as per a study published in the
Molecular Medicine journal.