Do plants feel pain? Short answer: no. Plants
have no brain or central nervous system, which means they can’t feel anything.
But let’s dive a bit deeper.
have no brain or central nervous system, which means they can’t feel anything.
But let’s dive a bit deeper.
Humans and animals perceive pain through
sensory nerve cells. These are the same type of cells that transmit information
from our senses, allowing us to smell, see, hear, taste, and touch. These cells
are part of what’s called the peripheral nervous system, which includes all the
body’s nerves except those in the spinal cord and brain.
sensory nerve cells. These are the same type of cells that transmit information
from our senses, allowing us to smell, see, hear, taste, and touch. These cells
are part of what’s called the peripheral nervous system, which includes all the
body’s nerves except those in the spinal cord and brain.
Peripheral nerve cells form a network that
carries messages from the skin, muscles, and organs to the spinal cord and
brain. The brain responds by sending back messages to the pain site that
promote the healing process.
carries messages from the skin, muscles, and organs to the spinal cord and
brain. The brain responds by sending back messages to the pain site that
promote the healing process.
So what does all this have to do with plants?
Well, biologists know that neural systems like ours and those of other animals
(yes, fish included) are one way to process information—but not the only way.
Even though plants don’t have nervous systems, they can respond to stimuli. For example, when an aphid
attacks a leaf, this sends an electrical signal that goes from leaf to leaf to
tell the plant to start protecting itself. But it’s important to note that
responding to damage does not mean the plant is in pain.
Well, biologists know that neural systems like ours and those of other animals
(yes, fish included) are one way to process information—but not the only way.
Even though plants don’t have nervous systems, they can respond to stimuli. For example, when an aphid
attacks a leaf, this sends an electrical signal that goes from leaf to leaf to
tell the plant to start protecting itself. But it’s important to note that
responding to damage does not mean the plant is in pain.
Unlike us and other animals, plants do not
have nociceptors, the specific types of receptors that are programmed to
respond to pain. They also, of course, don’t have brains, so they lack the
machinery necessary to turn those stimuli into an actual experience. This is
why plants are incapable of feeling pain.
have nociceptors, the specific types of receptors that are programmed to
respond to pain. They also, of course, don’t have brains, so they lack the
machinery necessary to turn those stimuli into an actual experience. This is
why plants are incapable of feeling pain.
But you know who does feel pain? Cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, fish, lobsters, and all the other living, breathing,
feeling animals humans eat. That’s right, humans and many other animals—especially
mammals and other vertebrates—all developed similar central nervous system
features before we went down different evolutionary paths. This means that not
only do animals feel pain, but all farmed animals killed for food likely feel
it in similar ways as we do.
feeling animals humans eat. That’s right, humans and many other animals—especially
mammals and other vertebrates—all developed similar central nervous system
features before we went down different evolutionary paths. This means that not
only do animals feel pain, but all farmed animals killed for food likely feel
it in similar ways as we do.
To make this all the more heartbreaking,
animals raised and killed for food suffer miserably at factory farms.
Egg-laying hens are crammed by the thousands into tiny wire cages
and given less floor space each than the size of an iPad to live out their
entire lives. Mother pigs are kept in gestation crates—cages barely larger than
their own bodies—and calves raised for veal are ripped away from their mothers
within hours of birth and chained in barren crates where they are
immobilized.
animals raised and killed for food suffer miserably at factory farms.
Egg-laying hens are crammed by the thousands into tiny wire cages
and given less floor space each than the size of an iPad to live out their
entire lives. Mother pigs are kept in gestation crates—cages barely larger than
their own bodies—and calves raised for veal are ripped away from their mothers
within hours of birth and chained in barren crates where they are
immobilized.
These animals never see the sun, feel the
grass, or breathe fresh air. Instead they are imprisoned in windowless, filthy
sheds until the day they are loaded onto transport trucks destined for the
slaughterhouse where they will meet a violent, bloody death.
grass, or breathe fresh air. Instead they are imprisoned in windowless, filthy
sheds until the day they are loaded onto transport trucks destined for the
slaughterhouse where they will meet a violent, bloody death.
See for yourself.
If you’re truly concerned about not hurting
anybody for your food and also want to protect your health and the planet, you should ditch animal products once
and for all. And if you want to ignore science and believe that plants actually
feel pain, chew on this: It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce just one pound
of beef. That’s a whole lotta plants for a few burgers.
anybody for your food and also want to protect your health and the planet, you should ditch animal products once
and for all. And if you want to ignore science and believe that plants actually
feel pain, chew on this: It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce just one pound
of beef. That’s a whole lotta plants for a few burgers.
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