This won’t be a list along the lines of ‘13 reasons why’ or ‘10 benefits of’, because going vegan is a life-changing choice.
The direction of that change depends entirely on your devotion and level of commitment.
The list of reasons why you should is endless and growing every day.
People around the globe are realizing that absolutely nothing bad is going to happen if you don’t eat meat or any animal by-products, and a lot of amazing things could.
Just in case you haven’t heard, let’s see what you’ll gain by going vegan and what you can ‘lose’.
We’ll also look at how to properly set up your diet, so you’ll get all the nutrients you need.
Why?
Besides the most obvious and most vocal reason, which is, of course, the murder of innocent creatures, their abuse, breeding them for the sole purpose of feeding, and god knows what else, there are many more reasons which aren’t directly connected to animal cruelty.
These reasons are more directly relevant to you and how you could benefit personally.
Animal Cruelty
This is a key motive for going vegan. Every living creature deserves a chance to live a normal life.
We should have the same compassion for animals that we do for humans.
Most egg, meat, and dairy farms are much like WW2 concentration camps.
Animals are kept as long as they’re useful and killed when no longer needed or killed because of our never-ending appetite for meat.
Health Benefits
If you’re not touched by reason the reason above, that’s ok, nobody’s judging, it takes time to quit meat!
However, think of your health. Think of all the benefits of eating more veggies and fruits.
The number of studies on eating plants are increasing and the benefits are piling up. This includes increased energy levels, younger skin, lowered risk of heart failure, the curing and reversing of some auto-immune disease, diabetes, and even cancer.
A diet based on protein, iron, calcium, vitamins and minerals, all plant-based, can be a life changer and a lifesaver too.
Moreover, you won’t have to fear obesity; that condition is out of the question!
A Better Planet And a Better Life for All
It’s not only the killing and abuse of animals. This industry is the single greatest human-caused source of greenhouse gases.
It’s also uses up a huge amount of land and causes land degradation.
It’s the number one reason for freshwater pollution and the leading driver of rainforest destruction.
Besides animals, the workers on the mentioned farms are also being abused, low-paid and working in horrible conditions, leaving them traumatized for life.
If human rights are your trigger, go vegan.
It’s Delicious
If you’re surprised, go ahead, go out and order something vegan, I dare you.
An array of diverse tastes and flavors and colours, all natural and innocent, will blow you away.
All the Cool Kids are Doing it
Joaquin Phoenix, Natalie Portman, Ariana Grande, Al Gore, Flo Rida, Tobey Maguire, Shania Twain, Alicia Silverstone, Anthony Kiedis, Casey Affleck, Kristen Bell, Alyssa Milano, Common, Joss Stone, Anne Hathaway, and Carrie Underwood, and many more celebrities are turning over a new leaf by becoming vegan.
True, some do it because it’s trendy and somebody will write something new about them.
However, most of them are just more aware of the world they’ll leave to the next generation, and they’re doing something about it.
So, are you in?
Avoid Meat at all Costs
Contamination of meat isn’t new new. It has and always will be contaminated with blood, faeces, and other bodily fluids.
Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health tested supermarket chicken flesh.
They found that 96% of Tyson chicken was contaminated with campylobacter.
That’s a dangerous bacterium that causes 2.4 million cases of food poisoning each year, resulting in diarrhoea, cramping, abdominal pain, and fever.
There are so many reasons, but just by reading this or similar articles you’re on the right path.
Educate yourself, and you’ll find your own personal reason for going vegan. Believe me, one reason will be good enough.
Did you know that each day, a person who eats a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water.
They also save 45 pounds of grain, 30 sq ft of forested land, 20 lbs CO2 equivalent, and one animal’s life.
So, when you find that reason and go vegan, be sure to follow a well-planned diet that’ll suit your needs.
Make sure you get all of the protein, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs.
Don’t worry, it’s not difficult at all. It’ll probably be much easier now to get everything you need than when you were an omnivore.
Protein
The myth that you can’t consume enough protein without meat is just that.
Many plants are filled with protein, and plants provide all of the amino acids that your body doesn’t produce.
Eat a lot of beans, lentils, chickpeas, and tofu, soy alternatives to milk and yoghurt, or peanuts.
Protein is important because it gives your body structure as part of the muscle and bones, fighting infection, growth, body repair etc.
Fat
We all need fat in our bodies, and fat isn’t our enemy, as we’ve been told for years.
However, some fats are harder to find than others, like Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, which are essential because your body doesn’t produce them.
There are plants that have these components in them, plants like hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts and soya spread chia seeds, ground linseed.
Use vegetable (rapeseed) oil as your main cooking oil, although coconut oil is great too.
Minerals
Calcium, iron, iodine, zinc, and magnesium are easily found in plants.
Calcium can be found in kale, pak choi, okra, spring greens, dried figs, chia seeds, and almonds, but also in calcium-fortified vegan food, like calcium-fortified tofu.
There’s no problem with iron and zinc because the best sources of this mineral come from plants, such as pepper, broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, avocado, kiwi fruit, tofu, walnut, whole grains, oranges, strawberries, pineapple, grapefruit and orange juice.
However, fear not, there are supplements made especially for vegans, rich with iodine, vitamin B12, vitamin D and selenium. They’re safe and healthy for your consumption.
Good luck on your journey. You’ll be amazed at what veganism can do for you.
