Are you asking yourself why should I become a vegan? Well read on for the reasons why I became a vegan at the start of 2020 and the reasons you should become vegan too. But first the reason why I’m writing about becoming a vegan today.
It’s been a little while since I’ve written an article, I’ve not been in my usual job as here in the UK we’ve just come out of lockdown number two. Although just for a month this time instead of the three months we had back in March (2020). I’m currently working a temporary job so I’ve not had as much time as I’d like to write about fitness and veganism. A few people at my temporary job have asked me about why I’m vegan so I figured why not write an article about it. These are the reasons why I became a vegan and it’s the reasons you should become a vegan too. If you’re undecided hopefully you won’t be by the end of the article and you will have the answers to why should I become a vegan.
If you want to go vegan but don’t know where to start check this article out.
What is veganism
If you’re not sure exactly what’s involved in being vegan it’s similar to being vegetarian but the next step up. Vegetarians don’t eat any meat or fish and vegans don’t eat meat or fish either but go one step further and we also don’t eat any animal products. This includes eggs, dairy (milk, cheese, butter) and honey. If it comes from an animal we don’t eat it!
Health benefits of becoming a vegan
Whilst us vegans may be lacking in the odd vitamin and mineral the lack of meat and animal products means out diet is usually pretty healthy. I say “usually” because it is possible to be vegan and live off chips, ketchup, jam sandwiches and Oreos. Still vegan but not exactly healthy. If you’re eating more things like nuts, grains, legumes, fruit and veg you’re definitely on the right track. Let’s look at some health benefits of becoming a vegan:
Improved digestion
A vegan diet is naturally higher in fibre which is great for our digestive system. Foods like chickpeas, lentils, nuts, oats and chia seeds are all high in fibre and should feature regularly in your diet.
Dietary fibre isn’t broken down by our bodies (like sugar and starch) so it reaches the large intestine, this helps move waste along and out of our bodies. It also helps with constipation, so if you’re struggling get more fibre in your diet.
Reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes
A recent study found that vegans and vegetarians have a lower risk of developing heart disease. It did also say us vegans have an increased risk of stroke, but that it’s likely to be down to a vitamin B12 deficiency. Easily solved by taking a B12 supplement. If you’re interested in the best vegan supplements including the best vegan vitamin B12 check this article out.
People who eat a vegan diet usually have a lower blood sugar level which reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Reduced risk of suffering from cancer
Yes it is true! Going vegan reduces your risk of suffering from cancer. It does this in two ways. 1. By eliminating cancer causing meat in the first place, in particular processed meat. 2. Plant based foods contain phytochemicals which have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer. You’re basically taking out a cancer causing food and replacing it with cancer reducing foods, what a result!
Helps you to achieve your weight loss goals
Vegan foods tend to be lower in calories and saturated fat than meat so a vegan diet is ideal of anyone wanting to lose weight. For example when making a chilli with 5% fat beef mince (the “healthiest” mince) a 250g portion is 310 calories and 11.25g of fat. If you replace the mince for 1/2 can of kidney beans (134 calories and 1g fat) and 1/2 a can of black beans (128 calories and 0.7g fat) you’re looking at 262 calories and 1.7g of fat in total. A reduction of calories and a MASSIVE reduction in fat. Imagine taking that amount of fat out of your diet every day, it all adds up.
Becoming vegan can also help to:
- Improve your mood
- Give you a better complexion.
Environmental benefits of becoming a vegan
This was actually the thing that tipped me over the edge and made me decide to become a vegan. We are literally killing the planet by eating meat and animal products and if we want our children and our children’s children to have any kind of life more of us need to become vegan today, now, right now, do it!
Reduces climate change
This is the big one folks, the effects the meat industry has on the planet are unbelievable. The resources it takes to rear the animals being eaten – first it’s the land and water needed to grow the crops for the animals to eat. Then the land needed to rear the animals, forests are being destroyed to make room for the animals reared to be eaten which is causing many species to become extinct. Then the water the animals need, then the methane gas cows produce which is terrible for the planet. Here are some facts for you:
- Up to 91% of the Amazon forest destruction is down to animal agriculture.
- Cows produce 150 billion gallons of methane PER DAY.
- 76 gallons of water are needed to produce the meat for one person to eat for 1 year. That’s a lot of water!
- Just one steak requires 7,500 gallons of water to produce. With 9,500 of water a whole tonne of soy beans can be produced!
- A dairy farm with 2,500 animals produces the same amount of waste as 411,000 people. That’s about the population of central LA!
- For every 1kg of fish caught another 5kg of fish and marine life are accidentally caught then discarded
- Instead of feeding the crops to the cattle if we ate them ourselves there would be more than enough to feed the whole population of the planet. No more starving people.
- Cows require 24 times more land to produce the same amount of protein as soy. Or flip it round the other way you can produce 24 times more protein with the same amount of land by growing soy instead of rearing cows.
Ethical benefits of becoming a vegan
If the last section hasn’t convinced you to become vegan (I’m surprised!) then this section certainly will, unless you don’t have a heart.
The suffering that animals go through for humans to eat is unimaginable and unnecessary. Whether they’re being killed for their meat or used for their milk or eggs they are not treated well. Even organic or free-range animals have their lives cut short.
Most of the meat sold for human consumption comes from factory farms where animals are kept in horrible conditions.
- Animals including chickens, cows and pigs are kept in tiny cages or crammed in where they can’t turn around, lie down or spread their wings
- Given antibiotics to make them grow unnaturally quicker and to stop them getting ill from being kept in disease ridden conditions. These antibiotics can be harmful to humans
- Many animals are genetically manipulated to grow bigger or produce more eggs than they would do naturally.
- A cow’s lifespan is about 20 years but they usually get slaughtered at about 5 years old when their bodies are no longer producing enough milk to be useful. That’s the same as taking someone who would live to be 80 years old and murdering them at 20. We wouldn’t do it to people so why would we do it to an animal? Hen’s get slaughtered after about 2 years, they can live up to 10 years.
- Animals feel fear and pain and many get slaughtered whilst still conscious.
- Pigs are really smart, some as smart as dogs. Do such smart animals deserve to suffer and die for us to eat when there are perfectly good plant based foods to munch on?
What difference can you make?
You might be thinking what difference can 1 person make? Well you can actually make a big difference by becoming vegan. You can save a huge 360 animals per year by going vegan! That’s 30 a month. In one month you will also save:
- 33,481 gallons of water
- 620 pounds of harmful carbon dioxide emissions
- 913 square feet of forest
One person, one month. Look at what a difference you could make.
So should I become a vegan?
YES you should!!
If the last two sections haven’t convinced you into becoming a vegan I don’t know what will! If you don’t care about the animals do it for your health, if you don’t care about the planet do it for the animals, and if you don’t care about yourself do it for the planet and the animals!!
This is definitely one of my harder hitting articles but it’s something I feel very strongly about. If this article gets just one person thinking about becoming vegan it was well worth writing it. Think about those 360 animals you could be saving and the difference you could make.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and it’s given you something to think about in how you can make a difference. Have you already gone vegan? What made you? Are you thinking about becoming a vegan? What’s stopping you!? Let me know your thoughts below.
Until next time
Katie
Alejandra
I’m glad I found your website as I’m looking for some information that helps me to know more about why I should become a vegan, I’ve been thinking about it and so far, I’m preparing my meals with more vegetables than animal protein, I’m also working on preparing dinner with only vegetables as my husband and myself, we need to get rid of some weight and so far we are doing good, as we talked before, we both agree it would be a good idea to only have one meal per day with animal protein, but we never know, this might be one step more to become vegetarian. I see you have another article to share some tips or steps to know more about becoming vegetarian, I will go now to read that article too.
Katie
Hi Alejandra thanks for commenting. It’s great that you’re eating less meat, the less you eat the more you’re helping the planet and the animals. I went vegetarian before I went vegan so going veggie is the first step. Once you’ve made that step going vegan actually isn’t too difficult. I really hope you make the steps to become vegan, I’m sure it will help with your weight loss as well.
All the best
Katie