4 Reasons You Should Consider Going Plant-Based
If you’re considering vegetarianism, veganism, or simply a more plant-based diet, you’re in good company. Plant-based eating is gaining traction worldwide, and an estimated one in ten Americans say they don’t eat meat.
A plant-based diet is one consisting mostly or entirely of plants (fruits & veggies, whole grains, nuts & seeds, etc), and minimizes or eliminates animal products. Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products altogether. Veganism is a philosophy - rather than just a diet - typically based upon a moral opposition to the exploitation of animals. ‘Animal products’ include all meats, fish, eggs, and cheese, but also things like leathers and furs - basically any material derived from the body of an animal. You may hear someone describe themselves as ‘plant-based’ rather than ‘vegan’ if they almost always avoid animal products, but have a more flexible diet that occasionally involves a cheese pizza or a baked good containing eggs, as this is a dietary choice rather than a moral opposition.
I adopted a vegan diet as an ethical stance against factory farming and the exploitation of animals, as a contribution to sustainability practices that help keep our planet healthy, and on a more selfish level - for my own health. That said, veganism can seem intimidating to those who don’t have a lot of experience with vegan food alternatives, or who are having difficulty changing their diet all at once. Transitioning to a more plant-based diet can allow the flexibility to make this change more gradually, and is a great stepping stone towards a healthier, more sustainable, and cruelty-free lifestyle.
Here are four reasons you might consider going plant-based:
You love animals.
Worldwide, roughly 80 billion land animals are killed for food each year according to estimates. You read that right. 80 BILLION. The majority of animals that are raised to be slaughtered for food are killed at just a few weeks or months old, usually after having lived their whole lives in horrible conditions on factory farms.
While 80 billion may seem like an astronomical number that it’s impossible to make a dent in, refusing to purchase animal products or even to cut down significantly on your consumption does have an impact on demand. It is suggested that an average of 95 animals are spared each year by one person’s plant-based diet. If enough people adopt this lifestyle, it could have a monumental impact on global supply and demand. As many as 6% of consumers in the United States say they are vegan, a 500% increase from 2014, less than a decade ago. Retail sales of plant-based foods in the US increased 11% in just one year from 2017 to 2018, with a market value of $4.5 billion. The more that demand increases for plant-based products, the more that companies will need to adapt to their changing consumer base. You can be a contributing factor in helping to end cruelty to farmed animals by reducing demand for items produced through animal agriculture.
You care about the environment.
You recycle and compost, you shop local, you buy sustainably-made clothes, you ride your bike to work… but do you eat plant-based? According to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, the meat and dairy industries produce 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than half of the environmental impact of food production as a whole, and rivaling transportation emissions.
The reduction of livestock herds, particularly cows, would reduce emissions of methane, which is the second-largest contributor to global warming. A report from the United Nations Environment Program reports that “animal products, both meat and dairy, in general require more resources and cause higher emissions than plant-based alternatives”. According to a report from GRAIN and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, the meat and dairy industries have surpassed oil producers as the largest environmental polluters. The report discusses how unregulated growth of the meat and dairy industries with no effort to reduce emissions is causing rates to reach dangerous levels, stating that “If production remains unregulated, by 2050, meat and dairy farms will account for 80 percent of the budgeted greenhouse gas emissions.” If you are an environmental advocate, one of the largest personal impacts you can have on climate change is to eliminate or reduce your consumption of animal-based products.
You want to lose weight.
Maybe you’re more motivated by personal reasons - that’s ok too! If you are trying to shed some pounds, which is primarily accomplished through diet, plant-based eating may be your best bet. Plants are packed with nutrients as well as fiber, which helps fill you up while also being inherently low-calorie.
At the end of the day, the only way to lose weight is to be in a caloric deficit, meaning you are consuming less calories than you burn. This is easier when your diet consists of fiber-rich foods that keep you satiated. Several meta-analyses show vegetarian diets to be more effective as a weight-loss strategy than diets containing meat. That said, not all plant-based foods are created equal, so just because you switch to a plant-based diet doesn’t mean you’ll immediately shed any extra pounds. Chips, oreos, french fries, and soda are all technically vegan, but you’re not going to see any weight loss with these as your staple food groups. Stay tuned for plant-based recipes that can help you accomplish a variety of fitness goals including weight loss and muscle gain.
You want to stay healthy & live longer.
Plant-based eating habits have proven to support your well-being in a huge variety of ways. But you don’t have to take my word for it, as there has been a ton of research to date around various vegetarian and plant-focused diets. For starters, the Mediterranean diet, which is plant-based, has long been shown to be one of the healthiest diets on the planet.
Multiple large-scale studies and randomized clinical trials have shown a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression, and some cancers. A recent study showed that it may even reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Since a traditional Mediterranean diet does involve the consumption of some animal products, I'll also point out that vegetarian diets have been shown to also lower your risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and to increase your longevity.
Transitioning to Plant-Based Eating
If you’ve been thinking about adopting a plant-based diet but don’t know how to get started, I’ve got you covered and will be posting vegan recipes and product recommendations on my site. As a food lover myself, I can sincerely promise that there is no shortage of delicious plant-based foods, and you will not feel a sense of deprivation from making this change the way many people think. The animals, the planet, and your body will all thank you!
Sources:
Alliance for Science - https://allianceforscience.org/blog/2022/03/1-in-10-americans-say-they-dont-eat-meat-a-growing-share-of-the-population/
Our World in Data - https://ourworldindata.org/meat-production
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
https://www.pcrm.org/news/health-nutrition/meat-and-dairy-surpass-oil-companies-largest-pollutants
https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/vegan-diet-environment
Harvard Health Publishing - https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-a-plant-based-diet-and-why-should-you-try-it-2018092614760
Medical News Today - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mind-mediterranean-diets-alzheimers-brain-plaques-tangles
