Feb 11th, 2018, 06:10 PM

10 Reasons to #GoVegan

By Vera Jonsdottir
Image credit: Flickr/Garry Knight
It's not as silly as you think.

As we learn more about food production and different diets become more accessible, veganism has become increasingly popular in today's society. With vegan restaurants, juice bars, and vegan grocery stores popping up, veganism has spread on a global level. People usually have polarized opinions on the subject-either they are a die-hard vegan and attempt to convince those around them to join them, or they are meat eaters and don't hide it. For those who are curious about the benefits of being a vegan, here are 10 reasons to go green with your diet:



1. Saving Animals

This is the most common reason people decide to stop consuming animal products. Animals are living beings. Although they cannot communicate, they feel pain and terror all the same as humans do. According to PETA, going vegan saves 198 animals a year. Check out the documentary Earthlings as it provides insight into how gruesome animal agriculture actually is.



Image Credit: Pixabay/Tomweiden



2. Environmental Factors

Consuming meat is actually one of the worst things you can do for the environment. Research proves that It takes 2,500 gallons of water, 12 pounds of grain, and 35 pounds of topsoil to produce one pound of beef. It requires much less farmland and energy to feed a vegan than your average meat-eater. The immense amount of grain feed, necessary to keep animal agriculture afloat, is one of the largest contributors to deforestation today. Protecting the environment is something beneficial to all. The documentary Cowspiracy goes into detail on the environmental impact of the meat industry.



3. Good For Your Body

By going vegan, you do not only lose weight a lot quicker, but it lowers risk of several heart diseases as well as cancer. After becoming vegans, several people have reported a boost in their mood, as well as a visual improvement in their skin and waistline. On an average, vegans tend to be stronger athletes and live longer lives than meat-eaters.



Image Credit: Flickr/BossBob50



4. For the Future

With the status of the planet and hunger in the world, time is running out to reverse the damage humans have done. 70% of the Amazon Rainforest is now used for cattle ranching, one-half of the Earth's landmass is grazed by livestock, and animal agriculture remains the top cause for water pollution. 

5. Saves Money

Contrary to what many people believe, vegan eating can save a significant amount of money. Meat is a lot more expensive than frozen fruits and veggies. Studies (conducted in America) say that eating a plant-based diet can save up to $750 a year. As broke college students, 750 extra dollars is a lot more useful than adding chicken to your dinner.



6. Helping World Hunger

It takes up to 13 pounds of grain to produce just one pound of animal flesh. These 13 pounds of grain can be used to feed the hungry instead of feeding into the cycle of animal abuse. Going vegan provides a vehicle for change, and could help the human race.





Image Credit: Flickr/Adam Lederer



7. Finding Fun in Cooking



In the midst of discovering several new recipes, many vegans realize that they look forward to cooking meals due to increasing variety in vegan food. Plunging into the world of Pinterest and YouTube's "How to cook vegan" videos makes cooking much more interesting and fun.

8. "Everybody's Doing It"

Face it-veganism is trendy and it's never been easier than right now. There are vegan options all over the place; you just have to keep your eyes (and mouth) open. La Verrière is a vegan buffet in the 7th arrondissement, Hank Burger is a popular vegan burger restaurant in Le Marais, and Sangeetha provides vegetarian Southern Indian food in the 10th.



9. Stop the Stink

recent study indicated that there is a significant difference of body odor of those who consume meat and those who don't. It's simple-meat makes your body odor smell less pleasant. Keep the body clean and smelling good with a plant-based diet.





10. Humans Don't Need Animal Products



Many people believe that meat and dairy are a necessary part of a human diet. When the nutritional facts are broken down, one sees that humans can easily get their nutritional elsewhere. This also explains why so many people are lactose intolerant; humans are not supposed to drink other animal's milk. 





Image credit: Flickr/ Halle Stoutzenberger



Going vegan is not easy and is a learning experience; people need proper knowledge of what nutrients are essential to humans in order to remain healthy when cutting out meat and dairy from their diet. It is easy to characterize being vegan as "too hard". Slight inconveniences and the annoyance of taking supplements can deter people from going vegan, but all of the reasons for veganism outweigh the reasons against it. By going vegan, humans commit to bettering the self, the lives of others and their environment.