Many people have been realising that a Plant Based diet is far better for them than the animal product based diets we have become accustomed to due to social programming, advertising, menu options and ignorance. We all want to live in a better world, and be better people, and that starts with being kind to yourself, animals and the environment.
1. It’s the Best Way to Help Animals
Did you know that every vegan saves nearly 200 animals per year? There is simply no easier way to help animals and prevent suffering than by choosing plant-based foods over meat, eggs and dairy products.
2. Slim Down and Become Energized
Is shedding some extra pounds first on your list of goals for the new year? Plant Based consumers are, on average, up to 20 pounds lighter than meat-eaters are. And unlike unhealthy fad diets, which leave you feeling tired (and usually don’t keep the pounds off for long), going vegan allows you to keep the excess fat off for good and have plenty of energy. Being vegan is great for your health ! According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegans are less likely to develop heart disease, cancer, diabetes heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure than meat-eaters are. Vegans get all the nutrients they need to be healthy, such as plant protein, fiber, and minerals, without all the nasty stuff in meat that may make you sick, such as cholesterol and saturated animal fat.
3. The Human body is not designed to consume animal products
If you look at natural predators such as cats, they have bodies designed to catch and consume animals, having long sharp claws, long sharp canines and a short intestinal tract. Human beings on the other hand are not physiologically designed to consume and digest animal products having none of the characteristics of predatory, meat eating animals. In fact, our hands are more readily designed for picking fruit from trees than for tearing open flesh. In much the same way, our teeth and jaw are more akin to herbivores, as we lack the long canines, and instead, have more molars for chewing plant material. Even our intestinal tract is ill designed for meat consumption. Unlike carnivorous animals, our intestines are very long, and as we need to produce large amounts of acid to break down animal proteins, this acid has a devastating impact on our bowels and colon, often resulting in cancers and other digestive disorders. As for dairy, we are the only creatures that consume milk from another species, and also the only creatures that continue to consume milk at an adult age, so although there are carnivorous animals out there, the dairy industry is completely bizarre and unnatural practice.
4. Plant Based Food Is Delicious
When you go vegan, you can still eat all your favorite foods, including burgers, cheese and ice-cream. The only difference? You’ll be ditching the cruelty and cholesterol that go hand in hand with using animals for food. As the demand for plant based food skyrockets, more and more people are finding delicious animal product free options that taste great, are much healthier than their animal-derived counterparts, and don’t hurt any living beings. Veganism is the fastest growing trend in the world, with an 800% increase in sales of vegan products in the United States in 2018.
5. Meat Is cruel
Most people are unaware of just how disgusting the animal flesh / product industry is, because these products are purchased from supermarkets in neatly packaged portions. Most people have never visited a slaughterhouse and have no awareness of pain and suffering animals go though. Animals like us are sentient beings, with a full range of emotions, and they suffer greatly for the sake of their consumption by us humans. Although most people are less familiar with pigs, chicken, fish and cows than they are with dogs and cats, animals used for food are every bit as intelligent as our pets and they suffer as the animals who share our homes are. In fact pigs are so intelligent, that they can even learn to play video games.
6. Meat Is toxic
Animal flesh is often contaminated with feces, blood, and other bodily fluids, all of which make animal-derived foods the top source of food poisoning. The consumption of animal protein forces the body to create a great deal of acid to break down these long strands of proteins into absorbable amino acids, which the body then reconstitutes into human proteins, making our bodies very acidic. Cancer and disease thrives in acidic bodies, and causes often stomach ulcers, gastric reflux, heart burn, and is the number one cause of bowel and colon cancer.
7. Help Feed the World
Eating meat doesn’t just hurt animal, it hurts people too. It takes tons of crops and water to raise farmed animals. In fact, it takes up to 13 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of animal flesh! All that plant food could be used much more efficiently if people just ate it directly. The more people who go vegan, the better able we will be to feed the hungry people of the world. As much as half the world’s population live in utter poverty and hungry.
8. Save the Planet
Meat is not environmentally friendly. Consuming it is actually one of the worst things that you can do for the Earth. Meat production is wasteful and causes enormous amounts of pollution, and the industry is also one of the biggest causes of environmental damage. Adopting a vegan diet is more effective than switching to a “greener” car in how much it aids the environment.
9. Veganism is growing in popularity
There was a time when not being a meat eater was seen as socially unacceptable, and these people would often be shunned from being invited to social gatherings and BBQ’s. As meat is quite pricey, it was often thought that only poor people did not eat meat, and that only eating plant food was due to lack of resources. However, more and more people are turning vegan, and it is the practice of eating meat that is becoming less socially acceptable. The list of wealthy celebrities who shun animal flesh include Joaquin Phoenix, Natalie Portman, Ariana Grande, Alicia Silverstone, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Miley Cyrus, and Carrie Underwood. These are just some of the famous vegans who recognise the benefits of a plant based diet.
For devoted vegans, and even those who are transitioning or considering the vegan pursuit, Algarvian.Life has some great recipes and tips to help you get started!