Being a vegan is becoming more popular. This means cutting out all meat and dairy and instead eating plants. But there is more to it than eating salads. Being vegan can be a wonderful thing, and help you in the long run. Here are some reasons why you should go vegan.

1. To save money

It is no doubt that the price of meat can be very expensive. Meat alternatives are a cheaper option. A package of tofu is usually around two dollars. There are also cheap packaged meat alternatives, like fake chicken nuggets. But you don't have to get fancy with all this fake meat. Peanut butter and beans are a great way to get your nutrients on the cheap

2. To be eco-friendly

Look around and it's not hard to see the amount of deforestation. What is the main cause of this? Animal agriculture. 90 percent of that cleared land is used for animal agriculture. Not only is that land for animals to graze, but to grow crops for them to eat. 93 percent of crops that we grow are for animals. By being a vegan you contribute to considerably less land space. You also contribute to less global warming. Meat and dairy is responsible for half of greenhouse gases

3. To be a healthier you

Being a vegan makes you eat healthier. Most of the junk food out there has milk in it (and lots of other bad ingredients). You focus on getting your nutrients by eating fruits and veggies. But don't worry, some junk food is vegan! Like oreos. Contrary to the belief, you can get all of your bodies necessary vitamins and nutrients from plants and alternative meat. Protein always seems to come up in every conversation about being a vegan or vegetarian. Protein has never been a problem, since it is in almost every food. Meat is also known for having unhealthy things like cholesterol and saturated fats. Not to mention all the antibiotics and hormones that are fed to the animals. P.S. Vegans live six years longer than meat eaters.

4. To reduce your risk of cancer and disease

There are many different diseases that you can get from meat and dairy- E. Coli, Mad Cow Disease, Salmonella, Vibrio, L. monocytogenes. The list goes on. It also increases your risk of colon cancer, rectum cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. All you have to do to reduce your risk of these is to not eat meat!

4. To enjoy seriously yummy food

When you're a vegan, your perspective on food changes. Food is no longer just something that you gulp down three times a day. Food becomes an enjoyment. There are so many new, delicious foods that you never knew existed. There's more to life than having just a piece of chicken with a side of corn for dinner. There are so many tastier and healthier alternatives to meat and cheese. For milk try soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, rice milk, flax milk, hemp milk, hazelnut milk, oat milk. They all taste so much fresher than regular milk. (Have you had chocolate almond milk?!)

5. To love animals

Let's face it, the meat on your plate was once a living, walking animal. But it doesn't have to be. There are so many alternatives! All animals want to be loved and they all want to live.