"Wait, wait, wait... you're vegan? So like you don't eat meat? Here, I made some gluten free pasta with butter, I'm sure you'll love it!"
For some reason, it's very hard for many to understand what veganism is. First of all, It does not mean that someone is gluten free! That seems to be the hardest concept for most to grasp.
Secondly, it is so much more than not eating animal products. Being vegan is a lifestyle choice.
This month, I'm celebrating my ten-month veganniversary! (No, that's not actually a word, but it does sound pretty cool!) In honor of that, I have decided to share my reasons for being a vegan.
Disclaimer! I am still learning and growing in my vegan-ness and my opinions are pretty malleable. The reasons I give are compelling to me, however, you may disagree with them. That is OK! In fact, I would love to hear why! This is a growing process for me. I am convinced that it is right for me in this moment, however, I am always open to new ideas!
Reason 1: The way we transport and kill animals is completely unethical.
I first decided to go vegan after watching footage of what animals go through in slaughterhouses. I know this is not the case for every animal and every slaughter house, however absolutely no animal should experience such suffering.
If you are daring, watch this video on factory farming! It's only a minute, but be warned, it's VERY graphic.
One vegan advocacy group shared that The United States Humane Methods of Slaughter Act supposedly dictates humane slaughter conditions, however it fails to consider the animal's well being.
"[The use of humane slaughter methods]...results in safer and better working conditions…brings about the improvement of products and economies in slaughtering operations; and produces other benefits for producers, processors, and consumers which tend to expedite an orderly flow of livestock and livestock products..."
-United States Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.
The animals that we eat do not enjoy pleasant lives. Conditions that our chickens, pigs, and cows are put in are simply not humane. Check out this link to see exactly how the animals we eat are being treated.
Reason 2: We don't 'need' animal products to be healthy.
Many people falsely assume that you need to eat meat and drink milk in order to be a healthy person.
As early as 2009, the American Dietetic Association announced that, " [Properly planned vegan diets] are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases….are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and forathletes."
As with any diet, one can indeed choose unhealthy options, and therefore will not get the nutrients they need. Vegans tend to eat more fruit and vegetables, which in turn can be better for your body. However, it is true that a vegan diet is naturally low in calcium, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. Vegans must be careful to incorporate these into their diets.
There are also many supplements and vitamins available for vegans to take that make getting required nutrients super easy.
Reason 3: We could feed so many more people if we stopped mass producing animals and converted fields to grow food for humans.
One quote I found after going vegan that instantly shocked me was, "About 2,000 pounds of grains must be supplied to livestock in order to produce enough meat and other livestock products to support a person for a year, whereas 400 pounds of grain eaten directly will support a person for a year. Thus, a given quantity of grain eaten directly will feed 5 times as many people as it will if it is eaten indirectly by humans in the form of livestock products..."
This is insane! We are living in an age where people are going hungry, yet we somehow justify meat consumption three meals a day.
Granted, we live in an unjust world, however, even if we as global citizens we are able to share our meat and animal products with everyone in the world, the earth does not have enough room to grow the food to feed the animals to feed the growing world population. Eating animal products is not sustainable! We simply don't have enough space on this earth.
Vegan diets require only a third of the land that meat diets require. If we care about the future and sustainability, this must be considered!
Reason 4: The agriculture business is rapidly depleting Earth's valuable resources.
Water, as we know is a scarce resource in our world. The virtual water we consume (the water used to produce what is on our plates) makes up the majority of the water we consume.
To produce one pound of cow meat, it takes around 2,500 gallons of water, while it takes only 25 gallons of water to produce one pound of tomatoes.
It is not enough to take shorter showers and use less water in our homes. We must examine our largest source of water use and strive to change that as well.
Besides water, the agricultural business is a leading cause of deforestation. Over 250 mission acres of forests in US alone cleared for grazing currently.
Reason 5: Oreo's are Vegan!
Yes, you heard me! The world's best food is indeed vegan! It's a breakfast, lunch, and dinner food and perfect for any and all occasions. I don't blame you if you convert just because of this.
