My own view is that being a vegetarian or vegan is not an end in itself, but a means towards reducing both human and animal suffering and leaving a habitable planet to future generations. - Peter Singer

So, I was watching videos on Youtube about Veganism and thought it would be enjoyable to post my opinions on the subject. Most of you may know who Freelee the Banana girl is. If you don't, let me enlighten you. Freelee is a very passionate vegan woman who makes Youtube videos about her vegan diet and what she eats every day. She tries to motivate people into switching to veganism because she wants to protect animals and stop the enslavement of animals such as bees, cows, pigs, chickens.. You get the idea. (I'll post her Youtube page at the end if you want to check it out) In one hand, I totally understand where she is coming from and agree but on a completely different hand I see the negative aspects to this. I believe animals were put on the earth for a reason. I believe God wouldn't have put animals on the planet just for them to overpopulate and outnumber humans. That is just my opinion, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Let me list some Pros and Cons of veganism for you to make things clearer.

Pros

1. Weight Loss.

If you are a new at the vegan diet, you may not be use to such dramatic changes in foods. Vegans do not eat animal based foods like bread, butter, milk etc. They will not eat meat (obviously) so they are stuck with seeds, soy, beans, vegetables, and fruits. This change will take an extremely long time to get use to, and a lot of effort. You really have to be committed in order to do this, I think. It would be so simple to see a piece of meat and eat it. Temptation is a killer. Anyways, this change will cause you to lose weight since you are no longer eating very heavy meals like meats, and breads. It will also make you a lot hungrier until you become adjusted.

2. Not at risk for illnesses

Since vegans do not eat meats, they are not going to be at risk for obesity or high cholesterol. Meats are very easy artery cloggers. Ask anyone who goes to McDonald's on a regular basis. The more fats and grease you put into your body, the more likely you are to having high cholesterol. Now, I am a hypocrite I suppose because I go to McDonald's once every 6 months or more. I go for a hamburger and a sweet tea and that is all. I do not like anything else there because of how much grease drips onto my clothes and the wrapper.

Cons

1. Not enough vitamins

In milk, there is calcium which we need to help keep our bones strong. If you do not have enough calcium in your body, your bones will start to deteriorate and you will get osteoporosis. (Your bones become too brittle. A minor fall or even moving your body the wrong way could make your bones crack and break into pieces) In dairy foods, you have a vitamin called B-12 which helps your metabolism and your nervous system. There is B-12 in fruits but it's barely enough to do what it is suppose to do.

2. Overpopulation

Animals were put on the earth for a reason. Cows give us milk in order to make bread, cheese, and to drink for vitamins. Chickens give us unfertilized eggs for protein so that we can function properly. Goats also give us milk for vitamins. Even spiders have a purpose: kill mosquito's and other pests. Every animal has its own purpose in life. If you kill a deer, that is one less thing for a bear or a coyote to eat. If you kill a spider, that is just one more mosquito in your house to drink your blood, and potentially give you a disease that you could die from. Killed a bear outside your house? Well, who is going to stop all the coyotes from eating your livestock and attacking your children? Think about it.

So, as you can see I stopped both the Pros and Cons at two because in the end, it doesn't really matter how many facts I put down. Because at the end of the day, you are going to do whatever you want whether I would have showed you this or not. You are the ruler of your own destiny. The choices you make are going to either take you down the right path or wrong path, there is no middle path, and no one else can lead you down those roads except yourself. So, if you choose veganism, all the more power to you. If you choose to eat meats and animal by-products, again, all the more power to you. You do what makes you happy and that is all that matters.

Links for you to learn more:

https://www.youtube.com/user/Freelea

http://www.self.com/story/vegan-diet-pros-cons