We tend to have a bit of a bad rep, us plant-eaters: we’re supposedly either shoving our diet in people’s faces or causing harm to plants because they supposedly feel pain.

While I have, unfortunately, encountered vegans inciting guilt in others, typically the privileged ones that don't consider wider factors that contribute to a person not becoming vegan, most of us won't give you a hard time over you eating meat, or dairy. If you know someone like that, it's probably worth avoiding them.

Regarding the whole 'plants feel pain' thing... folks, we gotta eat something. Sorry, cucumbers, but because of my self-centered desire to keep alive, I’ve chosen you as my prey. RIP.

In all seriousness, the reason I went vegan came from hearing the details of what continues in an industry that produces animal products for our consumption. In dairy-farming, animals are killed if they are not useful; calves are separated from their mothers early at birth, creating psychological distress; and cows are continuous, artificially impregnated, and milked for months on end.

Not to mention the economic and environmental impacts mass animal farming has, which contributes to unfair allocation of resources people desperately need for nourishment, as well as contributing to deforestation, scarcity of water, as well as contributing an incredible amount of methane into the atmosphere which has a significant impact on climate change.

An informal, shocking, very well rated documentary on the problems of animal agriculture is Cowspiracy (2014) if you'd like to learn more.

Why I originally became a vegetarian was because actually because of a philosophical discussion with a meat-eating friend. I had ethical troubles because I couldn’t justify eating meat and imply I still cared for animals. I asked, ‘If I’m only eating it now and then, how is that as harmful?’

Defeating me with my own degree, he rebutted, "You’re still contributing to the industry".

"Oh," I replied.

When I considered things further, I realized I was in a position where I could give up eating meat for a few reasons. Namely, I was not in a food desert, I didn’t have a physical disability or allergy that prevented me from relying on a plant based diet, nor did I have a mental illness that made eating, in general, a lot more stressful. I was in an incredibly privileged position in which I could make a difference, without causing myself any harm.

So I gave it a go.

After initially failing because my grandma made a delicious meat platter in the hour I decided to go vegetarian, I tried it again the next day. It wasn’t the worst thing ever. I initially craved meat, and as I continued with the diet this lasted a couple of weeks, but it wore off. A little while later, eating meat no longer crossed my mind.

But when I finally went vegan, perhaps surprisingly, the change of diet increased my health considerably, relative to being vegetarian. Now, because I could only contribute to the murder and consumption of screaming carrots, and eat things chock full of vitamins, protein, and other nutrients, I became health conscious. I began working out and felt physically and mentally healthier.

After telling you all this, you may think I'm saying everyone should go vegan.

Nope.

Again, I am in an incredibly privileged position that allows me to not only spend less money on my food a week (my home and college town back in the UK being in the vicinity of various grocery stores) but am able to do these things without fear of my health or economic condition. These are reasons why I couldn’t excuse myself for not going vegan.

There’s plenty of other ways of helping animals, and the environment, if changing diets isn't a viable option for you. If anyone says otherwise, making you feel guilty, tell them to go suck a lemon (for it’s a good source of vitamin C).

But what I do suggest is that people consider going vegan or vegetarian if they can. You may be surprised to find how healthy you get — ensuring you're getting the right nutrition which is incredibly important. Also, hopefully, you’ll feel good knowing you’re contributing to lessening our species' impact on climate change and preventing the unnecessary pain of animals.

Just don’t expect to be able to see in the dark, or gain super strength just because you go on a plant-based diet. That’s for level 10 vegans, silly.