The Environmental and Health Advantages of Veganism

Would you choose to save the world by making one choice? Rid the planet of tsunamis, storms and greenhouse gases. And what if that same choice also rid the planet’s inhabitants of many health issues, like obesity and heart disease? It can be done, not through magic but by the embrace of veganism.

Of course, a few of your friends would have to join in to make it work best. Veganism, a term coined in 1944, is a stricter form of vegetarianism. It’s the avoidance of eating any animal product and also avoiding practices that may harm any sentient being, a commitment to animal welfare and to animal rights.

Veganism can be traced back to ancient Indian and eastern Mediterranean cultures and is increasingly considered a must by world leaders. A report by the UN in 2015 suggested that a universal shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to “save the world from hunger, fuel poverty, and the worst impacts of climate change." The report emphasized that the Western preference for meat and for dairy is "unsustainable," especially with growing populations.

Why?

Meat takes a huge toll on the planet, adding to climate change. A massive amount of natural resources by some accounts as much as 70 percent of the world's freshwater consumption goes into the process of breeding, raising and slaughtering animals for food. Livestock contributes to 39% of the globe's total land use and is responsible for between 7 -- 19% of greenhouse gas emissions.

According to a report by the UN, a plant-based diet, is “a major opportunity” to mitigate the damages of climate change, along with its dire side effects, like storms, forest fires and tsunamis.

The benefits of a vegan diet don’t stop there. Global benefits aside, it can also help individuals in an improvement of general health by reducing heart disease and blood pressure, the risks of some cancers and by even helping in weight loss.

How?

A plant-based diet increases one’s consumption of vitamins, minerals and healthy oils. Proteins are increased with a variety of seeds, nuts, quinoa, beans and peas, along with soy-based products and tempeh, a cake form of soy. This not only helps with cholesterol levels but is great for gut health, as it provides a diverse biosystem of beneficial bacteria.

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale and cabbage have been linked to the reduction of colon cancer, perhaps because of their fiber, as well as lung and stomach cancers. Carotenoid-rich vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes, have been linked with a reduction in breast cancer.

And, if that isn’t enough, studies show that veganism promotes weight loss. Since obesity in adults has increased dramatically in the past three decades and causes high blood pressure, diabetes and other health issues, this is something that we need to pay attention to.

So, save the world and yourself by choosing to become vegan.