As of 2016, 2.5% of Americans identify as being vegan. A vegan is a person that follows a diet in which they will adhere from eating all animal-derived foods and ingredients. (Sass) The number of people becoming vegan is on the rise. With this increase, the amount of skeptics and people against vegans are growing as well. Although many people believe that veganism is hard to maintain and not important, veganism is very significant because it is a diet that is sustainable and beneficial. This can be analyzed through the many environmental benefits, nutritional benefits, and health benefits.
First, veganism is beneficial to the environment. Behind most of the joints of beef or chicken on our plates is a phenomenally wasteful, land- and energy-hungry system of farming that devastates forests, pollutes oceans, rivers, seas and air, depends on oil and coal, and is significantly responsible for climate change. (Vidal) Livestock alone account for more than 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. A vegan diet could cut those emissions by 70% , respectively. (Worland) Given the fact that the planet isn’t getting any bigger while the global population and the global appetite keep growing, efficiency is going to matter when it comes to food production. (Walsh) With only efficiency in mind this percentage is only going to continue to rise. A study published in Nature found that, by 2050, a projected 80% increase in global greenhouse gas emissions from food production can be avoided, if the global diet is not focused on meat and animal products. (Wang) Livestock produce a gas called methane which is the main greenhouse gas contributing to the 14% of global greenhouse emissions.
A global vegan diet, the same study showed, would be the most effective of all diets in achieving a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a decrease in agricultural land demand and land clearing. (Wang) About 30% of the world’s total ice-free surface is used not to raise grains, fruits and vegetables that are directly fed to human beings, but to support the chickens, pigs and cattle that are eventually eaten. (Walsh)
Not only do livestock contribute to a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions and take up a lot of the world’s free land, but they also use most of the world’s drinking water. To grow one pound of potatoes around 7 gallons of water is needed. However for one pound of beef 2300 gallons of water are needed. (Vidal) This is only a small example, because even a small scale farm contains thousands of animals. For a small farm containing 80,000 pigs over 75 million gallons of water would be needed to sustain this farm for a year.(Vidal) Compared to a small farm a large scale farm contains millions of animals. A large farm like this would need more water than a city would need in a year. (Vidal) This is a problem because the water that’s being used for animals is taking away from the water used for human consumption. Farming uses 70% of water that is available for humans to consume. As the demand for meat rises, the amount of water left for growing crops and for humans to drink becomes less and less. (Vidal)
Next, veganism has many nutritional benefits. Since the vegan diet cuts out any animal products, the diet is also known as a plant-based diet. A vegan will rely more heavily on foods not made of or from animals such as, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. (Petre) Plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses.(Becoming a Vegetarian) “You’ve got that low-calorie intake with that high-nutritional quality,” Dwyer says. “That’s where you’re really optimizing your energy and digestion, and giving your body what it needs to be healthy.” (Lewis) Plant products and plant based products for the most part are significantly lower in fat and sodium and have no cholesterol at all. (Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health) Several studies have reported that vegan diets tend to provide more fiber, antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds. They also appear to be richer in potassium, magnesium, folate and vitamins A, C and E. (Petre) A small study published in Nature compared plant-based diets and animal-based diets; researchers discovered an increase in B.wadsworthia, a bacterial microbe linked to inflammatory bowel disease, inside the stomachs of the people who ate animal foods. People who ate meat also had more faecal bile acid in their guts, which can cause gastrointestinal infections. “This shows that our microbiome is elastic and very responsive to stimuli,” says Carolyn Slupsky, PhD, a nutrition professor at the University of California, Davis. A high-fiber, plant-based diet cleans out the intestines. The insoluble fiber holds more water, which can bulk up waste and help bowel movements pass more smoothly. (Lewis)
When eating foods rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, energy levels will get a boost, a recent American Journal of Cardiology study suggests. (Lewis) A big concern about veganism is not having enough calcium and having weaker bones. In fact, Calcium is easy to find in a vegan diet. Many dark green leafy vegetables and beans are loaded with calcium, and some orange juices, non-dairy “milks,” and cereals are calcium-fortified. (Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health) According to a literature review in Switzerland, vegans may even be protected from a decrease in bone mineral density thanks to the low acid load in fruits and vegetables, which decreases bone resorption, a process that breaks down bones and releases minerals from the bone into the blood. (Lewis) Vegans can get all the nutrients their bodies need, in the right balance. It’s just that vegan diets need to be “appropriately planned,” as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has pointed out. (Sass) Just like any diet, without appropriate planning it will seem difficult and hard to sustain.
Lastly, veganism can be very beneficial to a person’s health. Traditionally, research into veganism is focused mainly on potential nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years, the pendulum has swung the other way, and studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating.(Becoming a Vegetarian) Vegan diets can reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, thanks to phytonutrients, a substance found in fruits and vegetables that provide various kinds of health boosts. (Lewis) The lowest level of meat consumption—widespread adoption of the vegan diet—could help avoid more than 8 million deaths by 2050, according to the study. (Worland) According to the World Health Organization, about one-third of all cancers can be prevented by factors within a person’s control, including diet. (Petre) Vegan diets are naturally low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and filled with cancer-protective phytochemicals. Large studies in England and Germany have shown that vegans are about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat-eaters.(Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health)
Veganism also has health benefits when it comes to diabetes. There is a correlation between eating red meat and developing diabetes. (Becoming a Vegetarian) Since vegans do not eat animal products and fruits and vegetables are only full of natural sugars, the risk of developing diabetes is significantly lower than that of a person who eats meat. Studies show that vegans tend to have lower blood sugar levels, higher insulin sensitivity and up to a 50–78% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. (Petre)
Also, going vegan can help to reduce the risk of developing heart disease. It is common for vegans to have lower BMIs than non-vegans, which lowers the risk of heart disease and other obesity-related conditions. (Pros and Cons of a Vegan Diet) Eating fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and fiber is linked to a lower risk of heart disease. (Petre) With lower cholesterol intake, vegans have a lower risk for cardiac events (such as a heart attack) and death from cardiac causes. In one of the largest studies — a combined analysis of data from five prospective studies involving more than 76,000 participants published several years ago — vegans were, on average, 25% less likely to die of heart disease.(Becoming a Vegetarian)
In conclusion, the claims made against veganism are fair, but are easily proven false. A vegan diet is very sustainable and offers many benefits. The amount of people becoming vegan is steadily rising as people realize the benefits it has. A vegan abstains from eating and animal products. Because of this it has many environmental benefits, nutritional benefits, and health benefits. Going vegan may be a good idea for someone who would enjoy a healthier lifestyle and better quality of