Vegans are against the consumption and exploitation of animals for human ends. There are many reasons why go vegan, but most of these are rooted in compassion for all living beings.
Veganism comes from a desire to reduce the suffering on the planet. People tend to become vegan for moral, environmental and/or health reasons. Let’s take a closer look at what a vegan is and why someone may adopt this lifestyle.
Key Takeaways
What is Veganism Really About?
Veganism is a philosophy that seeks to value the life of all non-human beings, whether big or small. The fundamental idea is to refrain from using another living being for your own purposes, whether for food, clothing or anything else.
As such, vegans avoid eating meat, fish, or any form of animal based food such as dairy products, eggs, or honey. They also typically avoid using animals for their skins or fibers, for entertainment or for any activity that subjugates an animal's well-being to your own tastes and desires.
There are many reasons to go vegan which can include, (but are not limited to); respect for the life and welfare of other beings, health and wellness reasons, and ecological concerns. Naturally, there are cross-overs in individuals' reasons for becoming vegan, and very often it can be the sum total of many different reasons.
Let’s look at some different reasons why people may become vegan.
Reasons for Ethical Veganism
These people view the rearing, slaughter and exploitation of other animals as cruel and inhumane. Preventing animal suffering is one of the primary goals of veganism. Ethical vegans are animal lovers who typically view animals as friends and not as food.
Killing and consumption of animals are viewed as morally abhorrent when there are other viable plant based food sources available.
Whilst vegetarian diets recognize the horror inflicted upon animals who are raised for their meat, vegans also consider the horror done to animals who are raised for milk and eggs.
Battery farming causes cows to be artificially inseminated and have the offspring forcibly removed from the mother, causing untold physical and psychological suffering for the animal.
Vegans are typically against any form of agriculture, farming or activity which subjugates the will of any living being to that of a human.
Ethical vegans are most likely to take their beliefs over and above merely what they put on their plate.
Environmental Concerns
Some vegans choose not to consume any animal products because of the damage it is known to do to the environment, which includes, (but is not limited to) things like increased carbon and methane emissions, and inefficient use of agricultural resources such as land and water.
"Today only 55 per cent of the world’s crop calories feed people directly; the rest are fed to livestock (about 36 per cent) or (are) turned into biofuels and industrial products (roughly 9 per cent). Though many…. consume meat, dairy, and eggs from animals raised on feedlots, only a fraction of the calories in feed given to livestock make their way into the meat and milk that (people) consume. For every 100 calories of grain, we feed animals, we get only about 40 new calories of milk, 22 calories of eggs, 12 of chicken, 10 of pork, or 3 of beef."
— Jonathan Foley of National Geographic
Furthermore, farming is responsible for 91% of deforestation in the Amazon, through land clearing to raise animals and to produce vast swathes of industrial-scale monocultures of grain.
Vegans take issue with the fact that the most ecologically diverse place on earth is clear-cut to grow grains which are shipped halfway across the planet to feed animals who will live a life of suffering, and misery only to be unceremoniously killed and eaten.
Some environmental vegans are also concerned with humanity's projected struggle with feeding a growing population.
Reducing meat and animal foods can ensure that more of the plant foods we grow can end up in our bellies and reduce food waste, as well as slowing down the alarming rate of deforestation that we have seen in recent decades.
Vegan Diet for Health Reasons
Following vegetarian and vegan diets has been proven to have numerous health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, heart disease, and reducing the risk of certain cancers such as colon cancer as well as type 2 diabetes.
Going on a vegetarian or vegan diet offers a great chance to take your health into your own hands and start learning about nutrition and food preparation.
Learning about, and eating more vegan foods such as fruit and nuts, whole grains and healthy fats in a balanced diet will have a positive impact on your energy levels, mood, health and overall wellbeing.
It's worth mentioning that not all vegan diets are healthy.
As with any kind of diet, avoiding highly processed foods is always best and a plant based diet is no different.
Moreover, vegan diets tend to be lacking in certain micronutrients. As a side note, you should therefore consider vegan supplementation to prevent nutritional deficiencies.
This is especially important to ensure you are getting all the essential nutrients you need, such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, omega 3 fatty acids, and more. You should also look into eating fortified foods.
Following a whole-food, balanced vegan diet is undoubtedly a healthy lifestyle choice that can not only enhance your longevity but also reduce your negative impact on the environment.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There are many reasons to become vegan but the majority consist in a sense of compassion and justice for all life. Whilst the main reasons people adopt a vegan lifestyle are ethical, environmental and health concerns, often there is overlap.
Indeed when you add up the reasons to become vegan, it may become apparent that the reasons to be vegan far outweighs the reason not to, which are often just habit, culture and taste.
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