Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Peoples idea of vegans used to belong in the realm of hippies and militant animal rights activists, this perception is slowly changing with more people making the change. With the rise of plant-based food and films like Gamechangers, people are realising that being vegan doesn’t necessarily define you as a certain type of person. Vegans come in all shapes and sizes, it isn’t a one size fits all kinda thing.
Vegan trend quadrupled in the 5 years between 2012 and 2017, according to Google search. It now gets almost 3 times more interest than vegetarian and gluten free searches.
The Vegan Society
Just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean that you have to declare war against those who choose to eat meat, you don’t have to be an activist and you don’t have to convert others. People choose to follow a vegan diet for a variety of reasons, and each one is valid and deserves merit.
Generally speaking, veganism to most people is about seeking the ethical treatment of animals and causing them no harm but people also make the switch for their health.
Veganism was once thought of as a bit of a fad with many celebrities choosing to follow this eating plan as a way of appearing ‘on trend’. However, with the health benefits of veganism becoming more and more apparent, there are many more reasons why a vegan diet could be for you. Read on to find out why you should give veganism a go in 2020.
Animals
While some might not feel particularly strongly about animal rights and think those that they must be a militant, think again. Many animals are treated in the most abhorrent manner for the short time that they are on this earth. They are treated inhumanely and die terrible, excruciating deaths. Even animals that are ‘free-range’ and make the claim that they are treated well eventually suffer the same twisted fate.
Each person that makes the switch to a vegan diet can save hundreds of animals each year. To date, I’ve saved 924 animal lives.
Over 10 million pigs, 15 million sheep, 14 million turkeys, 15 million ducks and geese, 982 million broiler chickens, 50 million ‘spent hens’, 2.6 million cattle, 4.5 billion fish and 2.6 billion shellfish are killed in the UK each year – over 8 billion animals. Source
We also need to consider the ramifications, meat production is unsustainable and the planet, as well as the animals, are suffering the consequences.
Many people don’t eat a lot of meat anyway, or byproducts like cheese, milk and eggs. If you want to help save the animals, then it’s a no brainer to GO VEGAN.
Over a billion farmed animals in Britain are killed each year in slaughterhouses. Source
Your Health
Following a vegan diet is scientifically proven to benefit your health. Your blood pressure may reduce, your risk of heart attack will lessen and you can see your chances of developing certain types of cancer decrease.
Many people are concerned that they won’t get all of the nutrients that they need from a plant-based diet alone but you can. You will find all of the antioxidants you need in vegetables, pea protein, soy, grains and pulses.
Many vegans find that their complexion improves, their sense of well-being increases and their mood lifts. This can have a greater effect at helping you to ward off cold and flu.
If you do catch a cold, you can fight it off quicker as your immune system is boosted on a vegan diet. You can also head to an online pharmacy with a price match offer, purchase some remedies and find yourself feeling better much faster.
Get In Shape
If you adore chocolate and greasy meat-filled meals, the chances are that you feel sluggish and you lack energy at times. This is because your blood sugar spikes and falls resulting in the midday lull. Instead, you should consider swapping for vegan alternatives without meat and dairy. This less fat-laden diet will help you to feel more energized and refreshed.
Having a healthier diet coupled with exercise will also help you to lose weight (if this is one of your goals), it doesn’t have to be.
What better way to start 2020 than by following a vegan diet in an effort to be kinder, and feel healthier. Veganism doesn’t have to be about health, however – it’s an added bonus really.
The Planet
Nearly everyone accepts that climate change is a real and an urgent problem facing humanity. You may think that flying less, taking public transport, car sharing or swapping your gas guzzler for a hybrid is all you can do. However, the animal and meat trade is a massive contributor to carbon production. By becoming vegan, you are doing much more to help save the planet without really doing much. A few lifestyle changes that you’ll soon get used to really does have a big impact.
If the world went vegan, it could save 8 million human lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds and lead to healthcare-related savings and avoided climate damages of $1.5 trillion. Source
Farming methods and abattoirs are huge polluters resulting in damage to the ozone layer and acting as a contributor to climate change. Forget about swapping to a hybrid (if you can’t afford it), and choose to go vegan instead. This lifestyle shift can help you do much more to protect the environment.
Meat Can Make You Sick
There is a direct correlation between eating processed meat and developing lifelong ailments and acute conditions. Your chances of developing cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses can increase by eating bacon and sausages. There are plenty of plant-based equivalents that are just as tasty.
Meat can harbour dangerous toxins and bacteria that can give you food poisoning and make you very sick. Undercooked chicken and poorly prepared pork results in many hospitalisations every year with a diagnosis of salmonella or listeria. These conditions can make you terribly ill and can result in long term side effects. This can put pressure on the health service and cost the government millions in aftercare when there is a food poisoning epidemic. Vegan food is safer and much more cost-effective.
In addition, vegan food is delicious. It’s not all rabbit food that many meat manufacturers propagandise about. Vegan food is healthy, tasty and colourful.
Many top chefs are choosing to make a foray into vegan cuisine. Pop up restaurants and vegan cafes are becoming more and more popular. Many vegan eateries even challenge meat-eaters to partake in a dish or two in an effort to convert them.
Going vegan can make you healthier, you can help save the environment, you will be taking up the mantle for animal rights and you’ll be saving yourself plenty of cash on more expensive meat based meals. What’s not to love?
When planning out your New Year’s resolutions, make going vegan your top priority. The cost of not making a change is too high, the animals and the earth are paying.
If the UK population was killed at the rate farmed animals are killed around the world, it would end in just 11 hours. Sources: [1], [2], [3]
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I hope you enjoyed this post and that you consider going vegan
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