5 REASONS TO BE VEGAN IN 2021
By: Kunika Sonkusare
Tags: Healthy Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Global Warming, Veganism

It’s 2021! And now it’s high time to ditch your non vegetarian diet and opt for some vegan food. You can try being vegan for the planet, for your love towards animals or simply for your own well-being. While there are innumerable reasons to start your journey towards veganism, here are top 5 reasons to start with.

1. To stand up against animal cruelty

Animals all over the world are being slaughtered just so we can provide something good for our taste buds. Male chickens are being killed because they cannot lay eggs. The unhealthy conditions in the poultry farms can cause serious health issues to the birds including chronic illness.

And while advertisement industry tries to make you fall for the pictures of cow being our friend and happily giving away milk, reality is so much far than that. Mother cows are forcibly impregnated. And calves, who truly deserves the milk are separated from their mothers shortly after birth so that the milk can be used by humans.

We cannot exaggerate enough on the trauma our non-vegetarian diet is causing the animals.

2. For our planet

There is no harm in saying that we humans have caused some serious damage to the mother earth. While we cannot undo the hazard that has been already caused, but we sure can take conscious efforts to help the planet heal and bloom again.

Researches have proved that adopting a vegan diet can reduce your carbon footprint from food by up to 73%.

If the whole population of the planet turns vegan, we can save up to 75% of the global farmland, which is equivalent to the size of countries like US, China, Australia and the EU combined.

3. To keep a check on climate change

Climate change is the biggest problem we are dealing with as humans right now. Years and years of ignorance towards environment has brought us to face problems like global warming. But now is the time to be aware and take conscious steps towards keeping a check on climate change and being vegan can be your step 1.

Meat industry is lot more than just slaughtering animals. There is a whole process of feeding huge amounts of grain and water to animals and then killing them. Transporting and storing is again a big challenge and all these are extremely energy concentrated processes. And food production is one of the contributions to global warming. Agriculture and forestry accounts for ¼ of greenhouse gas emissions. Looking after livestock contributes to global warming by the methane gas produced by the animals.

Surely this a matter of concern but New Scientist magazine proves that each individual can reduce the amount of greenhouse gases up to 60 per cent (which are caused by his/her diet) — just by going vegan. Researches have shown that 60% of people are willing to change the amount of meat they consume; however, only 48.8% are actually intending to reduce their meat intake and only 44.4% agreed to completely change to a plant-based diet. You can add up to the 44.4% for the betterment of planet.

4. To be more healthy

‘Health is wealth’. This may sound like a cliche proverb but 2020 has surely made us realize the importance of our health. Plant based diet not just makes you feel good ethically but it also nourishes your body better than a non-vegetarian diet. Plant based diet is rich in nutrients and low in saturated fats which can improve your heart health, protect against cancer and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

If you are looking towards losing weight than vegan diet is your best friend. Plant based diets have been proven to help quicker weight loss. vegan diet guarantees you healthier gut microbes (good bacteria that resides in your digestive tract). The extra fiber that vegans get from the veggies and whole grain rich diet, contributes in cultivation of good bacteria.

Your body will thank you for adopting vegan diet, so in return you will have to keep a check of vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and iodine intake. As you might be missing on them.

5. To help with undernourishment

I know the title must have shocked you. How can you being vegan help with the undernourishment issue? Let’s dive into this topic.

One in ten children are born with lower-than-normal body weigh and in South Asia the number goes to being one in four children. 45% of the deaths of children under the age of 5 is due to undernourishment. As mentioned earlier, a huge number of grains and water is needed in the meat industry which can otherwise be used to feed the people who are suffering from poverty. Also the water that farms consume can be brought to the use of those who don’t readily have access to clean water.

You making a choice to eat a vegan diet has the possibility of feeding an empty belly somewhere in the world and what could feel better than that!!!

There are so many reasons to be vegan. Just stick to your reason and start the journey of being vegan. All the best!!!