Veganism refers to any diet which does not include foods containing meat, fish, dairy products, eggs or honey and often stems from environmental concerns, animal ethics or improved health concerns.

An ideal vegan diet provides all essential nutrients, including protein, from whole food sources. Unfortunately, vitamin B12 can be hard to come by without resorting to animal products as a source.

Reduced Carbon Footprint

Reducing your carbon footprint significantly by switching to vegan options such as beans, whole grains, vegetables and fruits can have a dramatic impact. Producing food takes considerable energy for production as well as transport. Being vegan could reduce it up to 73%!

Raising animals for meat consumption requires even more energy and resources, with farms emitting methane gas as they require food energy for survival and land and water usage requirements required for production alone; all this energy could be put to better use if we consumed plants directly as opposed to raising animals for meat consumption.

Now more than ever it’s easier than ever to obtain all the protein we require without eating animal products. There are numerous delectable and nutritious food sources with high concentrations of protein – like soybean products (tofu, edamame and tempeh), seitan, fruits and vegetables as well as avocados nuts and seeds which contain high amounts of this vital nutrient.

Increased Energy Efficiency

Meat and dairy production is extremely energy-intensive, accounting for 58% of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions (Science, 2021). Egg-laying hens in particular take a heavy toll on the environment as they are kept crammed into cages that offer them approximately one sheet of lined paper per square foot; once their egg production decreases below their natural limits they are sent off for slaughtering.

Energy consumed when raising and transporting animals can also be considerable, from feeding them to manufacturing their inputs for farming livestock. By going vegan, one can significantly lower these consumptions and help mitigate climate change.

Plant-based foods require significantly less energy to process. For instance, it only requires 74 litres of water to make one glass of almond milk while 100 litres are required to produce cow’s milk; making almond milk more environmentally-friendly in this regard. In addition, diets composed solely of plants produce 53% less greenhouse gas emissions compared with diets including meat and dairy.

Less Land Exploitation

Many people become vegan for health, environmental sustainability and ethical considerations related to worker and animal welfare. Becoming vegan is one of the best ways to reduce our impact on Earth.

Production of meat and dairy is detrimental to our planet. Every year, millions of gallons of water, large tracts of land and entire ocean ecosystems are lost to animal agriculture; their waste also pollutes nearby rivers and waterways creating dangerous environments for both people and animal populations alike.

Plant-based diets require less land to produce the same amount of protein; veganism uses 75% less agricultural land compared to its meaty counterpart. This opens up vast swathes of the planet for rewilding efforts aimed at returning natural environments back into balance after years of degradation, protecting our precious planet while guaranteeing sustainable futures for all.

Reduced Water Consumption

Veganism involves eating foods rich in water content such as beans and nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. When compared with eating meat equivalently in calories terms, vegan diets require up to 94% less water for production of equivalent greenhouse gases (Nature Sustainability 2020).

Animal agriculture accounts for 57% of greenhouse gas emissions associated with agriculture-related greenhouse gas emissions; therefore adopting a plant-based diet could be one of the best ways to minimize your environmental footprint on Earth (Scientific Reports 2019).

If you need further convincing that going vegan will make an impactful statement, consider this: it takes 13 pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef; that is wasted plant food which could feed people instead.

Switching to veganism which is kosher safe doesn’t have to mean going cold turkey; there are many delicious plant-based foods on the market you can gradually add into your diet by replacing meat products with vegan alternatives at grocery stores and ordering vegetarian meals from restaurants.

Improved Soil Health

Becoming vegan requires practice, like learning to ride a bicycle. Once comfortable and confident with it, though, the transition becomes second nature – giving way to greater health benefits and an eco-friendly lifestyle. Substituting plant-based meals reduces your impact on the environment by saving natural resources such as water and land; plus it lowers greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, soil erosion and pollution by nearly 70%!

Eating vegan will not only increase your gut microbiome and decrease risk for chronic diseases, but will also spare animals of cruelty on factory farms. Conventional egg-laying hens spend their entire lives laying large numbers of eggs before being sent off to slaughterhouses – going vegan can disrupt this cruel industry and spare their lives!

At Veganomic we believe it is vitally important for new vegans to explore all the advantages that living a vegan lifestyle brings, so we suggest immersing yourself in our community through reading books, watching documentaries, or listening to educational podcasts.

Reduced Food Poisoning

Vegan diets that consist of whole, unprocessed foods provide all the nutrition your body requires – protein, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fibre, phytochemicals and antioxidants among others. Studies suggest they reduce chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer risk significantly.

Veganism also lowers your risks of food poisoning. Since vegans avoid meat, fish, dairy products, eggs and animal derivatives such as gelatine, honey, beeswax shellac carmine fish oil collagen they are less likely to experience foodborne illness caused by cross contamination.

Those at risk for food poisoning should always make sure their hands are thoroughly washed prior to handling raw foods such as leafy greens or grains, which could contain harmful bacteria if left undercooked. Furthermore, pre-washed or cut vegetables are especially vulnerable to contamination by bacteria.

Better Body Odour

Meat, eggs and dairy contain fatty acids which contribute to body odor. If you switch over to a plant-based diet instead, your body may become fresher and you could feel healthier as well.

Starting a vegan diet can be daunting, but there are plenty of resources to assist newcomers. From cookbooks and documentaries to online recipes that teach how to create delicious vegan dishes.

As with any journey, going vegan should not be seen as an endpoint. Think through how you will navigate grocery shopping and dinner parties when making this change and getting family or friends onboard will make it much simpler to remain vegan.

If you’re trying to become vegan but are having difficulty, ease into it slowly. Your gut bacteria may find it challenging to transition quickly from eating high-fiber, low-protein diet to whole food, protein-rich food; gradually introduce vegan food over several weeks can help your body adjust and create beneficial bacteria colonies in its place.

Better Health

Opting to go vegan can help protect against chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, and may reduce your risk of cancer and obesity.

Plant-based diets contain fiber, healthy fats, and no cholesterol which all help lower cardiovascular disease risk. Vegan diets also have been proven to regulate your body’s inflammatory response mechanisms as well as significantly decrease migraine headaches.

But it is wise to plan ahead and be aware that taking supplements might be necessary. People can become deficient in B12, omega-3s, vitamin D, calcium and iron; therefore it may be worthwhile consuming fortified foods as well as adding probiotic supplements into your diet to protect yourself against deficiencies.

Start slowly by cutting back on meat consumption, gradually replacing it with vegetables and fruit, or creating recipes such as veggie chili or vegetarian fajitas without meat. Soon you will discover that enjoying vegan meals doesn’t feel restrictive at all; in fact, you may feel more empowered by your decision!