Veganism is on the upswing. One study concluded that the number of vegans has increased by 360 per cent in the recent years. Last year, plant-based diets grew in popularity around the world as more people became aware of the links between disease and animal intake. Vegans have increased by 40% in the United Kingdom since 2020, with 1.5 million people predicted to be vegan.
Let’s look at the advantages of going vegan, as the number of individuals interested in veganism is expanding and more people are simply wondering about what a vegan diet comprises.
What is a vegan diet?
Animal items such as meat, eggs, milk, and honey are not allowed in a vegan diet. It is entirely made up of plant-based products, however many non-vegan foods have plant-based equivalents.
Veganism is a lifestyle for some people, not merely a diet. In this situation, individuals should avoid animal-tested beauty items, avoid wearing real fur or leather, and examine whether anything has had a negative influence on animals before purchasing it.
Many people have become vegan as a result of the inhumane treatment of animals on factory farms, where they live in publicly condemned conditions,” he explains.
Vegans think that the production of animal products causes animals to suffer or die prematurely for ethical grounds. In this situation, a person’s determination to avoid animal suffering at all costs may lead them to live a completely vegan lifestyle.
A vegan diet has numerous advantages, including increasing heart health and lowering the risk of diabetes and cancer, as well as supplying critical vitamins and nutrients for long and healthy life.
What are the advantages of a vegan diet?
Science sure doesn’t lie when it comes to talking about the benefits of an all-plant diet. Plant-based diets have several positive impacts on various facets of life.
- Vegan diets are rich in fibre and micronutrients. Fibres strengthen our gut function. Moving to a vegan diet and including plenty of wholes, plant foods will increase your intake of dietary fibre.
- Fibre plays a crucial role in the healthy functioning of your digestive tract. Researchers stress the importance of good gut health to aid digestion and other critical functions, like immunity, skincare, hair health, libido and sleep, as well as mood.
- Several studies have concluded that animal products worsen different types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease.
- They can also worsen irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is a fact that different foods trigger different reactions in our bodies. Plant proteins contain low amounts of sulphur, which can provide relief to those struggling with bowel issues.
- Vegan diets are high in fibre and minerals, which help the gut function.
Increase your dietary fibre intake by switching to a vegan diet and eating a lot of wholes, plant foods. Fibre is essential for the proper functioning of your digestive system.
- The importance of optimal gut health for digestion, as well as other essential processes such as immunity, skincare, hair health, libido and sleep, and mood, is emphasised by researchers.
- Multiple studies have found that animal products can aggravate certain types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease.
- Irritable bowel syndrome might also be aggravated by them (IBS). While different diets can cause different diseases, the reduced sulphur content in plant protein can help those with gastrointestinal problems.
- Soy milk is the best vegan alternative to cow’s milk. It has many health benefits, being low on cholesterol and free of lactose.
- Soy foods have also been linked to a lower incidence of breast cancer. According to research conducted in Shanghai, women with breast cancer who take 11 g of soy protein per day can reduce their mortality and recurrence risk by 30%.
- A plant-based diet has been demonstrated to lower the risk of cancer in people. Because it excludes dairy, a vegan diet can lower the risk of breast cancer. Studies have connected high-fat dairy products to an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer when ingested regularly.
- The National Cancer Institute, the National Institutes of Health, and the World Cancer Research Fund concluded in research that drinking a cup of cow’s milk every day increases the risk of developing breast cancer by 50% in women. That is why it is smart to switch to soy milk.
- Grilled meat releases cancer-causing carcinogens. Therefore, avoiding grilled meat reduces the risk of these carcinogens interacting with cell DNA and inducing genetic mutations.
- People live robust and active lifestyles well into their 90s and 100s in places of the world where populations eat largely plant-based diets, and certain diseases are nearly unheard of.
- Fruit and vegetables in a plant-based diet tend to be more colourful. These foods’ pigments contain cancer-fighting chemicals.
- When compared to animal products and processed diets, whole plant foods have a lower energy per weight. This means that the same amount of food will contain significantly fewer calories and significantly more fibre, water, and phytonutrients.
- A whole food vegan diet is a terrific way to eat if you prefer to fill your plate and feel filled at each meal.
- A vegan diet exclusively consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. Compared to a diet that is loaded with animal products, vegan diets lead to higher consumption of certain nutrients.
- According to science-based facts, switching to a vegan diet can help in managing and even reversing diabetes type 2. About 80 % of persons with diabetes type 2 are overweight. It is no surprise that veganism and vegetarianism reduce obesity.
- Vegan diets are naturally rich in fibre and lower in saturated fat. Plant-based food adds fewer calories to our body than animal products.
- Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds are all part of a vegan diet. Because those substances make up a larger percentage of a diet than animal products, they naturally contribute to a higher intake of specific nutrients.
- A vegan diet has been shown to prevent, treat, and even reverse type 2 diabetes. Approximately 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Studies also demonstrate that veganism and vegetarianism protect against obesity, which is unsurprising.
- Vegan diets often have more fibre and less saturated fat. Furthermore, plant-based foods often have fewer calories than animal-based foods.
- According to the American National Renal Foundation, a plant-based diet minimises the risk of kidney disease and can even prevent early kidney disease from worsening. The nutrients in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains may aid to relieve rheumatoid arthritis discomfort and inflammation.
- Turning vegan can help our joints too. According to a study, people suffering from moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis showed significant relief in symptoms after following a low-fat vegan diet for some weeks. A change in diet relieves joint pain, stiffness, soreness, and oedema.
- Veganism is also good for our mental health. Plant products are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols. Fruits and vegetables are natural, affordable and non-invasive treatment strategies to improve mental health.
- There may be a connection between dairy and acne. A 2018 study looked at the relationship between dairy consumption and acne in 78,529 children, adolescents, and young adults. The findings revealed that any type of dairy consumption was linked to an increased risk of acne in adults aged 7 to 30.
- Switching to a plant-based diet eliminates elements that aggravate skin problems. It also leads to a higher intake of nutrients that benefit the health of your skin. The more fresh, plant-based meals you eat on a vegan diet, the more nutrients you’ll get, which will help your hair and nails grow stronger.
- Antibiotic resistance is responsible for 25,000 annual deaths in the European Union and 23,000 annual deaths in the United States, according to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Agriculture accounts for 80% of total antibiotic use in the United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Antibiotic resistance is expected to cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050, according to research. As a result, it would overtake cancer as the biggest cause of mortality globally.
Veganism also provides environmental benefits for people who believe the mass-production of animals is harmful to the environment. According to researchers, extensive animal husbandry has a wide range of environmental repercussions, including carbon emissions, water pollution, and deforestation.
It’s time to question ourselves: why don’t we live a life that includes wonderful food and drink, improves health, leaves a smaller carbon footprint, and doesn’t kill other creatures?