The Effects of Veganism
The idea of a vegan diet was impossible or impractical for quite sometime, but as time past the idea started grabbing more attention. Veganism is the philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to animals for food or clothing(“Definition of Veganism”). The term “vegan” is use to describe a person who believe in the practice of veganism, they only use or eat plant-based products and no animal products. This plant-based diet is hard to switch to due to the restriction of animal products. including meat, dairy(anything that contains milk), fish, honey, eggs, wool, silk, leather, and fur. People tend to stick to the vegetarian or pescetarian diet instead, because the idea
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Even though some believe that the vegan diet is good for the body, there are no studies to prove it. According to the article, most of the minerals and nutrients we need are from eating animal products. There are some vitamins and minerals you can get from eating fruits and vegetables but not all. Like animal proteins, creatine, carnosine, and DHA, they help make the brain function and reform cells. Protein build muscle tissues and help protect bones and muscle, Meat and eggs are the number one source of protein, vegans tend to lose muscle mass due to the lack of eating animal products. Also, being a vegan make it harder to eat out or eat with family and friends. Most restaurants doesn’t serve vegan food, unless you’re planning to eat a salad every time you go out. Even if you do eat a salad every time you go out, the dressing won’t be vegan. It is very expensive to vegan because most non-animal products are pricier than animal products. People tend to take the stretch and get organic produce which is much more expensive than regular. Vegans also try to stay away from added sugar, refined carbohydrates, processed oils, and trans fat. You can those elements in many food and it would be hard to avoid them. Switching to this diet will change your whole lifestyle and it will take time to adapt to it. The vegan diet requires you to give up a lot of your life and if you can’t make the sacrifice then the switch is not worth
In November 1944, the term “vegan” was coined by Donald Watson. He wanted to create this term because even though vegetarians do not eat meat, they still eat dairy and eggs. He wanted “vegan” be the term to describe the people who did not consume meat, eggs, or dairy. Today, vegan is used to describe a diet or lifestyle that does not include any animal products in general. A diet without meat, dairy, eggs, or any other animals products is argued on whether or not it is a sustainable and healthy way of living.
“In the evolving landscape of neurological research, a plant-based diet may help in treating symptoms of anxiety and depression.” Neal Barnard, M.D. Unfortunately, depression affects a staggering 9.5% of the adult population. As a result $83 billion are lost in productivity each year. Research suggests that a Western Diet, high in fat and animal protein contributes to lower cognitive abilities and mood disorders. Thus, adopting a vegetarian diet is an excellent choice for many people because it improves overal health. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that when individuals improve their physical health, they become more physically and socially active and their overall quality of life improves.
What is Veganism? Veganism is a diet where a person does not eat or use any animal-produced product. Veganism is described as an extreme form of vegetarianism. It is known that vegans were once called Pythagoras, first being mentioned by Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras. The term vegan originated from Donald Watson, the founder of the Vegan Society. The rise of Veganism is often contributed to the media and religion; however, it can also be contributed to the overwhelming positive environmental health benefits.
A person that avoids any animal products, as in any meats or animal-derived foods is considered a vegetarian. This is the general classification of a vegetarian. It is a challenge to classify a vegetarian; many variations were created to suit certain diets. Lactovegetarians are vegetarians that consume milk and dairy products. Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but no dairy products, and some do consume honey. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians exclude meats and seafood’s but consume dairy products and eggs. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian eating pattern also consists of legumes, seeds and nuts. Vegans are the only pure vegetarians; they exclude all animal derived foods. There are also people that classify themselves as near vegetarians, for example macrobiotic diets. The macrobiotic diet consists mostly grains, legumes and vegetables and limited amounts of fish. There is also an instance where people will adopt being a vegetarian occasionally; this is called being a flexitarian.
The main health benefit is that a vegan diet is richer in certain nutrients. When ditching a typical western diet, you will find yourself in more of a whole-food plant based diet that consist of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. These foods contribute to a higher daily intake of beneficial nutrients. According to (Petre, 2016) “Several studies have reported that vegan diets are more likely to provide more fiber, antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds. They also appear to be richer in potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C and E.” b.
A well planned , vegan diet is rich in protein , calcium and iron and many other essential vitamins and minerals . A plant based diet has lots of nutrients and its low on saturated fat and very high on fiber . It’s packed with antioxidants. Which helps combat modern diseases such as obesity and heart disease. By becoming a vegan you will have much more energy . A vegan a won’t suffer from high cholesterol , because cholesterol is only found in animal products . Therefore a human being won’t be suffering from these life threatening diseases that are caused by animal product consumption. Overall a plant based diet is the right way to go for a healthy
Being vegetarian opens up so many doors for people. For those who do not know what a vegetarian is or are confused on what they do or eat let me inform you that being a vegetarian simply means that you go off of plant-based diets. Although there are several kinds of vegetarian diets, it is all based on what type of food you are consuming. For example, a strict vegetarians or vegans avoid all foods of animal origin, including meat, poultry, fish, diary products, and eggs. Many people become a vegetarian for different reason according to the Calorie King he states, “being vegetarian means different things to different people, and people follow a vegetarian diet for different reason including health, religion, and ethical beliefs.”(Deusen p.1)
Vegetarianism, or at least the idea of it, which includes everything from Lacto-ovo-vegetarian to veganism, has existed for quite a long time. There is record of people abstaining from eating meat and flesh well before the Christian Era, and although not as widely practiced it might have been easier to follow such a diet in that time in history. Veganism is the most strict and extreme version of vegetarianism; it was defined in 1944 and very similar to the way people of ancient times practiced it, but with more restrictions due to more food options and more emphasis on ethical concerns. If one was to examine veganism today they would see an extremely disputed practice in terms of what is acceptable to consume according to ethics, health ideas, and the different levels of veganism. The opposition comes from less strict vegetarians and non-vegetarians, it’s the idea that veganism is not the healthier diet to practice, but that a balanced, well rounded diet might actually be more beneficial to one’s health and longevity. More importantly the ethical claim made by people who practice vegan diets isn’t as ethically sound as it’s made out to be. This research paper will examine the different types of vegetarians, specifically people who classify themselves as vegans and raw vegans, the ideas and ethics behind their lifestyle and why they fall short of what they claim, and reasons why practicing this diet may not be the better choice.
Vegetarianism is becoming more widespread, particularly because of the belief people have that meat can potentially harm the body. The term ‘vegetarianism’ is used to describe people who avoid eating eat or seafood and possibly dairy foods or eggs. According to Nutrition Australia, the term is not well defined and it includes “people with a wide range of attitudes and eating behaviours with respect to foods of animal region” (para. 3). There are a broad range of vegetarians based on how much food is derived of plant origin, from animals and other sources. Thus, there are five types of vegetarians; Semi vegetarian diet excludes red meat and consumes poultry with/or fish, eggs and dairy food. Lacto vegetarian diet avoid meat, poultry, fish and consumes dairy foods. Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet excludes meat,
According to vegansociety.com, “ Veganism represents a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, other animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, other animals and the environment.“ People that follow this way of living are called vegans. The vegan diet is more a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than just a diet. The vegan life is the best way to live because it’s healthier, helps the environment, and is kinder to animals.
Imagine living a life without eating anything with an animal product in it. No meat, fish, milk, eggs, honey, not even gelatin. Vegans are people who adapt a lifestyle where they live without any animal based goods; some do this for the health benefits that come with eliminating meats and dairy. Many become vegan as a way to protest and eliminate animal cruelty which is extremely apparent in the meat industry. A vegan diet is based largely on fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and soy. Many people would say this is unhealthy, that a person cannot live like this. Much of this skepticism comes from being misinformed, and under informed about veganism. It is safe to live a vegan lifestyle. On a vegan diet a person can get all the vitamins
Today people are concerned with what they eat in order to lose or maintain their weight. What people do not know is how their food is obtained, how veganism is beneficial to their health and what the food industry thinks of vegans. Veganism is the avoidance of any animal products particularly food. Veganism confronts the issues of animal welfare as well as dietary concerns for humans. It is an effective method to live a healthy and humane lifestyle.
People choose a vegetarian lifestyle for many reasons. Health, environment, culture, religion and ethics are all factors that play into the decision to not eat meat. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products (Vegetarian Resource Group). As veganism becomes more popular as a lifestyle and as a means of weight loss there has become a great amount of debate as to whether or not this type of diet is considered healthy or harmful because it has the potential to lack important vitamins, minerals and of course protein.
In today’s fast-paced, modern and practical society people are becoming more health conscious. This includes trying to choose the best available options for a beneficial lifestyle. Exotic Greek salads, fresh fruit juices, delicate tofu preparation, smelly grilled vegetables, creamy grains soups, moisten carve soufflés, and so much more are common elections for meals for many people. They are becoming more concerned these days about the increasing health risks of a meat-based diet. On the other hand, others have taken a step further and believed that animal cruelty involved in killing animals and using them for their products is inhumane and should be outlawed. Since meat-eating has been an accepted part of the human diet across the spectrum of many civilizations for millions of years, a controversy emerges between those who want to be banned the use of animal products and those who enjoy a steak now and then. Should people consider becoming a vegan?
The vegetarian diet is one that provides the body with many essential nutrients. These nutrients include fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. All of these nutrients aid in providing the body with the minerals that can help to prevent health diseases. As can be seen with the vegetarian diet there are many health benefits that can prevent, or be treatment for, health diseases. According to the American Dietetic Association the vegetarian diet is healthy and recommended for obtaining the nutrients needed for better health. A vegetarian diet is low in cholesterol and fatty acids and these are the factors that contribute to many health diseases. The nutrients that the vegetarian diet contains are beneficial and reduce the chances of becoming obese, getting heart disease, and being diagnosed with cancer.