In the modern world, concepts like Veganism and Vegetarianism are growing, and are gaining immensely large amounts of followers. In fact, according to cookunity.com as well as a few other websites, it is estimated that around 20% - 22% of the world's population doesn't eat meat, and is a figure that continues to grow. These plant-based diets have several benefits, on both the environment and you, which we will discuss further in this article.
Plant-based diets benefit the environment from several different aspects. The reduction of meat-consumption directly correlates to the reduction of deforestation, fresh-water use, and emission of greenhouse gasses. First, deforestation is reduced since less land with trees is cleared by us, in order to create farmland for massive herds of animals, which are primarily raised for meat-collection purposes. To prove this, a statistic from greatgreenwall. Org says that 80% of land lost from the Amazon Rainforest is to raise cattle. Next, less fresh-water is used up in the maintenance of these herds, in addition to the massive amounts of water used in producing meat. Just think, is it worth wasting 2,400 gallons of water for 1 pound of meat when 1 pound of wheat only takes 25 gallons to create?! And finally, greenhouse gas emissions decrease as well, which is attributed to fewer cows for meat purposes emitting less methane, which can reduce the current 15% of greenhouse gases emissions caused by livestock production.
Plant-based diets not only help the environment, but also benefit us. Cutting out meat from the diet helps reduce risk for several diseases, all backed by research and statistics. For example, according to Soylent.com, converting to a plant-based diet helps reduce the risk of: cardiovascular diseases by 32%, prostate cancer by 35%, and type 2 diabetes by 23%. Also, vegans and vegetarians have less risk of dying young, compared to those who eat meat.
There are some common misconceptions with following any type of plant-based diets, which we will now clear. First of all, following a plant-based diet doesn't mean that you have to eat veggies all day... you can eat everything except meat or eggs, and dairy/animal products if you decide to follow the vegan way. There is a variety of healthy and yummy plant-based foods, some even available at local stores due to the increasing popularity of veganism. Secondly, it is believed that plant-based diets don't allow one to consume specific nutrients, especially including proteins and Omega 3. To clear this confusion, proteins can be derived from many plant sources like Lentils, Tofu, Soy, and Hemp Seeds. In fact only 37% of protein comes from meats, meaning around 2/3 come from plant-based sources, but are just not as famous as meats. Also, for Omega 3, foods like Chia Seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts are rich in their content, and successfully fulfill daily needs. Hence, the more varied and informed choices made, the healthier and nutrition-filled your meals will be.
In conclusion, plant-based diets are beneficial to everyone, and can greatly help your health if followed with a varied choice in food, and more importantly, if given a chance.
Sources
“15 Omega-3-Rich Foods: Fish and Vegetarian Sources.” Www.medicalnewstoday.com, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323144.
“2022 Vegan and Plant-Based Diet Statistics.” Soylent, 2023, soylent.com/pages/vegan-statistics.
Cook Unity. “What Percentage of the Population Is Vegetarian?” Www.cookunity.com, 18 May 2023, www.cookunity.com/blog/what-percentage-of-the-population-is-vegetarian.
“How Much Water Does It Take to Make One Steak?” PETA, 22 Mar. 2015, www.peta.org/videos/meat-wastes-water/#:~:text=It%20takes%20more%20than%202%2C400.
Petre, Alina. “The 17 Best Protein Sources for Vegans and Vegetarians.” Healthline, 2016, www.healthline.com/nutrition/protein-for-vegans-vegetarians.
Phoenix, Sam. “Vegetarian Statistics 2023 | Surprising Facts & Data.” Great Green Wall, 22 May 2023, www.greatgreenwall.org/supplements/vegetarian-statistics/#:~:text=Over%201.5%20Billion%20people%20worldwide.
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