Veganism seems to be a diet choice that is on the rise. According to The Vegan Society website, “Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.” Veganism can lead to health concerns, with the foods that are consumed in a vegan diet not giving them all the necessary nutrients that come along with what is consumed in a well-balanced diet. It is also seen that some of those who practice veganism may not always have their heart in the right place about what their moral obligation is with veganism. In a veganism diet, many of the nutrients that are part of a well-balanced diet may not be consumed. An article on the Authority Nutrition website explains how a vitamin B-12 deficiency is the most common problem among the vegan diet, they go on to explain, “Because B12 is critical for life and isn’t found in any amount in plants (except some types of algae), it is by far the most important nutrient that vegans must be concerned with.” The article goes on to explain that other nutrients needed in the vegan diet include animal protein, creatine, carnosine, and docosahexaenoic …show more content…
Those who practice a vegan diet usually have some moral or ethical reasoning behind it such as seeing animal butchering as inhumane. The Unites States Department of Agriculture (USDA) passed the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act in 1978. “This Act requires the proper treatment and humane handling of all food animals slaughtered in USDA inspected slaughter plants. (USDA)” The Act also states “that livestock must be slaughtered in a humane manner to prevent needless suffering. (USDA)” With such acts in place, the USDA monitors which slaughter houses are fit for the humane process of food animal processing and are not doing so with acts of animal cruelty being
This is actually not true. A vegan diet is no worse or better than a meat diet, it all depends on how balanced your diet is (Anisman-Reiner). Like with any diet a person has to be sure they are eating enough and receiving enough nutrients that their body needs to run. In any diet a person can have too much bad and not enough good, if a person eats too many fats and processed food they could become at risk for many health issues; a person on either a meat or vegan diet can be affected by this. What many people don’t know is that on a vegan diet a person can get all the nutrients a person can get on the traditional meat diet. One thing that many people often wonder is “Where do you get calcium if you don’t eat dairy?” A misleading fact in today’s society is that you need dairy to get calcium but this isn’t true. Countless other foods have calcium and a person on a vegan diet will eat more of these foods than a non-vegan making it easy for them to get all the calcium they need. A person who consumes 2,000 calories a day should have the equivalent of
People are unaware of the harsh effects of meats. They contain toxic fats and hormones not intended for human consumption. Each year seven million people die from cancer internationally. However, a change into a healthier diet, such as veganism, can lengthen people's lifespans. Due to the low-fat, high-fiber diet, the vegan diet has a tendency to prevent cancer. Veganism has been proven to prevent certain cancers, studies show that veganism hinders the development of cancers such as breast, cervical, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Not only does veganism prevent diseases such as cancer, it also improves one's physical and mental health. The elimination of the animal products will cause one's Body Mass Index (BMI) level to change. Fattening food consumptions of meats can cause weight gain. Therefore, the elimination of these unhealthy proteins helps with weight loss. Along with a positive body image, not supporting the inhumane slaughtering of innocent animals could ease one's conscious. However, without meat, vegans aren't able to consume the right amount of nutrients that non- vegans get. For an example, vegans do not get cobalamin (B-12) naturally because it is only in animal by products. Vegans can always take vitamins to fix this problem. Also, they do not receive a lot of calcium, vitamin D, and iron, but just like they take supplements, or eat fortified foods, as a substitute for cobalamin, is the same way they are able to fix these other problems. Not only do they find a way to fix small problems with their diet, but also with the harmful effects for humans, and the environment people live
One of the reasons that vegans don't believe we should eat animals is because we don't have the right to eat them. They believe that those animals have the same exact rights that humans have. The animals feel pain and have the exact same feelings that human beings do. What these people don't realize ...
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)
Our society sanitizes animal products to the extent that we are disconnected from the food we consume. Most of us empathize with the cute baby animals that the Dartmouth app conveniently provides and most of us understand that going vegan is one of the most effective ways to alleviate world hunger and combat climate change. Most of us are neither vegan nor vegetarian.
Veganism has its origins in the inhumane treatment of animals. Many vegans have done research into the livestock business and have found disturbing results. By witnessing institutionalized cruelty, vegans support their plight with this documentation and work together to promote their cause. Many vegans feel that it is not only a diet, but the embodiment of ahimsa-- the philosophy of non-violence towards and all-encompassing respect for all sentient beings (http://envirolink.org/arrs/vo/BeingVegan.html). Vegans are also concerned with the environment. A report issued by the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Interior says that 1/3 of all raw materials consumed in the U.S. are involved in the production of our animal-based foods, as is over half of the water (http://envirolink.
Starting a vegetarian diet requires planning, because there are many nutrients that cannot be received from plants. The major nutrient received from meat is protein. Protein is necessary to rebuild cells and to have strong bones and muscles. Protein is important for a high-energy level and overall good health (Becoming a Vegetarian 2014).Protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and zinc are all vitamins minerals that a vegetarian must find alternative sources of because they are mainly obtained through eating meat (Becoming a Vegetarian 2014).Many vegetarians get these through vitamin supplements. If a person does not get enough iron, they can develop anemia. It is important for a vegetarian to get proper
Unless the intention is to shorten one’s lifespan, the Western diet, respectively, has it all wrong. On any given day, Americans are found consuming excessive amounts of meat and dairy products. While that may not seem like such a crime—it’s treason to their bodies. What people fail to realize is that they are allowing unnecessary trans fats, numerous carcinogens, and harmful bacteria into their bloodstream. This can lead to countless complications later in life. Whereas, if people avoided meat and dairy for fruits and vegetables, the health benefits from this type of eating habit would be astonishing. Although vitamin B-12, found in many meat products, is essential to make blood for the nervous system, there can be supplements that vegans take to ensure they are getting what they need. Vegan lifestyle is proven to be healthier as opposed to a meat and dairy lifestyle, because vegans are less prone to diseases, have a leaner and more energetic body, and their lifestyle mitigates the ecological destruction of the planet.
One must take into account the multiple other variables prior to making a claim that a specific diet is lacking in certain areas. At the end of the day, when asked whether or not vegans are consuming enough protein, the answer is yes, and they are doing it effortlessly. As long as their daily food intake meets their caloric needs through a balanced and wide variety of plant-based whole foods, they should never have an issue with meeting their protein needs. Individuals are increasingly considering a vegan diet not only for their overall health and well-being but also due to its beneficial effects on the environment. Industrialized animal farming is a substantial factor contributing to the deterioration of the environment through global warming and overuse of materials. In addition, once people learn of the horrific and inhumane treatment of animals in factory farms, embracing an animal-free lifestyle becomes the next logical
Veganism is a trendy lifestyle that is gain its popularity over time and it is
Vitamins A and D are two of the biggest vitamins your body needs to function. They are essential for immune regulation, digestion, hormone, and fertility balance. A vegan diet does not provide those two fat-soluble vitamins. Vegetables provide
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.
In general, the public loves their meat. I mean look at our streets there are McDonalds, Burger Kings, and Wendy’s around almost every corner. When asked if they would go vegan most people would say no, I love to eat meat. To vegans this disgusts them and their reasoning is very convincing.
Critics of vegetarianism do not believe that going on a plant based diet is the healthier choice. According to Nancy Rodriguez , people need to have a balanced diet consisting of the basic food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. Vegetarians are getting the important nutrients from vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy but are missing important vitamins that they would normally get from proteins, such as, vitamin D, vitamin B12, zinc, iron, and calcium. These nutrients are available in other foods but vegetarians are not able to get it in large amounts as they would be in meat. This insufficient amount of nutrients could create health problems in the future, for example, not having enough vitamin D could lead to bad bone structure. It is true that becoming a vegetarian could lead to some nutritional problems in the body however; there are many more positive aspects in becoming a vegetarian than negatives.
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.