6 reason to become vegan
BY READERS DIGEST
27th Jan 2021 Life
The Veganuary just around the corner, many of you may be wondering if you could handle a lifestyle that rejects all animal products. Think about it. No more cheese, no more red meat, and no more milk in your morning coffee.
Depending on your commitment to the cause, going vegan could mean sticking to a plant-based diet. Or it could mean avoiding any and all items that come from animals, including leather, fur and honey.
Veganism is soaring in popularity, which means the supermarket shelves are heaving with vegan options. Even your favourite restaurants are likely to have a fair few vegan options on the menu. Vegan pizza is available from Pizza Hut, and KFC has been getting in on the action with a Southern Fried Quorn chicken burger with vegan mayo.
It has never been easier to follow a vegan diet, and there are so many benefits to be discovered. These are just some of the reasons you should consider going vegan in 2021.
Save the planet
A vegan diet is typically lower impact and contributes less to greenhouse gas emissions. According to one study, vegans contribute 41.7% less greenhouse gas emissions than their meat-eating counterparts. Even if you don’t commit to a full-time vegan diet, you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by simply cutting down on red meat, or opting to follow a vegan diet for just one day per week.
Save the animals
If you’re a fan of all things four-legged and fuzzy, a vegan diet could help you to feel less guilty about your lifestyle choices. Every year in the UK, around 2.6 million cattle, 10 million pigs and 14.5 million sheep and lambs are slaughtered for meat. While you might not be able to stop this, by choosing not to consume meat products, this sends a clear message to the meat industry.
Explore new cuisine
When you give up meat and animal products for good, you’ll have to learn some new recipes in order to survive. Once you’re bored of veggie chilli and Quorn bolognese, you’ll soon venture into new culinary avenues. Vegan food can and should be delicious, so there’s no excuse for following a dull diet in favour of saving the environment or the animals.
Ramp up your sex life
Perhaps an unexpected benefit of a vegan diet is that your sex life could get a little boost. Vegans typically enjoy better heart and brain health thanks to a low-fat diet that is filled with fruits and vegetables. Those who are healthier typically perform better in the bedroom, have more energy, and are more likely to be up for sex at the end of a long day. If you want to boost your sex drive, a vegan diet could be a simple and effective way to fuel your body and give it what it needs to perform.
Become healthier
A vegan diet is laden with fewer temptations than an omnivorous diet. This means that it will be much easier to enjoy a healthy diet than if you were to eat anything and everything. A vegan diet will typically be higher in carbs than most diets, so you’ll have to focus on making sure you’re getting enough protein.
If you’re already a fitness buff, you might be pleased to learn that a vegan diet is excellent for training. Bodybuilders and runners will often find success when following a vegan diet and you should have no trouble getting all of the nutrients you need. You may wish to add a multivitamin to your daily routine to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin B12.
Meet new people
Vegans are a social bunch. From vegan food festivals to vegan restaurants, there’s no shortage of socialising opportunities that will allow you to meet like-minded people. Remember that people turn to a vegan diet for many different reasons. So if you’re worried that vegan events will only be attended by new-age spiritualists called Sage or Zephyr, you needn’t be.
Yes, there are some vegans who will try to push their beliefs on others, but there are a lot more who are just looking to lead a low-impact life and discover some new recipes along the way.
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