7 Reasons to Go Plant-Based
Knowing and remembering why you want to go plant-based is very important, especially at the beginning of your journey. Each day, a person who eats a plant-based diet saves 600 gallons of water, 40 pounds of feed grain, 30 sq ft of forested land and one animal’s life.
Benefits of a plant-based lifestyle include:
Lower environmental footprint
Reduce animal suffering
Lower rates of heart disease type 2 diabetes
Less water & air pollution
Feed more people
Support social justice
Save money
Supports a healthy weight and positive mental health outcomes
-Protecting the Environment
Every second, 1-2 acres of rainforest are cleared for grazing livestock or growing animal feed, and 91% of forest deforestation is caused by livestock. Furthermore, livestock accounts for 51% of global greenhouse emissions, and animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector. 1 pound of hamburger meat equals 75 kg CO2 emission which is about the same as using your car for 3 weeks (at an average CO2 emission of 3 kg per day). Lastly, about 1 billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used on feed crops annually in the United States. These pesticides and fungicides not only corrupt the microbiome when you digest them in animal products, they also destroy our soil and water.
-Better Health Outcomes (and probably loss weight)
More and more major health organizations are now stating that it’s healthy to eat a well-planned plant-based diet during all stages of life, acknowledging that individuals on a plant-based diet have lower rates of cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, strokes, and even Alzheimer’s. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19562864/ Individuals on a plant-based diet are the only group of people who consistently average a normal and healthy BMI – the more animal products people eat, the higher their BMI. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19351712/ Most people experience an increase of energy when abstaining from animal products. This is usually due to the combination of increased phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins and balanced plant protein.
-Supporting Animal Welfare
Going plant-based (even for only a few meals a week) is one of the best things you can do to help stop animal cruelty. By refusing to pay for animal products, you reduce the demand for them, which ensures fewer animals are bred to suffer and die on factory farms. Modern factory farms, sometimes referred to as concentrated or confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), exist to produce meat and dairy products as quickly and cheaply as possible. The animals are given the bare minimum needed to survive, antibiotics and hormones. Crammed into fetid sheds, most will never roam freely, nor will they ever breathe fresh air or see natural daylight.
-Support Food Equity and Social Justice
The industries that produce foods using animal body parts are extremely harmful to humans and disproportionately affect people of color and low-income communities. Working in a meat processing plant is a dangerous job and these facilities target undocumented people for employment. There have been many cases of meat processing companies reporting employees’ immigration status to the authorities immediately after the employee is severely injured or advocates for better working conditions. Meanwhile, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and large dairy factory farms are placed in communities whose residents are primarily low-income and/or people of color, polluting the air and water, causing poor health outcomes for residents.
-Better Skin
It’s no secret that diet and skin health are closely linked. By following a healthy diet -staying hydrated and consuming the correct nutrients- you can keep your skin looking younger, brighter and acne-free. For individuals with acne-prone skin, dairy can be one of the worst triggers for inflammation. When you eat more plant-based foods, the nutritional profile you’re consuming vastly increases. All the vegetables and fruits included in a plant-based diet come packed with the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) your skin and micro biome need. By contrast, your avoiding all the processed foods, and sugar, salt, and saturated fat that is also contaminated with pesticides, hormones, fungicides and other inflammatory toxins.
-Boost Your Mood
People eating plant-based tend to have healthier mood states—less tension, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, and fatigue. This is partially due to the higher level of antioxidants in plant-based foods, particularly fruits and vegetables. Eating enough vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols, and related nutrients found in plants — known in this context as neuronutrients — you make adequate mood-enhancing transmitters. Healthful plant-based foods including brown rice, steel-cut oats, and rye bread (gut bacteria depend on these fibers), help regulate serotonin levels in the brain and decrease feelings of depression and/or anxiety. When individuals eat chicken, eggs, and other animal products high in arachidonic acid, a series of chemical reactions are triggered in the body that results in inflammation. When inflammation reaches the brain, feelings of anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and depression follow.
-Save Money
Plant-based diets can be extremely economical. When you center your diet around grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and seasonal fruits/veggies, you might be cutting your monthly food expenses. Many of these foods can be bought in bulk and stored for a long time. Meal prepping can also mean you spend less in a day, than grabbing a sandwich or double cheeseburger on the go. Since healthy plant-based diets can prevent and even reverse chronic diseases, you will spend less money on doctor’s visits and medication.
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