One of the biggest problems we face as citizens of the earth is climate change and the lessening of earth’s natural resources. Fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions are destroying our planet along with waste water. One of the ways people have been combating climate change is through veganism. Going vegan is a healthy lifestyle choice because, it helps the environment, it conserves natural resources, and improves your overall physical health by reducing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease.

The first reason that going vegan is a healthy lifestyle is because it helps the environment. Livestock is responsible for 51% of annual greenhouse gas emissions and if you have a meat-eating diet your impact on greenhouse emissions is about twice that of a vegan. (3 Environmental Benefits of Going Vegan, 1) It is estimated that a meat-eater uses three times more land than someone with a plant-based diet. Also, in the meat industry, animal waste products are often polluting habitats and environments and a lot of it is washed into our water systems. According to Ombar, a vegan chocolate brand, “livestock consume much more protein, water and calories than they produce, as most of the energy taken in by animals is used for their bodily functions and not converted to meat, eggs or milk.” Also, Cornell University found that producing one calorie of grain uses only 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy, but it takes 40 calories of fossil fuel energy just make one calorie of  beef. This shows that to make meat it takes much more energy than if you made grain.

Another reason why going vegan is a healthy lifestyle choice is because it conserves natural resources. The biggest consumer of freshwater is the livestock industry. (3 Environmental Benefits of Going Vegan, 1) Animals need water to clean themselves and their habitats, to drink, and to cool themselves off. However, the biggest way the livestock industry consumes water is growing feed for the animals to eat. “During grain-to-meat conversions, there are water losses along the way. “First, there's water loss when the feed crops lose water through evapotranspiration, a natural process that's part of a plant's normal growth.” (Save Our Water; The Vegetarian Way) And according to Livestock’s Long Shadow, “this loss accounts for 15% of all freshwater loss on a global basis.” This shows that the  beef and livestock industry uses a colossal amount of water, especially compared to other industries, like soy. A study found that a beef burger has a water footprint of around 2,350 liters, while a soy burger has one of only 158 liters. That’s around 4 times as much!

The final reason why going vegan is a healthy lifestyle is because it benefits your personal health. Vegan diets are often high in fiber which can lead to lower blood pressure promote healthier bowel movements, and fights colon cancer.  (57 Health Benefits of Going Vegan, 1) Veganism also helps with heart health. Dairy products and meat are often full of saturated fats. A diet high in saturated fats can often lead to heart attacks, strokes, and poor cardiovascular health overall, therefore, eliminating those fats can improve your heart health greatly. It can also reduce your risk of heart attacks and type 2 diabetes. 

While there is evidence to support that veganism is a healthy lifestyle some people think otherwise. Going vegan saves animals such as cows and pigs, this could cause overpopulation for these species. Cows are proven to release around 70 to 120 kg of methane each year. Therefore contributing to the excess amounts of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. So, if there are more cows that means that there will be more methane released and put into our atmosphere.  There is also evidence that going vegan can have negative effects on your body. According to LiveStrong, a vegan diet often lacks two essential nutrients, iron and protein. This is because eggs, meat, and dairy products are the main sources for iron and protein. Consequently, removing animal products from your diet can cause a deficiency of these nutrients. When you don’t get enough iron in your diet your could develop a disease called amenia. Anemia is more common in women than men and causes a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, and insomnia (Michael Kerr, 1). Also, if you aren’t eating enough protein you could experience muscle or hair loss. Although there is evidence that these things are true, both the environmental and physical benefits of going vegan far outway the downfalls.

In conclusion, a vegan diet helps the environment while saving resources, and improves physical health. So, are you ready to help yourself and the environment? Join the millions leading a happy and environmentally-conscious lifestyle and go vegan!