"I understand that Veganism has a positive environmental impact, but won't I be giving up health and happiness once I give up animal products?"
In my opinion, the answer is no. However, I recognize that everyone is different: depending on someone's genetics, digestive system, and food preferences, Veganism might make little to no sense for them. That's perfectly fine. But I'd like to argue that for the large majority of people, not only is a Vegan diet more healthy than an omnivorous diet; but also, it doesn't have to be restrictive as many people would believe.
To begin, I'll list two common health problems and explain why Vegan diets help cure them:
To begin, I'll list two common health problems and explain why Vegan diets help cure them:
Heart Disease
Heart disease- the U.S's #1 killer according to the CDC- has several risk factors, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes (NIH). Considering that Vegans literally consume no dietary LDL cholesterol (that's the bad type of cholesterol found in meat, dairy, and eggs), they have a much lower average serum cholesterol level than omnivores, pescatarians, and even vegetarians according to this study (M Thorogood et al.). Additionally, vegan and vegetarian diets have been linked through causational research to lower blood pressure, and even lower risk for diabetes (S. Tonstad et al.).
Overall, Veganism does reduce heart disease risk through the reduction of a variety of risk factors. The American Dietetic Association released a statement claiming just that, and even went on to state that Vegan diets are suitable and healthful for any and all stages of life. In my opinion, we shouldn't be seeking a health equilibrium through cholesterol-lowering and blood pressure-lowering medications; rather, we should be focusing on diet changes to help eliminate heart disease risk.
Cancer
Coming in a close second in the list of the U.S.'s top killers, Cancer is more of a "black-box" than heart disease in terms of how much science has revealed about it. However, as you might predict, research suggests that a Vegan diet can reduce risk of certain cancers. (Here and Here are two more experiments demonstrating this) This isn't to say that being Vegan will stop you from getting cancer. Genetics, lifestyle choices, and chance can override diet any day of the week. Nonetheless, vegan diets can definitely lessen the chance.
While I do hold the opinion that Veganism can increase overall health; I know that this isn't a black and white issue: some of the studies I've linked today are correlational, not causational. In other words, a lot of research still has to be done to confirm or debunk the benefits of Veganism. Let me know what you think in the comments! Do you believe the evidence I've presented is BS, or do you believe in the power of plants? (Don't be afraid either way to express your opinion)
With that in mind, let's discuss the "restrictiveness" myth. Many people think that going Vegan means you sacrifice the joy of eating. While I wouldn't say that it's easy to have an enjoyable vegan diet; it's definitely doable. There are several awesome Vegan restaurants in State College including Café Verve. I particularly enjoy Café Verve because they have very realistically tasting faux-meats. Vegans can still have many types of candy, chips, doughnuts, milks, ice-creams (Cashew and Soy Milk Ice Cream DO taste good ;) ), and faux-meats. I find that faux-meats taste almost indistinguishable from the real thing, especially if they're soy-based.
In summary, don't buy into the myth that Veganism sacrifices health and happiness simply for an activist cause. If planned correctly, a plant-based diet can be fun and sustainable.
Again, let me know what you think! Have you had good/bad experiences with faux meats? Have you ever tried a vegan or vegetarian diet but fallen off the wagon?
Image Source: Public Domain Pictures
Image Source: Public Domain Pictures
