QUICK VEGAN FACTS

A SHORT GUIDE TO THE PROS AND CONS OF GOING VEGAN

BACKGROUND:

• Definition: Veganism “…denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks

to exclude—as far as is possible and practical—all forms of exploitation of,
and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by
extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives ..."i
• The term vegan was first coined in England in 1944 and 1960 in the United
States.ii
• A vegan diet excludes the consumption of animal products, including: meat,
poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, honey, fur, leather, wool, and silk.
• Ethical Vegans: reject the commodity status of animals, and therefore the use
of animal products for any purpose including for food, clothing, shelter, etc.
• Dietary Vegans: eliminate animal products from their diet only.iii

WHY GO VEGAN?

There are a variety of reasons a person may choose to restrict animal

products from their diet. These reasons range from health benefits, to a
support of animal rights, to environmental consciousness. As with any
popular movement, veganism also has its share of critics. Here are some of
the commonly sited benefits of veganism, and a few related criticisms. This
short guide intends to be a starting point for people thinking about becoming
vegan. It also attempts to show that there are two sides to every story,
ideology, and diet plan.

Health

There are numerous health benefits associated with a vegan diet as

compared to the average American diet, and feeling healthier is often one of
the major driving forces behind a person’s decision to become vegan. iv Some
of the benefits associated with a plant-based diet include:
• A typical vegan diet is usually lower in saturated fats (commonly
found in dairy and meat) and higher in good ingredients like fiber,
magnesium, potassium, folate, antioxidants, vitamin C and E, and non-
meat protein.

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 • A vegan diet can reduce cholesterol and blood pressure; reduce the
risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
• A vegan diet can also lead to a healthier weight and more energy, and
even an improvement in allergies and migraines.

There are also health problems associated with eating large amounts of
common animal products:v
• Eggs: Eggs are found to be very high in cholesterol, and some
nutritionists feel there are too many eggs in the average American
diet.
• Cow’s Dairy Milk: While you may get calcium from milk, and calcium
is important, the human body was not designed to digest cow’s milk.
In addition, many people suffer from undiagnosed dairy allergies. In
either case, your health may improve significantly if dairy is removed
from your diet.
• Animal Protein: Given the abundance of protein-rich weight-loss
diets (think Atkins) many people are surprised to find that the
average American eats twice as much protein as is necessary! Even
worse, much of this protein is derived from animal meat, which is high
in saturated fat and can raise cholesterol.

Health Warnings

A poorly planned vegan diet can be deficient in essential nutrients. To stay

healthy while on a vegan diet, The Vegetarian Resource Group recommends
you be conscious of the adequate consumption of the following nutrients and
foods:
• Vitamin B12- the general consensus is that plant foods don’t provide
vitamin B12, so be sure to get it in a supplement!
• Iron – particularly important for young girls and women. Get your
iron from dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale) and raisins, nuts,
seeds, beans, peas, breads, and pasta. Be sure to eat your iron with
vitamin C so your body can absorb the iron!
• Vitamin D – comes from the sun, on days you can’t get out in the sun
take a supplement.
• Calcium – calcium is important for strong bones! Get it from tofu,
beans, tahini, almonds, turnips, kale, and bok choy.
• Iodine – iodine regulates thyroid function, which keeps your
metabolism running smoothly. Get it from asparagus, garlic, kelp,
lima beans, mushrooms, seaweed, soy beans, spinach, and summer
squash
• Omega-3 fatty acids- typically coming from foods like fish and eggs,
it is generally vegans need to take a supplement.vi

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 While the American Dietetic Association and Dieticians of Canada both said
vegan diets were nutritionally adequate (when properly planned), The Swiss
Federal Nutrition Commission and the German Society for Nutrition both
actually advise against a vegan diet.vii Their studies show it is harmful
particularly for children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

When considering a vegan diet, it is extremely important to do your research

and be knowledgeable about what you are putting into your body, as well as
what you aren’t.

Animal Rights

Perhaps the most common reason people choose to go vegan is the idea that
animals, like humans, have rights and should be afforded the same
consideration as the similar interests of human beings. viii Put more simply,
many people feel that animals deserve the right to a good life free from
suffering.

The suffering of animals who pass through our factory farming industry on
the way to our plates has been well documented. According to PETA, animals
are kept for their entire lives in stressful conditions, including:

“- Kept in small cages or jam-packed sheds or on filthy feedlots, often with

so little space that they can't even turn around or lie down comfortably
- Deprived of exercise so that all their bodies' energy goes toward
producing flesh, eggs, or milk for human consumption
- Fed drugs to fatten them faster and keep them alive in conditions that
could otherwise kill them
- Genetically altered to grow faster or to produce much more milk or eggs
than they naturally would (many animals become crippled under their
own weight and die just inches away from water and food)”ix

Australian philosopher Peter Singer illustrates the viewpoint of many

vegetarians and vegans: given that animals can suffer, he argues that humans
have a moral obligation to minimize or avoid causing such suffering, just as
they have an obligation to minimize or avoid causing the suffering of other
humans.x Simply put, many people just don’t think its right to make an
animal suffer simply because we crave hamburgers.

World Hunger

Just as one can reduce the suffering of animals by going vegan, one can also
reduce the suffering of people around the world. Hunger afflicts more than a
billion people worldwide, and a major contributing factor to world hunger is
the inefficiency associated with raising animals for food.xi For every pound of
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 grain an animal eats, only a fraction is returned in the form of edible meat.xii
Global malnutrition is largely a consequence of the inequitable distribution
(and waste) of food resources. Developed nations import grain from
underdeveloped nations where pervasive hunger is most prevalent. The
imported grain then goes to feed animals for human consumption. The huge
demand for grain created by the factory farming industry drives up grain
prices around the world, making it harder for the poor of every nation to
afford basic food staples. Livevegan.org notes, “Nearly half of the world's
grains and soybeans are fed to animals, resulting in a huge waste of food
calories. The extent of waste is such that even a 10% drop in US meat
consumption would make sufficient food available to feed the world's
starving millions.”xiii

Environmental

Many vegan activist groups as well as environmental studies directly relate a

number of environmental problems to the livestock sector. These groups
claim climate change, increased fresh water usage and pollution, land
degradation, and the reduction of biodiversity are all negative effects of
raising animals for human consumption.xiv A 2006 report by the United
Nations entitled, Livestock’s Long Shadow, found that the livestock industry
(primarily cows, chickens, and pigs) was responsible for at least 18% of the
world’s greenhouse gas emissions. xv The hope is that going vegan will
reduce the burden put on the environment by the livestock industry.
According to a 2006 study by Eshel and Martin one person switching from a
regular American diet to a vegan diet could reduce CO2 emissions by up to
1,485 kg per year.xvi

Not so Environmentally Friendly?

It must be noted that growing crops often requires significant fertilizer

inputs as the nitrogen source, “…one ton of which requires ten tons of crude
oil in the manufacturing process.”xvii This fertilizer is in addition to multiple
spraying of pesticides the average vegetable/cash crop receives in its life
cycles from seed to store. This is in comparison to a well maintained grazing
pasture, which rarely requires any pesticides.

German scientists have found that plants produce the greenhouse gas,
methane.xviii They estimate plants could account for 10-30% of the world’s
methane emissions. This means plant-based industries, such as rice
cultivation, may not be as environmentally friendly as first thought.

Created April 12, 2011 by E. Fisher

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CONCLUSION:

While there are no right or wrong reasons for embarking on a diet plan or
lifestyle change such as veganism, it is important to be well-educated on all
sides of the debate so as to make the most informed decision possible.

FURTHER READING:

UN Report, Livestock’s Long Shadow

Frances Moore Lappe, Diet for a Small Planet
Peter Singer, Animal Liberation
Lierre Keith, The Vegetarian Myth

Endnotes:
i
Cross, Leslie. "Veganism Defined", The Vegetarian World Forum, volume 5, issue 1, pp. 6–7.
ii
Berry, Rynn. "Veganism," The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink. Oxford University
Press, 2007, pp. 604–605.
iii
Bekoff, Marc. Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare. Greenwood Publishing, 2010, volume
1, pp. 3–4.
iv
For an overview, see "Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: vegetarian
diets", Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research. Summer 2003, 64(2):62-81
v
"57 Health Benefits of Going Vegan | Nursing Schools : LPN RN BSN MSN : Online Nursing Degree."
Nursing Schools. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/19/57-health-benefits-of-going-
vegan/>.
vi
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/
vii
"Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: vegetarian diets", Canadian
Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research. Summer 2003, 64(2):62-81
viii
"animal rights." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica,
2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/25760/animal-rights>.
ix
"Factory Farming: Cruelty to Animals | PETA.org." People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA):
The Animal Rights Organization | PETA.org. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-
used-for-food/factory-farming.aspx>.
x
"animal rights." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica,
2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/25760/animal-rights>.
xi
"FARM Underground :: Why Vegan." FARM Underground. Web. 12 Apr. 2011.
<http://www.farmunderground.org/forworldhunger.html>.
xii
Ibid.
xiii
"Live Vegan - Land." Live Vegan. Web. 12 Apr. 2011.
<http://www.livevegan.org/whyvegan_hunger.html>.
xiv
"Environmental Destruction | Why Vegan? | Vegan Outreach." Vegan Outreach | Working to End
Cruelty to Animals. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/environment.html>.
xv
LIVESTOCK'S LONG SHADOW: Environmental Issues and Options. Rep. Rome: FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, 2006. Print.
xvi
Eshel, G., and P.A. Martin (2006). "Diet, Energy and Global Warming". Earth Interactions 10 (9): 1–17.
xvii
Purdey, Mark. “The (Vegan Ecological) Wasteland” 2000.
xviii
Hirsch, Tim. "BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Plants Revealed as Methane Source." BBC News - Home.
Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4604332.stm>.

Created April 12, 2011 by E. Fisher

Comments or questions? Visit my site! Likethatscenefromrocky.blogspot.com