Why should you live vegan and give up animal products? Many vegans preach the reasons for plant-based diet for some people too emotional, too intrusive and too annoying, so that they quickly switch off. But vegans actually know their personal motivation for a plant-based diet all too well. Those who eat a lot of meat and other animal-based foods may not yet - or not so much - have considered the problems and consequences associated with this diet.
In this article, I would therefore like to take the time to show you the reasons for a plant-based diet and why veganism is winning over more and more people.
Here is an overview of the reasons:
- Stopping cruelty to animals and factory farming
- End deforestation of the rainforests
- Halting climate change
- Showing respect for starving people
- Stop water shortage
- Enjoy new, delicious and varied meals
- Promote your own health and live long
- Preventing the killing of animals
- Personal development
- Take advantage of a wide and varied range
Notice: I will focus on the essentials in my explanations - but will provide you with in-depth articles where you can find out even more if you wish.
10 reasons: Why should I eat a plant-based diet and go vegan?
What are the reasons why around 1.3 million people in Germany are already vegan and more than 8 million vegetarians are already on their way there? ₁ The personal motivation to give up animal-based foods is usually a mix of health, justice, ethics and animal welfare, environmental protection and enjoyment.
"Those who have the privilege to know have the duty to act."
Albert Einstein (more under Animal welfare quotes)
To be fair, I should explain this in a little more detail - because anyone can talk! Here is an overview of the most important reasons for a plant-based diet.
Tip: More Veganism statistics can be found in the linked article!
1. stop cruelty to animals and factory farming
Why vegan? My personal main reason for a vegan diet is the Protection of animals from exploitation by humans - and the associated physical and emotional pain that is not even necessary. Cows are kept in the Factory farming artificially made pregnant so that they always give milk. Milk that is actually intended for their calves, which in turn are snatched from their mothers just a few hours after birth. Pigs have their tails cut off and their teeth ground so that they don't nibble on each other in factory farming. We give them antibiotics so that they can physically endure all this.
Our consumption of animal products only satisfies luxury needs and has no deeper meaning. Why should I contribute to the exploitation and ultimately the killing of living beings if I don't have to? Added to this is the Slurrywhich results from the mass rearing of livestock and pollutes the soil, groundwater and the food grown on it with nitrates and antibiotic residues. In addition, so much liquid manure is produced on farms in densely populated metropolitan regions that it is sold to regions with more land and ultimately transported hundreds of kilometers away.
Besides the already linked topics you will find here further articleswhere you can find out more about this reason for a plant-based diet:
- Cruelty to animals - what everyone can do about it
- Chick shredding - what is it?
- Documentaries about meat consumption
- Why Do Vegans Not Drink Dairy Milk? The Best Reasons to Stop Drinking Cow's Milk
- Tips for animal welfare in everyday life
- Animal Kill Counter - This is how many animals die every second for our food
2. end deforestation of the rainforests
Why vegan? A plant-based diet is not just about the mental and physical protection of animals. An important reason for this diet is also the Species protection in the fight against global species extinction. As forests disappear, so do shelter, food sources and livelihoods for animals and plants. Deforestation also exacerbates global warming.
To the massive Deforestation of the forests is mainly due to our diet. In a Nutshell: Farm animals such as cows and pigs need a lot of protein-rich feed - soybean meal. In order to meet the growing demand for meat and to grow more soy, (rain) forests are being cut down. Incidentally, this is also to make room for more grazing land. The massive deforestation is therefore an important reason for many vegans to switch to a plant-based diet.
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3. stop climate change
Why vegan? The global warming is one of the largest Environmental problems of our time - and exacerbates many other challenges. The Factory farming (or meat, egg and dairy industry). is responsible for around 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissionsthat accelerate global warming.₂
For many people, however, climate change is not really a tangible problem and therefore - in contrast to reality - less urgent. However, animal welfare in one's own consumption behavior is tangible and automatically ensures more climate-friendly behavior in everyday life.
Energy and water consumption, animal transportation, deforestation, melting ice. Everything is connected. One of the many important reasons for a plant-based diet is therefore that we will only be able to achieve the global climate targets we have set ourselves if we consume meat more consciously.
Related articles:
- Stop climate change
- Tools of factory farming
- Connection between climate and nutrition
- Making nutrition sustainable
4. show respect for starving people
Why vegan? Because with a plant-based diet feed all the people in the world and the global famine can be combated. It takes 1.7 kilograms of grain to produce one kilogram of beef in Germany. And currently, 60 percent of the grain used in Germany is used as animal feed.₃ One of the main reasons for a vegan diet is therefore that fewer farm animals need to be fed in the long term and more food can be used for (starving) people.
Those who eat a vegan diet also show more respect towards people who live from selling food - such as farmers or fishermen - and all people who are afraid of not having enough to eat every day. A climate-friendly diet is also respectful of the people who are already threatened by rising sea levels.
Related articles:
Tip: I have written a detailed article for you about Veganism and human rights written. Be sure to take a look to find out to what extent being vegan promotes the protection of human rights.
5. stop water shortage
Why vegan? Because our diet contributes massively to the environmental problem of Water shortage contributes. Each of us consumes water directly (e.g. through showers or toilet flushing) and indirect (e.g. through the consumption of beef). Just to produce one kilogram of beef, around 15,500 liters of water are required for feed cultivation, watering, stable cleaning and other things.₄
The increasing water shortage is in turn leading to crop failures for many people, which are affecting their Threaten existence and the Endangering food safety. This is an important reason for many vegans to follow a plant-based diet.
Related articles:
6. enjoy new, delicious and varied meals
Why vegan? Because vegan meals are simply unbelievably delicious. There are still schnitzel, cheese and burgers with chips - just without animal products: Vegetable schnitzel, almond-based cheese and burger with amaranth patty.
Basically, not much changes: except that after a short period of getting used to it, you realize that the choice of meals is suddenly much greater than before. Only in a more environmentally and socially responsible way. This is an important reason for the vegan diet.
Related articles:
- Vegan barbecuing - the best tips
- How to stay vegan at the festival
- Pulses instead of meat
- Eating vegan at work
7. promote your own health and live long
Why vegan? To stay physically fit and healthy. On the one hand, vegans and vegetarians have a Lower risk of common diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes and obesity.₅
On the other hand, the reduced probability of Spread and transmission of diseasessuch as the coronavirus, by avoiding animal products. Another important reason for many vegans to follow a plant-based diet is that a Most of the antibiotics available to us humans are fed to farm animals and the drugs are also found as residues in the meat. This creates resistance in the human body, which can ultimately become life-threatening for us.
Related articles:
- What we can learn from the coronavirus
- A better attitude to life through a vegan diet?
- Why chickpeas are so healthy
- Vegan substitutes for meat
Tip: Be sure to see the movie "The Game Changers" on! It presents competitive athletes who have been eating a vegan diet for years and are still successful.
8. prevent the killing of animals
Why vegan? Because also the "species-appropriate" but just profit-oriented husbandry of livestock ultimately leads to the early and unwanted death of animals. Whether organic or conventional: the Slaughter can not be humane - and no animal likes to die. One of the many good reasons to go vegan is therefore that you don't want other living creatures to suffer and die for your own taste buds.
Related articles:
9. personal development
Why vegan? Because veganism is an important step towards showing more humanity again. A plant-based diet is neither unmanly nor soft. It is human. Anyone who informs themselves about a vegan diet, as you have just done, shows that they question things and are prepared to optimize their own behaviour if necessary.
A vegan diet is honest, fair, healthy and contemporary and allows you to enjoy life despite - or precisely because of - this.
Related articles:
10. take advantage of a large and varied range
Why vegan? Because it is absolutely no longer complicated is to eat only plant-based products. Supermarkets are full of them. The wide range on offer is another reason why more and more people are opting for an environmentally, animal and socially responsible vegan diet. All you have to do is Allowing change to happen slowly and just try some "new" foods.
Related articles:
- An easy start to a vegan diet
- Becoming a vegetarian - it's that easy
- Foods that are surprisingly not vegan
Can you think of any other reasons to eat a plant-based diet? Then write me a comment with your personal motivation!
Why vegan? Good reasons for veganism and a plant-based diet
I'm sure you can identify with many and maybe even all of the reasons for veganism mentioned. Perhaps after reading this article you will also have a better understanding of why some Vegan:inside often annoying or appear intrusive 😉.
Giving up meat and other animal products is simply an emotional issue - both for those who have always eaten meat and for those who have been avoiding animal products forever. It is simply important to question your own behavior - and that of others - again and again. Only then can we recognize what really drives people.
To avoid possible Prejudices against the vegan way of life I can warmly recommend the Book "Vegan is nonsense to the heart. Get it here*.
"I am life that wants to live, in the midst of life that wants to live."
Albert Schweitzer
Whether you are vegan or not, here are three final questions that you should answer and think about personally:
- Why do you eat meat, cheese and why do you drink cow's milk?
- Your taste buds or the lives of animals?
- Can you imagine killing the animal you eat yourself?
Do you have any suggestions or questions about this article? And can you think of any other reasons that speak in favor of a vegan lifestyle? Then simply write me a comment.
Stay animal-friendly,
PS: Especially in the animal welfare blog you can find out much more about the reasons for a vegan lifestyle. For example, read the article Are zoos up to date? an opinion on the keeping of animals in zoos.
References:
₁ ProVeg e.V. (2019): Vegan trend: Facts and figures on the veggie market (as at: 11.01.2019), available at https://proveg.com/de/pflanzlicher-lebensstil/vegan-trend-zahlen-und-fakten-zum-veggie-markt. [02.04.2020].
₂ NDR documentary: Nutrition - How do I eat climate-friendly? | NDR Doku | #wetterextrem. YouTube, 20.05.2019, Web, 02.04.2020 at 12:01, in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUU4zSHAiI8&t=218s.
₃ Albert Schweitzer Foundation: What's behind a kilogram of beef (as at: 10.02.2017), available at https://albert-schweitzer-stiftung.de/aktuell/1-kg-rindfleisch. [02.04.2020].
₄ Federal Environment Agency (2017): Hidden water (as of 22.03.2017). https://t1p.de/ddfg. [09.08.2019].
₅ Albert Schweitzer Foundation: Vegan gesund, available at https://albert-schweitzer-stiftung.de/themen/vegan-gesund. [02.04.2020].
