Why You Should Go Vegan

A lot of Canadians are considering ways to eat less meat these days. Here are two paramount reasons to join the ranks and try eating meat-free.

Lower disease risk

Many chronic diseases as well as obesity are associated with increased meat consumption. In a recent study involving the data from half a million people between 50 and 71 years old, those people who ate the most red and processed meats also had the highest mortality rates.

Plant foods, on the other hand, contain antioxidants and nutrients that fight disease and improve your health and well-being. A vegan diet, for instance, has been shown to effectively control blood sugar, blood fat and cholesterol, and weight gain in diabetics.

Protect the planet

Meat production requires large amounts of land, energy, and water. This causes habitat loss, soil erosion, water use, and pollution from waste.

The average meat-eater’s diet contributes an additional 1 1/2 tonnes more CO2, methane, and other greenhouses gasses annually to the atmosphere compared to a vegan diet.

Experiment with new plant-based whole foods

Vegetarian and vegan meals can be delicious, fast, diverse, and nutritious!

To get started, switch up as little as one meal a day to make a difference to your health and to the environment.

A traditional North American breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, hash browns, and toast produces 38 times more greenhouse gases than a vegan whole food breakfast shake, according to independent food analysis.

And if you made that vegan shake a 12-month habit, it would be the equivalent of switching off a 60-watt light bulb for 12,500 hours (521 days), or not driving a midsized car 2,148 kilometers.

For the environment, and for your health, incorporating vegan foods into your diet is a good resolution for any time of year.