Why I'm Vegan

A friend suggested that I write a post about why I became vegan in the first place, so here goes. This is an essay that I wrote recently for an English class:

Eating Veggies like a Bunny

When I told my friend Jeremiah that I had gone vegan, his first response was a surprised “What?? Why?!” I told him that it was not that big of a deal, but I could tell he thought I was crazy for first becoming vegetarian a year ago, and now, vegan. Unfortunately, many vegans get this response all through their lives because in our culture, eating like a bunny is just not normal. People think that eating vegan is some kind of crazed way to get skinny by starving oneself or some strange satisfaction to unnatural cravings. Actually, it is neither of these things. Eating vegan is a healthy way for one to improve his or her life. Despite common belief that states otherwise, switching to a purely plant-based diet is one of the healthiest things that a person can do for his or her body.

Most of the concerns about vegans not getting enough nutrients are baseless. One of the main ongoing debates about vegan nutrition concerns protein (or lack thereof). Do vegans get enough protein? According to the RDA’s recommendations, the answer is no. But it turns out that the RDA’s recommendations are not always accurate. Recent studies from the American Dietetic Association and from the Committee on Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer of the National Research Council suggest that we only need a small amount of protein – less than half of the recommended daily intake from the RDA. (vrg) In fact, high-protein diets have been linked to many health problems such as kidney disease, cancer, and osteoporosis, and can also increase the risk for kidney stones. (gentleworld) Vegans get plenty of protein in plants and also avoid the risks that come with the high-protein diet of non-vegans.

Another concern in vegan diets is calcium. Do vegans get enough calcium without taking supplements? Actually, yes they do. In fact, it is easier to get enough calcium through vegetables than it is through milk, because most green vegetables have a higher concentration of calcium in them than milk does. (vrg) Also, diets high in protein increase the need for calcium in the body, so vegans actually have a lower need for calcium than meat-eaters. This low need for calcium is usually met completely in vegans through vegetables and grains. (gentleworld)

So then, by eating a plant-based diet, vegans avoid excess protein, get plenty of calcium, and also do not have to be concerned with limiting fat intake because vegetables are so low in fat. Animal fat clogs arteries, causes heart disease (among many other diseases), and, of course, expands waistlines. (veganhealth) Neal Barnard, M.D., President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, states, "The first reason why I don’t consume dairy products, and why I think other people should not, is the fat content. The fat is saturated fat, and you may as well be eating beef tallow. The fat in these dairy products encourages heart disease and numerous other problems. It’s a risk factor for some forms of cancer as well." Another doctor, Michael A. Klaper, says, "My medical experience affirms that many health problems -from asthma to colitis - respond favorably to the removal of dairy products from the diet." (gentleworld)

Vegans have their very own food pyramid, which includes vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. Unlike the USDA's food pyramid, we only have four different kinds of foods to worry about. The USDA's food pyramid recommends far too many proteins, calories, and fats, and vegans following the four food pyramid experience a dramatically lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke, than meat eaters following the USDA's pyramid do. (gentleworld) Four different kinds of food may sound very limiting, but vegans actually have a huge variety of fun and tasty foods to enjoy. Vegans have a lot of fun mixing different fruits, trying new kinds of salads, and making tasty juices and smoothies. There are also many vegan alternatives for several favorite American foods such as pancakes, muffins, and biscuits. Frequently vegans find that there are many more vegan options out there than they originally thought.

Eating vegan is not just beneficial because of health reasons. Many people go vegan purely because they prefer not to kill animals for food. Although I am not much of an animal person, I prefer not to kill animals simply for a meal. It is too high a price to pay- an animal's life for a meal? I do not like entertaining that thought. I would rather see a cow alive in a field of green grass than on my plate at dinner.

Not all vegans are crazy, like we sound. Many famous, respected, and well rounded men and women in the past and today are vegans. Take Einstein for example. He stated, "It is my view that a vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind." Da Vinci also joins the ranks of vegans because he loved animals so much he could not bring himself to eat them. He said, "The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men." Plato stated that "The Gods created certain kinds of beings to replenish our bodies; they are the trees and the plants and the seeds." Count Leo Tolstoy said that, "If a man earnestly seeks a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from animal food..." Even Benjamin Franklin was a vegetarian. He said, "My refusing to eat meat occasioned an inconveniency, and I have been frequently chided for my singularity. But my light repast allows for greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension." (all quotes from gentleworld) Apparently these men of genius knew how to eat correctly!

Not only is being vegan smart, but it is also fun. Vegans often are the gentlest people, taking care of animals and the earth, enjoying that wonderful feeling of being truly alive, and experiencing the fullest taste of life. Eating all plants and plant-based foods provides increased energy, healthier nails, skin and hair, better immunity, and healthy weight loss. (vrg.org) Vegans feel great and look great, and often this overall well-being is reflected in their personalities. I truly believe that eating vegan is the best thing that a person can do for him- or herself.

vrg.org. The Vegetarian Resource Group, 2009. Web. October 11, 2009.
Norris, Jack. veganhealth.org. Vegan Outreach, 2003. Web. October 9, 2009. 
gentleworld.org. Getle World, 2009. Web. October 12, 2009.