3 Totally Acceptable Reasons to Go Vegan

There’s a lot of back and forth on the internet and within the Vegan community that there is only one "legitimate" reason to go Vegan, and that's for the animals. But here at The Eco Green Co., we want to tell you that ALL reasons are legitimate. Even though I love being part of the Vegan community, there are a lot of people who act as unelected spokespersons and moderators, these people are known as "the Vegan police". These are the people that will try to demoralize you for not only going Vegan for the animals ... don't listen to that! Today I want to speak on my own journey a little bit and then I will hit on the top 3 totally acceptable reasons to go Vegan!

1. For the Animals

Going Vegan for the animals is probably the top and most definitely an excellent reason to begin your journey towards a plant-based, Vegan diet. While many people tend to watch documentaries like "Game Changers", "Cowspiracy", "What the Health", and "Seaspiracy" and are brought to the realization animals are being 100% exploited by humans, this is not the only way to learn about this. Doing your own research and realizing that one vegan can prevent the deaths of almost 198 animals a year by not consuming meat is an eye-opener for sure. Sadly, a lot of people do not see the value in this as a lot of people believe the notion animals are here as food, then the below reasons might be a better gateway into a Vegan lifestyle. As I will mention below, my journey started off as a way to support the environment and not contribute anymore to my carbon foot-print as possible, but once you learn about the ins and outs of animal farming, this reason here becomes near and dear to your heart, I couldn't bring myself to now inflict suffering on another creature to satisfy my hunger!

2. For the Environment

Now, this is the main reason I began my Vegan journey. I was learning about how much water animal agriculture uses to process meat and dairy, during my undergraduate studies and I was shocked. I couldn't believe that while I ate my cheeseburgers I was taking fresh water away from people who really need it. Did you know that one Vegan saves roughly 219,000 gallons of water a year? Just by eating vegetables! One 1/3 lb meat patty takes about 600 gallons of water to produce (not to mention the land space, and the contributions to green house gases). One pound of ground meat uses about 1,799 gallons of water! To put it into perspective 1 ton of beef takes 4 million gallons of water, by contrast 1 ton of vegetables takes about 85,000. Dats NUTS! Not to mention .. most of the worlds fresh safe drinking water is only present in about six countries. Access to fresh water is a privilege and I did not want to hinder anyone else's access to it so I can eat a burger, when I could easily swap it out for something else! With a growing population demand is rising for just about everything, excessive water use and animal-waste agricultural runoff can pose an alarming problem (not saying farming vegetables doesn't cause pollution, because it 100% does, but way way less). There is a lot that plays into going Vegan for the environment, water is not the only issue!

3. For Your Health

Do not let anyone tell you this isn't a good enough reason. IT IS! Going Vegan has helped so many people nurse their bodies back to health! A Vegan diet can help a lot of different ailments. When I first went Vegan, I unconsciously lost a good deal of weight and I felt more energized and happier. The key is this type of diet promotes more clean eating (don't dip your toe into the world of vegan junk food because you will never turn back 😉). A lot of research suggests that a Vegan diet can lower the risk of Type II Diabetes, protect against cancer and promote heart health! Obviously, there are a lot of other benefits than just these mentioned but hey, can't argue with that! Just be sure you are managing your nutrient intake (so many products are fortified with vitamins like B-12 now, it is not common to see a low number if you are eating properly). Definitely do some research and speak with your doctor concerning your transition to a Vegan diet (make sure your doctor is not anti-Vegan, you need to find one who is open to both lifestyles - mine is not Vegan himself, but says he has a lot of Vegan patients and continuously monitors my nutrient levels when I ask).

Overall, there are many reasons people tend to switch to a Vegan lifestyle. Don't let the Vegan police tell you that the definition of Vegan MEANS you have to have gone Vegan for the animals in the first place. If you don't, once you dive into the community and immerse yourself into the lifestyle this will happen naturally! You can still identify yourself as Vegan if you decided to transition your diet for any number of reasons! 5+5=10, but so does 1+9 and 6+4! You're all going to end up at 10 regardless!