By Krittika Shastri and Neha Cardin
A few years ago, the terms “vegan” and “plant-based food” were alien concepts, but since the rise of social media, they have created a buzz. Numerous celebrities like Ruby Rose, Evanna Lynch, Pamela Anderson, Venus Williams, and Lewis Hamilton have used their social media platforms to reach out to their fans and implore them to try a plant-based diet. Joaquin Phoenix broke the internet when he spoke about the cruelty of the dairy industry in his Best Actor acceptance speech at the 92nd Academy Awards. The non-profit organization Veganuary tries to get more and more people to ditch meat for the first 31 days of the year as a New Year’s resolution, to help fight the climate crisis. This year, over 580,000 people from 209 countries signed up for this challenge.4
However, a plant-based diet is much more than just a trend or a challenge. It’s lifestyle choice, one that often leads to a vegan transformation. Being vegan is a way of living; it is a philosophy that intends to exclude – as far as is possible and practicable – all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty towards, animals, for food, clothing, entertainment (seaworld, circuses, horse racing), etc. And don’t be fooled, veganism is not only beneficial to the lives of the animals that are forced to exist in commercial slaughterhouses. Veganism has the scope to change our human existence entirely, both in terms of our health, as well as the wellbeing of the planet.
A diet that has no animal products like milk, honey, egg, meat etc. and is purely and entirely sourced out of plants offers many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease due to low cholesterol, decreased risk of obesity, and even reduced risk of Type 2 Diabetes, if done right.
It is also the least water-intensive diet and has the lowest carbon footprint, making it the ideal choice to save our planet. For perspective, 1800 gallons of water is needed just to produce one pound of beef, compared to 216 gallons for soybeans and 108 gallons for corn.1 According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the animal agriculture sector (the production of feed crops, the manufacturing of fertilizer, and the shipment of meat, eggs, and milk) is responsible for 18% of all GHG emissions, measured in carbon-dioxide equivalent.2 Meanwhile, tofu, beans and peas have a significantly lower carbon footprint, with the production of nuts having a negative carbon footprint.3
Not only is a plant-based diet the most environmentally friendly diet, it is also the most objectively ethical. An individual’s commitment to consuming plant-based meals, in the long run, can save hundreds of animals from being bred and killed in slaughterhouses.
The dairy and meat alternatives industry is slowly taking over the food industry as the interest in sustainable foods grow. Milk alternatives like oat, soy, almond, coconut and rice milk are easily available in supermarkets, as are coconut, cashew and almond based yogurt, cheese, whipped cream and cream cheese. Big brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum have already come up with non-dairy ice cream and other brands are quickly catching up! Meat alternatives by Beyond Meat, Impossible Meat, Omnimeat and Quorn are also offered by restaurants and cafes. These have made the transition towards plant-based diets so much easier for meat and dairy eaters, and has ensured that inaccessibility is no longer an excuse for most of us who live in metropolitan cities.
Being plant-based may spread as a trend, but if it motivates people to quit dairy and meat, our environment will be grateful. It is the first major step towards a cruelty free, vegan lifestyle. So spread more love, save our animals and help our planet breathe– go plant-based!
Sources:
1 https://foodprint.org/issues/the-water-footprint-of-food/
The Casual Observer 