insideKENT Magazine Issue 75 - June 2018 | Page 127

WHY GO VEGAN? For the animals Preventing the exploitation of animals is not the only reason for becoming vegan, but for many it remains the key factor in their decision to go vegan and stay vegan. Having emotional attachments with animals may form part of that reason, while many believe that all sentient creatures have a right to life and freedom. Specifics aside, avoiding animal products is one of the most obvious ways you can take a stand against animal cruelty and animal exploitation everywhere. For your health More and more people are turning to a vegan diet for the health benefits: increased energy, younger looking skin and eternal youth are just some of the claims from enthusiastic plant eaters. Well, eternal youth might be a bit optimistic, but there are certainly many scientifically proven benefits to vegan living when compared to the average western diet. ONLINE COURSES ENROL TODAY! Its all about studying in a way that suits you. Well planned plant-based diets are rich in Full Time/Part Time/Flexi-Time! Study & Succeed protein, iron, calcium and other essential with us at the Academy for Distance Learning. vitamins and minerals. The plant-based sources of these nutrients tend to be low in ADLonlinecourses.com saturated fat, high in fibre and packed with antioxidants, helping mitigate some of the Contact us at [email protected] modern world's biggest health issues like or 01227 789649 obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. For the environment The production of meat and other animal products places a heavy burden on the environment — from crops and water required to feed the animals, to the transport and other processes involved from farm to fork. The vast amount of grain feed required for meat production is a significant contributor to deforestation, habitat loss and species extinction. In Brazil alone, the equivalent of 5.6 million acres of land is used to grow soya beans for animals in Europe. This land contributes to developing world malnutrition by driving impoverished populations to grow cash crops for animal feed, rather than food for themselves. On the other hand, considerably lower quantities of crops and water are required to sustain a vegan diet, making the switch to veganism one of the easiest, most enjoyable and most effective ways to reduce our impact on the environment. For people Just like veganism is the sustainable option when it comes to looking after our planet, plant-based living is also a more sustainable way of feeding the human family. A plant- based diet requires only one third of the land needed to support a meat and dairy diet. With rising global food and water insecurity due to a myriad of environmental and socio- economic problems, there's never been a better time to adopt a more sustainable way 127