Top 10 Health Reasons to Go Vegan

1.  A vegan diet lowers “bad” cholesterol, and increases “good” cholesterol. High cholesterol leads to clogged arteries, which leads to heart disease (see #2). In fact, a vegan diet has been proven to improve these numbers even more than a vegetarian diet.

2. A vegan diet reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death around the world, with 85% of those due to heart disease.

3. In the US alone, 13% of all adults have diabetes—and 90-95% of those cases are Type 2 diabetes, meaning it is caused not just by genetics, but by lifestyle. The number of people who contact Type 2 diabetes is expected to rise, due in part to a decrease in plant-based foods and an increase in meat products.  But not for the vegans: 

4. Dr. Michael Greger, author of the NYT best-selling How Not to Die, states: “Somatic cell counts greater than a million per teaspoon are abnormal. … When a cow is infected, greater than 90% of the somatic cells in her milk are neutrophils, the inflammatory immune cells that form pus.” This matters because every country allows a certain number of somatic cells, 90% of which form pus, in animal milk. The USDA allowance works out to about 3,225,000 somatic cells in a teaspoonful of dairy!

As if that’s not enough, dairy contains a protein that reacts in some people the same way as an opioid would—it’s called casein. The high concentrations in cheese (1 pound takes 10 pounds of milk to make) means that cheese is, in fact, addictive.

5. Eating meat increases the risk of premature dying from all physical causes.

6. Thanks to advances in medicinal diagnostics and treatments, the risk of dying from cancer is lessening every year. However, cancer is in the top ten cause of death. A vegan diet reduces the risk of cancer.

Vegans have the lowest rate of cancer, compared to the standard American diet.

7. Red meat—or tissue from pigs, sheep, and cows—causes cancer. Processed meats, such as hot dogs and cold cuts, are in the same class of carcinogen (cancer causers) as cigarettes. All meat, when cooked, especially at high heat, can release compounds that cause various cancers.

8. Overall, vegans have a lower BMI than the rest of the population. A high BMI is associated with obesity, which is a risk factor for many chronic diseases and illnesses. Plant-based diets are recommended for improved nutrition and weight loss to help prevent chronic illness.  

9. Recent studies indicate that a plant-based diet is great for the immune system. One study found that in vegans, the gut contained a higher number of the cell that is specifically designed to protect it. Another found that people on a plant-based diet had less inflammation and lower white blood cell count—both markers of the body fighting an infection. What that means? Fewer colds, shorter illnesses, less risk of disease.

There is no longer any need to consume cruelty with your food.

10. Meat and dairy have no place in a healthy future. All nutrients and minerals can be found in vegan foods and supplements. For example, ONE tablespoon of delicious, cheesy, nutritional yeast has 8 grams of protein, 640% of the RDA Vitamin B1, 480% of Vitamin B6, and 130% of Vitamin B12. One tablespoon of chia seeds contains all the Omega-3s we need.  And iron and calcium? Even easier. 

Go vegan today, for the animals, for the earth, and for YOU!