Jake Hines
ENG 101
Adam Webb
6 October 2015
Veganism
There is evidence of people avoiding the consumption of animals and animal products
traced back to as early as over 2,000 years ago (https://www.vegansociety.com/history). In 500
B.C, a Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras promoted a compassion for all animals
and followed what is now called, a vegan diet. Buddha was also promoting a vegan diet among
his followers at the same time period. (https://www.vegansociety.com/history). Veganism and
vegetarianism is often misunderstood, as many do not understand the true meaning of veganism.
The single, most significant difference of the two diets is that vegans abstain from all animal
products due to their belief that humans and animals are equal and should be treated respectfully,
and vegetarians eat some animal products such as cheese, eggs, and fish. In our world today,
there is a certain tension that seem to linger when we discuss the controversial topic as to
whether it is okay to eat meat or if it is best to abstain from the consumption of meat and animal
products. A 2008 study showed that only 3.2% of the United Stated adult population follows a
vegetarian based diet, only .5 of those are vegan and abstain from all animal products
(Vegetarian Times, “Vegetarianism in America”). The mainstream opinion of American culture
today is that abstaining from meat is frowned upon and unnecessary, but an increasing number of
Americans are finding that a vegan diet and lifestyle has had a positive impact on their life and
others’ around them. Many believe that a plant based diet is foolish for its lack of proteins, but
these people obviously have not done research into a vegetarian diet because it is in fact,
extremely suitable for everyone. A vegan diet can be beneficial for everyone due to the nature of
the diet’s health benefits, lack of environmental footprint, and the diets compassionate nature for
all living things.
There are many health benefits of a vegan diet that has been uncommon knowledge the
world for quite some time. For example, Vegans most commonly have a lower risk of
cardiovascular disease, obesity, type-two diabetes, and some cancers than omnivores (The
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Health Effects of Vegan Diet, 2009). The most vital
diseases that the vegan diet reduces risk of is cardiovascular disease and cancer. This is due to
the diet’s large amounts of dietary fibers such as magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C and E, iron,
phytochemicals, and they usually are lower in calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol, Omega 3,
fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and B-12 (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
Health Effects of Vegan Diet, 2009). Fruit and vegetables are essential in lowering blood
cholesterol and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. A 2009 study showed that Plasma
and LDL cholesterol, two important culprits for causing heart disease, were 32% and 44% lower
in vegans than omnivores (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Health Effects of Vegan
Diet, 2009). A vegan diet also fights off Obesity, which is also a common factor resulting in
heart disease. Vegans have much lower body mass index’s than most omnivores that could be an
important factor in their lower count of blood lipids which reduces the risk of cardiovascular
disease (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Health Effects of Vegan Diet, 2009)
Another important disease that a vegan’s are less likely to be diagnosed with is cancer.
Data from the Adventist Health Study showed that individuals not following a plant-based diet
were at a significantly greater risk of both colorectal cancers and prostate cancers (The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Health Effects of Vegan Diet, 2009). This is due to the fact that
vegans consume much more foods and greater amounts of these foods than omnivores do. These
foods include legumes like peas and beans, fruit, vegetables, fiber, and vitamin C which all
protect against cancer. Phytochemicals are found in plants and they are a significant source for
defending the body from cancer. The phytochemicals disturb many cellular processes involved in
the advancement of cancer (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Health Effects of Vegan
Diet, 2009). Avoiding red meat and processed also prevents many forms of colon cancer. The
consumption of red and processed meat has often been associated with a higher risk of colorectal
cancer. Those with the highest intake of red meat had a 20% to 60% increase in risk of
esophageal, liver, lung, and colorectal cancers than those with lowest consumption of red meat
(The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Health Effects of Vegan Diet, 2009). In conclusion,
the vegan diet is plant based and focused on fruits and vegetables, beans and peas, and vitamins
while they avoid the in take of red meat, all these dietary choices contribute to keeping them
cancer free.
A popular belief about the vegan diet is that it lacks the proper nutrients that are only
provided by meats. For example, in a 2013 Article from Authority Nutrition, Kris Gunnars
writes, “There are some nutrients that can only be gotten from plants (like Vitamin C) and others
that can only be gotten from animals. Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin that is involved in
the function of every cell in the body”. He later goes on to say “B12 is critical for life and isn’t
found in any amount of plants (except some algae) it is by far the most important nutrient vegans
must be concerned with”( Gunnars, 2013). Though it is true that B12 is not found in any plants
besides some algae, vegans have other method of reaching their correct B12 in take without the
consumption of meat. For example, the U.S recommended intake is 2.4 micrograms a day and
Vegans can easily reach this amount by eating foods fortified with B12 about 3 times a day while
getting 1 microgram of B12 each time they eat (Vegansociety.com). Also, Vegans can take one
B12 supplement daily, which provides them with 10 micrograms or take a weekly supplement
that provides them with at least 2000 micrograms (Vegansociety.com). Vegans have various
methods of getting their recommended vitamin B12 intake without the consumption of any meat.
Another benefit of following a vegan diet is its lack of an ecological footprint, compared
to significant one that omnivores leave. The pursuit to satisfy the world’s appetite for meat is
using up a majority of our resources. As time goes on, there is a higher demand for meat-based
products. As the demand for meat increases, the need for more space for the animals also
increases. Due to this increase, large amounts of land are being bulldozed to create space for
these animals along with crops to feed them (www.peta.org). According to Smithsonian
Institution, seven football fields’ worth of land is bulldozed each minute to make more space for
farm animals and the crops that feed them (www.peta.org ). To satisfy the world’s appetite for
meat we are destroying entire ecosystems. By abstaining from meat products, Vegans are taking
a stand against the destruction of our land resources.
Factory farming is also polluting our atmosphere and the air we breathe. A little over half
of the greenhouse gas emissions in the air can be connected to “livestock and their byproducts
(peta.org). Large amounts of dust and other contaminates that pollute the air are produced by
factory farms everyday. A study in Texas discovered that animal feedlots in Texas create more
than 7,000 tons of dust every year (peta.org). The dust being produced contains bacteria, mold,
and fungi from the animal feces and their feed. Vegans are trying to end the polluting of our air
by factor farming by doing their part to completely avoid any products created by those farms
and bring attention to the omnivores.
Billions of pounds of manure are produced each day from factory farms. This massive
amount of manure eventually ends up in rivers, lakes, and drinking water. Our water is being
polluted due to the world’s addiction to meat. For example, A 2006 report by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that the Gulf of Mexico’s “dead zone”-an area
where virtually all sea animals and plants have died- is now half the size of Maryland (peta.org).
This is a result of the waste from factory farms finding their way to the Mississippi River and
then the Gulf of Mexico. If we were to avoid meat products, we could help decrease the amount
of animal waste going into the Gulf of Mexico. Princeton University did a study and found that if
American’s were to adopt a vegan diet and shift away from meat production then this would
have a significant affect on the environment, reducing the amount of waste being put into the
Gulf of Mexico and making the dead zone much smaller or almost non-existent (peta.org).
Vegans have more compassion for animals than any other group of people. They truly
believe that animals are equal to humans and they deserve the right to life. Factory farming is
abusive to these animals and takes away their right of a comfortable life. On these farms, the
animals are placed in the smallest amount of space possible to cheaply and quickly produce
meat, eggs, and milk (Vegansociety.com/compassionforanimals). Small amounts of space for
large amounts of animals result in abusive conditions for them. The farmers and those
responsible for making sure these animals make their produce treat animals horribly and
extremely unfairly. To ensure that all the animals’ energy goes towards production of flesh, eggs,
and milk, they are kept in small cages and deprived of exercise
(Vegansociety.com/compassionforanimals). Vegans see the way that animals are treated in farms
and they know it’s wrong; it makes them sick to see the animals treated unjustly.
Vivisection is the practice of experimentation on animals used for research and testing.
These practices include but are not limited to: “administering drugs, infecting with various
diseases, poisoning for toxicity testing, brain damaging, maiming, blinding and other painful and
invasive procedures” (neavs.org). According to Vegan Society, Over one hundred million
animals undergo vivisection each year (vegansociety.com/compassionforanimals). Pain relief is
also not frequently applied during this research and testing. This causes the animals a great deal
of suffering such as electric shocks, withholding of food and water, and separation from their
infants (neavs.org). Vivisection is the worst form of animal abuse and it has been legalized in our
society.
There are many things that can be done to help prevent this institutionalized animals
abuse. At almost any store, cruelty-free cosmetics and household products are available for
purchase. These are all products whose company guarantees that no cruelty was placed on any
animal during each stage of production (neavs.org/vivisection). Another way to prevent
vivisection is by writing emails to the companies who do exert abuse on animals during
production and telling them that the individual will not by their products until they stop testing
their products on animals. Doing these things can help bring an end to vivisection and make it
illegal for companies to apply any unnecessary testing on animals.
In a survey conducted by myself, I asked questions based on the lykert scale of “strongly
agree to strongly disagree” to observe how important people believe a vegan diet is out of the 34
that took part in the survey When viewing the statement, “meat is essential in a healthy diet, 26%
of partakers said they strongly agree, 47% said they agree, 20% said they disagree, and 5% said
they strongly disagree. Clearly, a majority of them believe meat to be an important part of a
balanced diet. When reading the statement, “animals do not experience cruelty when used for
meat based products”, 8% strongly agreed, 11% agreed, 50% disagreed, and 29% said they
strongly disagree. It seems that even though a majority believe that meat is an essential part of
their diet, they also agree that animals experience cruelty in the stages of production. In similar
questions the voters seemed to contradict themselves when many agree that a plant based diet
would benefit them. I believe the survey partakers are too fixed on their traditions that they
believe animal abuse has been normalized in our society.
Humans have been following a plant-based diet for thousands of years now and it has
showed an overcoming amount of benefits to them. Vegans are healthier people and much more
prone to fight off diseases. This is because of their plant-based diet and their abstinence of read
meat. Also, vegans leave virtually no ecological footprint with their diet and positive effects on
the environment, where omnivores promote the factory farming that pollutes our water and air.
Lastly, vegans are doing their part to stop cruelty towards animals in meat production and
unnecessary procedures forced on these animals. A vegan diet is beneficial for every human
because of its health benefits, positive impact on the environment, and desire for compassion on
all living things.
Works Cited
"Compassion For Animals." Https://www.vegansociety.com/. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.
Craig, Winston. "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Health Effects of Vegan
Diets. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.
Gunnars, Kris. "Top 5 Reasons Why Vegan Diets Are a Terrible Idea." RSS 20. 26 Aug.
2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.
History." The Vegan Society. Web. 6 Nov. 2015.
"Vegetarianism In America." Vegetarian Times. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.
"Vegetarianism and the Environment." PETA. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.
"What Every Vegan Should Know About Vitamin B12." The Vegan Society. Web. 7
Nov. 2015.
“What Is Vivisection?” | About NEAVS. What Is Vivisection? | About NEAVS. Web. 7
Nov. 2015.