10 reasons for a vegan lifestyle

More and more people in Germany are eating a purely plant-based diet. There are now around 1.3 million vegans in Germany, and the trend is rising. But why do these people go vegan? In this blog post, we show you 10 good reasons for a vegan lifestyle.

10 reasons: Why a vegan lifestyle

Ethics
Animal welfare
Environment
World hunger
Overweight
Cancer
Inflammatory diseases
Cardiovascular diseases
Enjoyment
Sustainability

1. ethics

Probably the most common reason for adopting a vegan lifestyle is ethics. Vegan people do not want animals to die or be exploited for their way of life.

Mass animal farming is an expression of the exploitation of animals, which is therefore ethically unacceptable.

2. animal welfare

Currently Germans eat an average of over 1000 animals in their lifetime. In order to meet this immense meat consumption of consumers, the animals have to be kept in very confined spaces. In so-called mass livestock farming, animals are only seen as commodities. They are unable to fulfil their natural needs.

However, it is not only meat production that relies on this type of husbandry, but also the egg or dairy industry. Dairy cows are artificially inseminated to produce milk and then killed after a few years due to their declining milk yield. Male chicks are shredded shortly after birth as they do not lay eggs and are not suitable as broilers - there are special breeds with a higher meat content for this purpose.

3. environment

According to the FAO, factory farming accounts for around 18 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions every year. However, it is not only the dangerous greenhouse gases that cause environmental problems, but also the high water consumption and the extreme deforestation of the rainforest for the production of meat or animal products. For example, 16,000 litres of water are needed to produce 1 kilogramme of meat! In comparison, only 1,350 litres of water are needed to grow 1 kilogram of grain. Considering that 800 million people currently have no access to clean drinking water, this is very worrying.

The bottom line is this: Vegans are making an active contribution to climate protection by giving up meat and animal products.

4. world hunger

Hunger is a global problem. Almost 1 billion people in the world do not have enough to eat and are malnourished. Most of these people live in developing countries. Every year, more people die from the consequences of hunger than from AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.

Enough grain is grown on earth to feed everyone. In many countries affected by food shortages, large areas of agricultural land are used to produce animal feed and for export to industrialised countries. If this food were utilised for the population, a large proportion of hunger could be alleviated.

5. obesity

In Germany, 67% of men and 53% of women are currently overweight; 23% of men and 24% of women are severely overweight, i.e. obese. Obesity is also associated with diabetes and a number of secondary diseases.

A vegan diet is usually characterised by a high consumption of plant-based products (lots of fibre) and a lower energy and fat intake, meaning that most vegans have a healthy body weight. However, it is not only the choice of food that is important here, but also a healthy lifestyle. On average, vegans drink less alcohol, smoke less often and exercise more.

6. cancer

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Germany after cardiovascular disease. There are now many studies looking at a vegan lifestyle and the incidence of cancer

Various studies show that vegans have a significantly lower risk of developing or dying from cancer compared to meat eaters. In particular, the risk of developing colon or lung cancer is significantly lower

7. inflammatory diseases

In recent decades, the incidence of inflammatory diseases has increased significantly. Autoimmune diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis are also among the chronic inflammatory diseases.

An important fatty acid in this context is arachidonic acid. This omega-6 fatty acid is used in the body to form so-called bad eicosanoids (inflammatory factors). These lead to increased inflammatory reactions in the body. Arachidonic acid is mainly contained in animal products.

Omitting animal products therefore leads to a reduced absorption of arachidonic acid. People who follow a vegan lifestyle therefore have a lower CRP concentration (CRP is a marker for the severity of inflammatory diseases) than meat eaters. For this reason, a vegan diet has an anti-inflammatory effect and can also help with existing diseases.

8. cardiovascular diseases

A vegan diet is characterised by a high consumption of plant-based foods, a lower energy and fat intake, a more favourable fatty acid composition and a significantly lower intake of cholesterol. A high intake of animal products therefore increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

This is why vegans suffer and die significantly less from atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

9. pleasure

Many people wonder what they can still eat if they give up meat, eggs, milk and dairy products. But a vegan diet is anything but one-sided.

By changing to a vegan diet, you discover many new types of fruit and vegetables, other ingredients and combinations that provide variety on your plate. The range of plant-based foods on offer in German supermarkets is now very diverse. Cereal and legume products are replacing meat and cheese. The range of vegan cookbooks and restaurants is also steadily increasing.

10. sustainability

High meat consumption is the cause of a number of environmental and climate disasters. Factory farming emits the dangerous gases methane and nitrous oxide into the environment. Methane and nitrous oxide are much more potent than carbon dioxide and therefore even more harmful to the environment.

In addition, a vegan lifestyle wastes far fewer resources such as water and energy. This is particularly important for future generations.

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