Is Vegan Really Better?
Is vegan really better?
With the Christmas trees down, sweet wrappers discarded and wrapping paper carefully recycled, it’s only natural for January to steer us towards a more wholesome lifestyle.
With January comes Veganuary: a whole month solely dedicated to reducing our use of animal products or, for the really brave, abstaining from them completely.
While meat products can have their place in a healthy diet, cutting down is undeniably great for us and our environment. But is a vegan diet really better?
As a nation, we are torn.
Is eating vegan better? The jury is out
As with any fast-growing movement, the very idea of a plant-based diet sparks furious debate from both sides.
For diehard vegans, the ethical implications of consuming meat and dairy products are just too severe to tolerate, while self-proclaimed carnivores argue that meat consumption is a healthy, natural part of life.
Both sides of the argument offer fair points, and it is clear that one size does not fit all.
The extent of the advantages of leading a vegan or reducetarian lifestyle all boils down to your individual choices.
Is eating vegan healthier? It’s all in the swaps
The benefit of a vegan diet fundamentally depends on what you decide to eat instead of animal products.
Substituting milk with plant ‘milk’, for example, will not provide the equivalent measure of Calcium. Likewise, substituting steak for cauliflower steak will not provide the same level of iron.
Swapping red meat, on the other hand, for a selection of iron-rich plants (we’re talking spinach, artichoke and leafy greens) is a healthier, lower-calorie alternative that does not require any animals to be harmed.
Replacing chicken fajitas with a black bean filling will provide an adequate serving of protein and count as one of your 5-a-day. Removing chicken altogether, though, and eating just onions and capsicums will not make a balanced meal.
Making nutritious, vegan swaps isn’t just better for your health, but for the planet too.
Is eating vegan good for the world? It is, but it isn’t the only way.
Individual health aside, many Veganuary participants are motivated by the impact that the meat industry has on the planet.
It is now widely accepted that a completely plant-based diet is by far the most beneficial diet for the planet, but the scale is not as linear as we might assume.
Eating vegetarian and in doing so replacing meat with dairy can be worse for the planet than eating meat occasionally.
Eating foods from areas that cannot cope with the demand can also lead to environmental harm. Soybeans from Brazil directly leads to deforestation of the Amazon; almond milk from drought-prone California requires a large volume of water.
So, before you go vegan for the world, make sure it’s not doing more harm than good.
The meatless bottom line
It is undeniable that a vegan diet can be far healthier than an omnivorous one, as long as it is well thought out.
Australia as a whole consumes far too much meat, which has been linked to cancer, heart disease and other health complications, but ‘junk food vegans‘ are not likely to reduce this risk.
If you want to try vegan but are worried about getting the right nutrients, aim to buy foods with as few ingredients as possible. That means cooking for yourself and eating lots of fruits and veggies!
It is also important to learn where your food comes from; buying locally sourced food – whether vegan or not – is far better for the environment than anything imported.
A healthy vegan diet definitely requires more thought about what we choose to eat, but with the right nutrition, it might be better for us and our world.