Something about eating meat always seemed off to me. Often as a young child I would refuse to eat a burger or steak; I also would have a mild panic attack because I strongly believed the red juice oozing out a steak had to be blood. I was not wrong. My parents would desperately try to convince me that what I was seeing was just juice like that from a fresh fruit; however, as I became braver with my eating palette and accepted more meat into my diet, I still felt completely uncomfortable with the idea of eating animals.
I knew that if I wanted to avoid meat in my diet, then a large amount research must take place. What I Know A vegan diet is not only a diet but a strict lifestyle in which a person will refrain from eating or drinking anything that contains meat or animal by-products, this includes insects, seafood, honey, dairy, eggs, and gelatin. This lifestyle choice, commonly referred to as veganism, is extremely demanding in the sense that one must constantly research what ingredients are in their food and where these ingredients come from. )
A vegan diet supposedly offers all the needed vitamins and nutrients for a healthy lifestyle; some vegans would even say that it is more efficient in supplying the daily intake of vitamins compared to an omnivorous diet. If done with the benefits of health in mind, then this diet could cause extreme weight loss. The other reason why people choose to become vegan is due to them believing that eating meat is ethically wrong because of the (2) abuse and murder animals experience. Vegan labeling can be applied to many consumer items like (3) makeup, shampoos, car seats, fashion, alcohol, food.
Veganism is hard to follow, but if done correctly, it is extremely beneficial for the animals and environment. What I Want to Find Out What I am researching is if I believe that I have the capability to adhere to the vegan diet and lifestyle and how hard is it to transition from a omnivorous diet to a vegan diet. Will becoming vegan make a positive difference in my health? I want to research if becoming veganism actually makes a beneficial impact, and, if so, how large of an impact it is. I will talk with people to see what paths they took to becoming vegan and to ask if there is a wrong or right way to switching over.
I want to know if becoming vegan is actually best for me, especially since I am so passionate over the ethical reasons backing the vegan movement. The Search I wanted to know the health effects this diet has because if I become vegan, then I need to be prepared for all the impacts that come with it. One of the people I talked to is Michelle Wu, a kind-hearted junior in high school, who has been vegetarian for over a year but has made the transition over to veganism. When asked for her purpose of transitioning, Wu stated that she became vegan for “mainly for health reasons” (Wu).
This led me to question what the actual health benefits of veganism are. Plant-based diets filled with fruits and vegetables, that are rich in “fiber, folic acid, antioxidants, and phytochemicals,” offer a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease (Craig). A majority of vegans are able to get most of their necessary vitamins, nutrients, and protein in a well thought-out diet. A commonly asked question is how do vegans get all their necessary protein; Ashley Gayhart, a vegan for a year and half and an avid animal lover, explains her favorite answer to that question, “The same place gorillas…and horses get theirs! Gayhart).
She is referring to many sources of protein found in legumes, (4) like beans and peanuts, and grains, like whole wheat breads and rice (“For Your Health”). Being vegan comes with multiple benefits when considering health. Plant-based diets have been associated with extremely lower risks for “cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, heart disease” (Nordqvist). The obvious health benefits are weight loss because most people are cutting out the unnecessary fats, calories, and added sugars by being more attentive to the ingredients in their diets (“Vegetarian Weight Loss”).
With all the health benefits, I was struggling to see why all people had not made the switch over. The only major downfalls regarding health are that people can potentially not get enough “protein, B12, calcium, [and] vitamin D” (Myers). These are possible dietary problems proposed by this diet, but there are ways to solve these problems. Proteins can be found in plants like beans and nuts, supplements will supply calcium, as well as multiple foods like broccoli and green beans and almonds. Vitamin B12 can be obtained through “vitamin B12-fortified grains, a supplement or B12 injections, or a high-dose oral vitamin B12” (Nazario).
The best way to prevent any deficiencies is to be well educated in the contents of the foods I would be eating as a vegan. Therefore, in my opinion the pros of a vegan life style outweigh the cons when discussing the health factors. Veganism is often a difficult topic for some people (5) to chew because they can not fathom the idea of surviving without their bowls of ice cream or lavish steak dinners. I already despise the idea of eating most meats for ethical reasons, so the idea of becoming vegan is not too difficult for me to handle. People who choose this lifestyle face many changes and have to adapt with them.
I asked two completely different people what think is the key to succeeding in a vegan lifestyle, both replied with the answer to “transition slowly” (Gayhart; Wu). A common mistake is that people do not eat enough to suffice their daily calorie intake. Meats and fats offer high calories but lower benefits; plants offer less calories but higher benefits. That is why people need to research and understand that eating and consuming enough carbohydrates and calories is extremely important. Michelle Wu explains that she can occasionally feel “depleted of energy” due to not eating enough high calorie foods (Wu). )
Eating only salad will just get you an empty stomach and back to an omnivorous diet. Wu transitioned over a two-year span in which she became vegetarian to prepare herself to become vegan, and Ashley Gayhart also preached that taking it slow will help the changes. Ms. Gayhart says that she accepted the idea that she will fall astray from veganism, especially “with dairy in cookies,” but that it is important to just continue and regain your focus (Gayhart). One of the major things people do not do is experiment; people need to try new recipes and be bold with their food experiences or they could risk getting bored and reverting back.
There is almost a seemingly endless amount of vegan companies and substitutes; people are now able to find replacements for their favorite meats, vegan chicken for example is made from soy, or foods made from by-products, like vegan yogurt or ice cream (“List of Companies”). With taking the (7) proper precautions and preparations with research, becoming vegan has turned into a much easier process. People (8) come to the table with over-asked questions, not because they are ignorant, but because they have been told these things their entire life.
For example, many people do not realize that there are protein sources besides a lean steak or piece of chicken; as previously discussed, legumes and grains offer a sufficient amount of protein as a substitute for the fatty meats (“For Your Health”). Other people question why anyone should become vegan if humans relied on meat for what seems like forever. The ability to eat and process meat has been vital to the survival of the human race, but there is nothing in meat and animal by-products “that isn’t … available from a well-planned vegan diet” (“Answers to Common Vegan Questions”).
Some may notice that there are unhealthy vegan options and they will hold it against the entire lifestyle or assume that all vegans lack certain nutrients in their diet. As Michelle Wu mentions, “Oreos and clif bars can still harm your body,” although they are considered vegan (Wu); and, hypothetically, if one were to only eat those types of vegan options there would of course would be an extreme deficiency in their daily intake of vitamins and nutrients.
If done incorrectly, a vegan diet can be harmful and people can suffer from deficiencies; however, if one takes the time to research and explore, then healthy and sufficient meal options will be readily available. Veganism may not be the best diet for everyone because of the effort needed, but if someone is willing to put in the work the results and payoff will be extremely beneficial. The research of veganism and talking with others about it has been an awaking for me. I have made the efforts to find support from people like Michelle Wu and Ashley Gayhart because I know that I lack the support and help from my family.
Becoming a vegan is not a new hope for me, ever since I was younger becoming vegetarian was my dream. I decided to be vegetarian for a week when I was in seventh grade, but this is where I realized I lacked the love and support from my family when I was trying to embrace that dream of mine. Up until this year, I have never had vegan or even vegetarian friends, but now I have surplus amount of help from just the two strong women I interviewed. Upon telling Michelle Wu about the lack of understanding from my parents, she took it upon herself to make me a surprise delicious vegan lunch and drop it off in my English class.
It has inspired me to revisit the subject with my parents; my mother responded that she only makes sarcastic comments to deter from me doing it because she does “not know enough about it” and she fears I will become unhealthy (Suess). With this in mind, I talked to her about the health benefits, and I believe she started to see my undying passion for this. She promised me that she would start to provide ingredients for recipes I wanted to make. Everyday I am obsessed with research over new recipes and substitutions I can add in my diet to take the place of something else.
Veganism is like a viable option for me in the future. With the decision of becoming vegan, one might have the decision to go different routes with it. There are multiple options for the dietary plan for vegans. There are vegans who focus on having a high carb diet. There are junk food vegans who only eat the frozen pre-packaged meals and search for the foods that just don’t have any animal by-products like Oreos. Then there are the raw diets which is food made raw plant-based ingredients that have not been cooked over 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
Talking with Michelle about my ambitions, we discussed the option of being a raw vegan. She told me that “it would be extremely hard” and that she “would struggle” with maintaining to eat foods not cooked. I responded that it would hopefully be my end goal when I have more time, money, and energy to commit to getting the foods that I would need to survive, but because of my limited options already, I would probably not have the ability to be a raw vegan. I have to take into account with what I will be able to do with my resources.
It still remains a personal goal of mine to become vegan, hopefully in the future. Conclusion I have learned that becoming may be easier than I initially anticipated if I take it slowly and accept failures. Learning the long list health benefits is truly what caught my eye, since I feel that my omnivorous diet does not provide with the necessary nutrients I need. The interviews I had with the extremely kind and accommodating Michelle Wu and Ashley Gayhart, were highly motivational and enlightening.
I was able to to talk to people about their experiences and discuss their journeys. I have learned the answers to some of the common myths or misconceptions associated with veganism, and I am over-joyed to hear the answers. Veganism seems like it is the best choice for me, but it might have to weight until the future or until I can start providing for myself because parents struggle with the concept. I hope to continue this journey into the vegan lifestyle and research, so I can one day carry out living it.