WHY
People always ask the same question: Why plant-based?
There really isn’t one set answer for me, personally. My response is usually, well, why not? For kindness towards all living things? For compassion? For health reasons? For the environment? It’s for all of the above, really. But mostly for the animals.
First, let’s take a look at health reasons. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegans are less likely to develop heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure than meat-eaters are. Personally, I am excited about the benefits that it will have on my cholesterol, as high cholesterol runs in my family. If I can get the nutrients that my body needs without another living being having to suffer, fantastic! I wrote all about my cholesterol progress report here (spoiler alert: it is amazing).
Eating plant-based is also great for the environment essential to saving our planet from extinction. Eating meat is not green for the environment. It is THE biggest causes of climate change. Eating meat is NOT SUSTAINABLE. One of my favorite infographics shows veganism & the environment by the numbers. Also, Cowspiracy. Just. watch. it. It’s highly disturbing, and not in a blood and guts kind of way. Cold hard facts about our rainforest and about our nation’s secret will leave you speechless.
Above all else, the animals. Becoming a vegan, you can save more than 100 animals a year. Animals that are being abused and tortured in ways that you cannot imagine before meeting their fate. If you want to open your eyes to animal cruelty, you can check out the documentary Earthlings. This does not only touch on factory farming, but also the fur industry, the circus, animal testing, and pet stores. It is narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, who has been vegan since he was 3 years old. He’s quoted saying, “It takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal.” Food for thought! WARNING: This is not for the weak of stomach. It is very graphic, and very disturbing. Below, you will find a list of documentaries that are a walk in the park compared to this. Don’t feel bad if you can’t watch it! Find another one that will educate you, without this type of content.
DOCUMENTARIES
Sometimes, you just need that final push. If you are flirting with veganism or a plant-based diet, I strongly encourage you to watch a couple of these documentaries (if not all!) These were all I needed to make the final switch, and I’ll never look back. Some of these are more graphic than others (in regards to factory farming), so please watch at your own discretion.
- Forks Over Knives
- Vegucated – LOVE this one!
- Food Inc.
- Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead
- Food Matters
- Food Choices
- Hungry for Change
- Cowspiracy
- Blackfish
- OMG GMO
- Earthlings
- What The Health
- The Game Changers
BOOKS
If you are a reader, I highly recommend:
VIDEO
If you are a Youtuber, you need to listen to Gary Yourofsky’s powerful speech!!
Whatever your reason may be to consider a vegan or plant-based diet, that is your personal choice (and I am sure it is a good one!) Hey, even if you are thinking about vegetarianism, good for you! There is no right or wrong. The fact of the matter is, you may not be perfect. The ultimate goal is to do the least harm, and the most good. That is what really counts.
Throughout this blog, there have been a ton of posts created for beginners, as well as veteran veg-heads. These are some of the best resources I’ve compiled – think of them as a quick cheat sheet!
BLOG POSTS FOR BEGINNERS
- 100 Quick Vegan Tips
- Small Strides Towards A Vegan Diet
- The Ultimate Vegan Shopping List
- How to Save Money on a Vegan Diet
- 10 Things To Be Aware of Before Going Vegan
- 10 Attainable Goals for Omnivores Going Plant-Based
- Vegan Food at Target
- Grab and Go Vegan Breakfasts
- 79 Vegan Staples
- Vegan Frozen Foods To Have On Hand
- 6 Vegan Ingredient Swaps for Baking
- Trader Joes Shopping List
- Trader Joe’s Haul: 50 Vegan Products
- Vegan on a Budget: $50 List for Trader Joe’s
- How to Properly Bake Tofu
- Vitamins for Vegans
- Protein Sources for Vegans and Vegetarians
- 10 Eye-Opening Documentaries
- New Veggie or Fruit a Week Challenge
- Why I’m Vegan for the Animals
- What’s In My Fridge
- Plant-Based Food Diary: What I Ate (Meal Inspiration)
- How Phoebe Buffay Represents the Struggles w/ Vegetarianism
- 10 Powerful Facts for World Vegan Day
- Bulk Cooking Tips in My Plant-Based Kitchen
- 17 Things That Happened When I Adopted a Plant-Based Diet
- Why I Don’t Eat Eggs
- Vegan 101: Vegan Egg Replacers
- 5 (Not So Intimidating) Vegan Meal Plans
- 10 Reasons To Eat More Plants
- 10 Cheap Vegan Foods to Stock Up On
BLOG POSTS FOR VETERANS
- 100 Quick Vegan Tips
- 10 Things I’ve Learned After Eating Vegan
- An Open Letter from One Veg-Head to Another
- A Vegan Diet in a Nutshell, As Told By 24 Gifs
- The ABC’s of Vegan Superfoods
- 10 Little Vegan Victories
- 10 Awkward Moments That Vegans Experience
- 15 Vegan Habits
- 11 #VeganProbs
- 10 Powerful Facts for World Vegan Day
- Plant-Based Food Diary: What I Ate (Meal Inspiration)
- The Ultimate Vegan Shopping List
- Bulk Cooking Tips in My Plant-Based Kitchen
- 17 Things That Happened When I Adopted a Plant-Based Diet
- Why I Don’t Eat Eggs
- 10 Cheap Vegan Foods to Stock Up On
Great resources and beautiful sentiments. Pleased to become acquainted with a fellow vegan.
Thanks, Carmen! Same here :) xx
[…] Resources […]
[…] Resources […]
[…] knew the ropes, but wanted to give vegetarianism a try. Welp, 6 days into it, I watched a ton of documentaries. That did it for me! I was like oh okay, no more eggs or dairy or cheese… yep, I’m vegan now! I […]
[…] Resources […]
[…] for over a year now. It’s a decision that I made for health and ethical reasons, along with a plethora of other reasons. It’s just the way I want to live my life, and I feel good knowing that I am a part of […]
[…] for over a year now. It’s a decision that I made for health and ethical reasons, along with a plethora of other reasons. It’s just the way I want to live my life, and I feel good knowing that I am a part of […]
Another great documentary is The Game Changers on Netflix. It is about all of these athletes on a vegan diet
Oh yes! I have to add that because we just watched it last week. Incredible!