# 30 reasons to be vegan:)



## f a m o u s (Aug 3, 2009)

30 reasons to be vegan
*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1. Vegan diets offer disease protection because of lower cholesterol and animal protein and higher folates, antioxidant vitamins and plant nutrients.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2. Vegans are less likely to suffer strokes caused by coronary artery disease.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]3. 95% of all food poisoning comes from meat and animal products.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]4. Vegans have half to three-quarters of the risk of dying of heart disease compared to meat eaters.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]5. Vegans often live longer and suffer less from several chronic diseases.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]6. Vegans have excellent health. Protein is not a limiting factor.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]7. Zinc levels are normal in vegans.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]8. New research suggests that dementia may be linked to a BSE-like 'prion' found in some meat.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]9. Vegans have lower rates of obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, large bowel disorders, cancers and gallstones.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]10. Vegan diets have been successful in arresting and reversing coronary heart disease.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]11. A vegan diet can reduce cholesterol levels (cholesterol is linked to heart disease - fruit and vegetables contain none).[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]12. Vegans are no more likely to suffer anaemia than meat eaters.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]13. Antioxidants protect against more than 60 diseases. Found mostly in fruit and vegetables.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]14. Vegans have higher intakes of folic acid than omnivores.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]15. Diabetes is much less likely to be a cause of death in vegans.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]16. Hypertension (high blood pressure) in vegans is one third to one half that of meat eaters.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]17. The amount of veg protein fed to the US beef herd would feed almost the entire populations of India and China - two billion people.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]18. A vegan diet meets all the nutritional needs of infants and adolescents. [/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]19. 35% of the world's people can be fed on a meat-based diet. A plant diet could feed everyone.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]20. Animal faeces are a major cause of acid rain - in Holland and Belgium, the main cause.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]21. Deserts spread every year - by an area the size of England and Scotland. Livestock grazing is the main cause.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]22. Rain forests are still being felled to graze hamburger cattle. Going vegan saves one acre of forest every year.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]23. The world's 17 major fisheries are on the point of collapse because of over-fishing.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]24. On irrigated land, 1lb of beef uses 5,214 gallons.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]25. Disease, dirt and crowding, antibiotics and chemical growth enhancers - that's the five-month life of most pigs.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]26. 24% of dairy cows are pregnant when slaughtered - many nearing full term.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]27. Calves are taken from their mothers a day or two after birth. Males are usually killed.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]28. Amount of grain needed to end extreme hunger - 40 million tonnes. Amount of grain fed to animals in the West - 540 million tonnes.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]29. Most ducks are factory farmed in crowded sheds. They never see daylight or swim in water.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]30. The majority of calves, lambs and pigs are conscious when their throats are cut.[/FONT]*


from: www.liberation-mag.org.uk/vegan


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## gildedangel (Aug 3, 2009)

My boyfriend would love this! (He is vegan.) Keep in mind that in evidence of some of these points there are studies that say that it is true, and some that say otherwise. Much of this has been proven to be true though.


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## NutMeg (Aug 3, 2009)

I am slowly moving towards a vegetarian diet, and would love to add more vegan dishes to my diet. But the scientist in me has some serious issues with this post.

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *f a m o u s* 

 
_*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1. Vegan diets offer disease protection because of lower cholesterol and animal protein and higher folates, antioxidant vitamins and plant nutrients.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2. Vegans are less likely to suffer strokes caused by coronary artery disease.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]4. Vegans have half to three-quarters of the risk of dying of heart disease compared to meat eaters.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]5. Vegans often live longer and suffer less from several chronic diseases.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]9. Vegans have lower rates of obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, large bowel disorders, cancers and gallstones.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]10. Vegan diets have been successful in arresting and reversing coronary heart disease.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]11. A vegan diet can reduce cholesterol levels (cholesterol is linked to heart disease - fruit and vegetables contain none).[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]13. Antioxidants protect against more than 60 diseases. Found mostly in fruit and vegetables.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]14. Vegans have higher intakes of folic acid than omnivores.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]16. Hypertension (high blood pressure) in vegans is one third to one half that of meat eaters.[/FONT]*_

 
I get that anti-oxidants protect against disease, and vegans consume more of them. I get that for these reasons vegans are less likely to suffer/die from many diseases like hypertensions, coronary heart disease, large bowel disorders, etc, and that vegans are less likely for these reasons to suffer from obesity, etc. I also understand that vegans have higher intakes of folic acid, and lower cholesterol intakes. You can not say that you have 30 different reasons, when many of them are saying the same thing with slightly different wording and details each time.

I will address a few other points individually.

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *f a m o u s* 

 
_
*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]6. Vegans have excellent health. Protein is not a limiting factor.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]7. Zinc levels are normal in vegans.[/FONT]*

*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]12. Vegans are no more likely to suffer anaemia than meat eaters.[/FONT]*_

 
I'm going to need to see some literature before I will believe any of these points (except for the zinc levels, but the wording is wrong, no levels are ever normal in everyone in a population. It should say that on average zinc levels are normal in vegans). Are you trying to say that no vegan has ever had a serious health problem? Excellent health? I find that hard to swallow. Even genetic diseases? Do all vegans also exercise regularly? Also, a vegan diet becomes a lot less healthy when you start to eat a lot of processed food (which is still vegan). As far as anaemia goes, I really don't believe that. With an appropriate vegan diet I believe that the risk for anaemia is much reduced (the same can be said for an appropriate omnivorous diet), but it is impossible that all vegans are monitoring their iron levels and diets with such caution and precision that the fact that they are not consuming iron rich animal products is not affecting the rate of anaemia. A vegan or vegetarian diet is not necessarily healthy. You can still eat junk food, or have an improper balance of nutrients.

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *f a m o u s* 

 
_*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]18. A vegan diet meets all the nutritional needs of infants and adolescents. [/FONT]*_

 
This is frighteningly untrue. An infant needs either breastmilk or infant formula, neither of which are vegan. Does anyone remember that case where a vegan couple starved their baby to death because they wanted him to have a vegan diet? I believe they fed him apple juice and pureed vegetables. Do not try this at home folks.

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *f a m o u s* 

 
_*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]27. Calves are taken from their mothers a day or two after birth. Males are usually killed.[/FONT]*_

 
This may or may not be true in the dairy industry, but in the beef cattle industry this would be a stupid business choice. I can assure as someone who grew up on a farm that calves are left with their mothers for many months until they are ready to be weaned in the beef cattle industry.

Sorry if this feels like an attack, it is not intended to be personal. I just hate bad science, and bad journalism.


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## Shimmer (Aug 4, 2009)

Medium rare please.


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## erine1881 (Aug 4, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *f a m o u s* 

 
_30 reasons to be vegan
*[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]30. The majority of calves, lambs and pigs are conscious when their throats are cut.[/FONT]*_

 
this isn't a reason to be vegan so much as a reason to be active in animal rights.

besides, it would be pointless to cut the throat of a dead animal, wouldn't it?

and before anyone attacks me for saying that, i don't eat any of the above animals.


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## Mabelle (Aug 4, 2009)

^ no, you would cut the throat to drain a large quantity of  blood from their bodies. Besides that, it would be humane to at least make sure they are no conscious before you cut their throats. that's just plain cruel. 

I don't have a problem with eating meat, but i certainly have a problem with the way animals are treated. The conditions they live in. The way they are slaughters. The food they are fed.

And as far as i'm concerned, as "baby animals" should just not be food. ie veal, lamb, mutton


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## erine1881 (Aug 4, 2009)

oh i'm all for animal rights too, don't get me wrong.  i am 100% against animal cruelty.

i was just curious as to how they would make the animal unconcious.  as i don't slaughter animals, i'm unaware as to how they would knock an animal out without the use of medicine (as i don't see slaughter houses using medicine).

and i agree.  baby animals should be petted, not eaten.


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## Mabelle (Aug 4, 2009)

I believe some places use some kind of electrode either inserted in the anus or  that hits them between the eyes. I'm not sure if this is a common practice, or if it's still in use.... 
And i dont k now if it kills them or just knocks them out.
I know that Canadian KFC's have agreed to a more humane way of killing the chickens by putting them in chambers that slowly lower the level of oxygen in the air. It slowly puts them to sleep. Something like that would def. be a good idea.


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## erine1881 (Aug 4, 2009)

Gotcha. I was just wondering cuz once the animal is dead, the blood won't flow, so slitting the thraot would be worthless, making the need for the animal to be alive during the cut.

Also, how would they make sure the animal was knocked unconcious without accidentally killing the animal, before they purposefully killed it, ya know? 

Maybe I'm just thinking more on the side of the slaughterer in that they wouldn't waste the time/money to knock it out before killing it.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




If we must eat meat, then maybe all animals should be de-gassed like the chicken, making it pain- and cruelty-free for all!


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## User35 (Aug 4, 2009)

I have a good friend that is a recent vegan convert. He's loving it but I didnt want him to get all preachy so I just googled "vegan" I wasnt sure if thats where u just dont eat meat...i wasnt sure.

pretty much google said when you are vegan you cant have anything to do with ANYTHING that comes from an animal. All meats, eggs, milk ect byproducts of a living thing. 

So I got to thinking no hamburgers..eggs..i love cheese (<~~that would be a hard one!)...no leather shoes ,handbags. With all the limits you got..shit I might as well be a nun. 

Kudos to those with the discpline to stick it out and be vegan because thats what they believe rather than trying to be hip but thats just not for me.


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## User35 (Aug 4, 2009)

plus I hate veggies....


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## Hilly (Aug 4, 2009)

I dont eat land animals for various reasons, but one is due to the way they are killed. I hear wayy too many horrible reports about places getting busted for treating animals inhumanely (KFC was a huge one a couple years ago). 

I do eat dairy, eggs, and fish because those seems very hard to give up for me personally. Ever since I stopped eating all other meats, I feel better. I dont have a guilty conscious everytime I drive near a pasture (true story!).  Call me a hypocrite because I eat fish, but I just am not there yet to stop eating them too- I dont feel uber sad about munching on them in my sushi lol.


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## LMD84 (Aug 4, 2009)

i don't eat much meat. in fact the only meat i will eat is chicken, fish or turkey.  however i could never be a veggie let alone a vegan! i'm not a massive fan of vegtables so being a veggie wouldn't be good for me!  and i love cheese far too much to be vegan!! and i like leather shoes and bags...

animal cruelty is a different matter though. i have very strong feelings on animal rights.


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## NatalieMT (Aug 4, 2009)

I have been a vegetarian for many years now - I couldn't imagine eating meat again, I don't believe I'm missing out. I will however occasionally eat fish at the moment. For me the decision to become vegetarian was from an ethical perspective but more from a taste perspective, I really didn't like the taste of meat. It's very difficult for me now though because I have Crohn's disease and malabsorption. 

Before now I was a very healthy vegetarian, I had very few health problems so I really do believe vegetarian and vegan diets can be equally as nutritious if you are careful. Now however I have iron deficieny anemia, it was a big contributing factor to my major hairloss and also have very low b12. I'm underweight anyway but it has lead to a low white count and a compromised immune system. These maybe more restricted have good and bad sides I suppose.


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## slowdownbaby (Aug 6, 2009)

I'm a vegetarian. But the only eggs I eat it's from my moms chickens who are really happy here 
I start being a vegetarian because of the animals rights, I just didn't think it was fair to eat beings like that... But I don't judge people who eat them...Only people who treat them bad.


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## NutMeg (Aug 6, 2009)

Gotta say... vegetarians don't eat animals. Fish are animals. People who only eat seafood are pescetarians, not vegetarians.


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## jayleelah (Aug 6, 2009)

I don't eat meat, only fish and dairy. 
So that makes me pescetarian ?
I always say I'm vegetarian because when I think of meat I think red meat


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## Dahlia_Rayn (Aug 6, 2009)

It does make you a pescatarian, in addition to being a lacto-vegetarian.  There are so many technical terms for this eating no meat thing!  

I don't eat much red meat, but still don't consider myself vegetarian by any means at all.  Though I am careful where I purchase my meat from, and am lucky to live in a region where I can get a lot of it from local growers that have small herds.  It's a little more expensive to buy it that way, and I don't look down on those who can't afford it.  I definitely think what you choose to eat is a lifestyle choice.


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## me_howell (Aug 23, 2009)

I am a registered dietitian and some of this posted info is not true. Vegetarians are not always healthier, they make unhealthy food choices too. A true vegetarian has to work very hard to keep their diet up to par. Please research wisely before you believe that this diet is suitable for everyone and especially growing children. I am not anti-vegetarian, I just promote healthful eating however that can be done.


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## Rosalie1915 (Sep 6, 2009)

i would love to go Vegan!! Right now i am a Vegetarian but my mom thinks i still need my Milk, and dairy because i am still growing and i know deep down she is right but i really want to go vegan! the only hard part would be giving up cottage cheese


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