Benefits of a vegan diet

A vegan diet has been popular with many for decades, but it is only in recent years thanks to Veganuary and suchlike, that veganism has gotten the publicity it deserves, bringing in new supporters each year. But what are the benefits of being vegan and having a vegan diet? There are more than the obvious ones, we can assure you. Read on to find out more about health benefits, environmental benefits, and more.

For anyone unclear on what a vegan diet is, it is avoiding animal products within your diet and your life, including dairy and honey. Any product derived from an animal is classed as a no-go for vegans, choosing foods that haven’t harmed a living being in the process of making them. 

A vegan diet might not be the answer for everyone and different bodies have different needs, but if you are looking for a diet that does you good as well as the planet and its inhabitants, then a vegan diet might just be the ticket for you.

As for the benefits, there are almost too many to list so we have picked out some of the top ones for you here.

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The benefits

One of the more widely spoken about benefits of a vegan diet is the weight loss. Celebrities have spoken out about it and it has been proven to help speed things up in that department. While it isn’t solely used for that, if you are looking to shape up and lose weight then a vegan diet could definitely help.

wEIGHT LOSS

One of the more widely spoken about benefits of a vegan diet is the weight loss. Celebrities have spoken out about it and it has been proven to help speed things up in that department. While it isn’t solely used for that, if you are looking to shape up and lose weight then a vegan diet could definitely help.
A vegan diet has been proven to be higher in some nutrients than other diets that include meat and dairy. Fibre and magnesium are two things that vegan diets appear to be richer in, which can be beneficial to the body.

Nutrients

A vegan diet has been proven to be higher in some nutrients than other diets that include meat and dairy. Fibre and magnesium are two things that vegan diets appear to be richer in, which can be beneficial to the body.
Eating a vegan diet is known to see an increase in energy. By avoiding animal-based products, it is found that we have an abundance of energy as humans to think more clearly and get more done throughout the day.

Increased energy

Eating a vegan diet is known to see an increase in energy. By avoiding animal-based products, it is found that we have an abundance of energy as humans to think more clearly and get more done throughout the day.
Studies have shown that those partaking in a vegan diet saw less pain from arthritis than those who were partaking in diets containing meat and dairy. This will of course depend on the individual but it has been seen and proven in more than one case.

Links to arthritis 

Studies have shown that those partaking in a vegan diet saw less pain from arthritis than those who were partaking in diets containing meat and dairy. This will of course depend on the individual but it has been seen and proven in more than one case.
Most of all, it is the peace of mind that you’re eating with a clean conscience and that you haven’t caused any lives to end through the food you are eating. That can be a tough one to get your head around and until you have seen or heard first hand what goes into the foods we eat and the processes behind them, it can be easy to remove yourself from the situation. If you do want to learn more, there are plenty of books to read and documentaries to watch if you want to see more of the benefits of going vegan and how to go about it.

Peace of Mind

Most of all, it is the peace of mind that you’re eating with a clean conscience and that you haven’t caused any lives to end through the food you are eating. That can be a tough one to get your head around and until you have seen or heard first hand what goes into the foods we eat and the processes behind them, it can be easy to remove yourself from the situation. If you do want to learn more, there are plenty of books to read and documentaries to watch if you want to see more of the benefits of going vegan and how to go about it.

We know that making the switch can sound a little daunting, but there are some relatively easy switches you can make to get started with, so much so that you won’t notice you’re doing it… 

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Meat

There are some great meat alternatives on the market today but if you aren’t sure about quorn and suchlike just yet, jackfruit is something that can make for a meaty taste, with no animals in the process! Look out for pulled pork style recipes in particular but it is a super versatile food.

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Yogurt

A tough one to switch but thankfully there are some great plant-based alternatives available and they work great in smoothies if that’s your kind of thing too!

Milk

There are plenty of milk alternatives out there but if you’re looking for something to put in your coffee we would choose oat milk. If it is for cooking with or adding to cereal, soy is a strong contender. If you are new to plant-based milk, we recommend trying a few and getting to know what you like the taste of and what works for you in what drink or meal.

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Honey

If you like a little bit of something sweet, try switching out your honey for agave syrup. Just as sweet and twice as nice as it is vegan friendly and widely available.

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There are also some amazing recipe ideas out there, and over the years we have gathered, tried and tested them, as well as creating our own. If you would like recipe inspiration, head to MADE on Demand to see the recipes we have available and try them out for yourself.

Veganism in the UK has grown by around 150,000 people in the last 11 years alone, with more people seeing the benefits for both their own health and the planet and in January 2019, 250,000 people in the Uk pledged to take part in Veganuary.

If those reasons alone aren’t enough, the University of Oxford reported that going vegan was the single biggest way to reduce our environmental impact on earth. A vegan diet will substantially reduce the green house gasses being let into our system, as well as saving water, saving lives, minimising the land we need to use for food produce and more.

As a side note on this, over a quarter of our freshwater in the entire world is used for the production of meat and dairy, so to cut this down significantly would mean a huge saving in water waste, something we need to be conscious and aware of in the years to come.

To summarise, a vegan diet can help to save the lives of animals across the globe, it can help to improve the quality of our lives and our health as well, and lastly it can help preserve the planet too. Three strong reasons to consider a vegan diet and plenty of benefits to boot. Check out MADE on Demand for vegan tips and recipes, as well as suggestions on switching foods for more planet and health-friendly options.

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