Should I go vegan?
These days, veganism is gaining a lot of attention in the media, blogs, magazines, restaurants and cookbooks and is gaining popularity. Veganism is a movement that excludes the consumption of all animal products and all products derived from their exploitation.
Although it is increasingly present and accessible, veganism (also called integral veganism) is, according to The Vegan Societyan ancestral practice based on vegetarianism.1
We have deconstructed a portrait of this benevolent philosophy.
Veganism: why adopt it?
Moral reasons
It is estimated that every year, 60 million land animals and a few billion marine animals lose their lives to feed humans. In order to satisfy this high demand, captivity is the new industry standard. This minimizes the quality of life of the animals and promotes the spread of infectious diseases, increasing the use of antibiotics.4
The captive environment, the precarious separation of mother and child and the premature death of the animals, makes mass breeding a practice that does not meet the primary and biological needs of the animals, themselves recognized as sentient beings with a right to dignity.5.
Thus, vegans believe that it is preferable that animals be allowed to enjoy their natural habitat in peace, without the preoccupation of being slaughtered for food.
Environmental reasons
Animal agriculture has a considerable impact on our environment, which motivates the more environmentally conscious among us to adopt a vegan lifestyle.
Indeed, entire lands and forests are ravaged to allow the cultivation of grains to feed farm animals. This farming has a negative impact on our environment, including the loss of clean water, forests and trees, and the accumulation of farm waste in nearby waters.
In addition to depleting our natural resources, animal agriculture is the primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions,8 the main pollutants being the production of beef, lamb and cheese.7
Sadly, in addition to these glaring issues, meat consumers throw away 20% of the meat produced by the industry.7
By adopting a vegan diet, a western person can reduce their ecological footprint by more than 50%.
Health reasons
Compared to omnivorous and vegetarian diets, the vegan diet offers a higher amount of dietary fiber, antioxidants, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins C and E, as well as phyto nutrients (biochemical compounds from plants that have positive health effects). In addition, the vegan diet is lower in saturated fat than other diets.2
For these reasons, vegan dieters have a low risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.3
Veganism: what to eat?
Veganism is not automatically a guarantee of health. It is essential to be well informed before making the leap to veganism. Education and knowledge of the nutritional aspect are the basis for the success of this lifestyle.
A well-balanced vegan diet includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. Excluded are: meat, fish, seafood, dairy products, eggs, honey and insects.
Although veganism offers a range of health and environmental benefits, some dietary deficiencies may arise.
In fact, this diet is lower in calcium, zinc, omega 3, vitamin D and vitamin B12 than other diets.2 Iron from plant sources is also more difficult to assimilate. This is why vegans benefit from taking amultivitamin/mineral in addition to consuming fortified foods. In addition, for women, it is recommended to take iron supplements to avoid a possible deficiency.
Veganism: the lifestyle
Veganism also excludes all derivatives of animal products used in the textile, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
Thus, many fabrics are excluded, including leather, wool, fur, cashmere, alpaca, as well as certain materials used in the production of jewelry, such as beads, feathers and horns. Any product that has been tested on animals is also prohibited.6
Vegans are also concerned about their recreational choices and are opposed to activities that exploit animals, including zoos, aquariums, circuses and safaris.
In short, veganism is a lifestyle that promotes all aspects of animal welfare.
___
La Boite à Grains is pleased to meet your needs by offering a multitude of certified vegan products. In addition, our free store tours in June will focus on veganism.
Finally, we are now a retailer of vegan meals Aux Vivresmeatless products from Paradis Végétarien, from Function Jerky Veganand many other certified vegan products.
Come check out our vegan and gluten-free products this May 26, 2018 at La Boîte à Grains du Plateau.
Véronique Cousineau; ND, RHN
verosante.com
Sources
1: The Vegan Society / History
2: Davey GK, Spencer EA, Appleby PN, Allen NE, Knox KH, Key TJ. EPIC-Oxford: lifestyle characteristics and nutrient intakes in a cohort of 33,883 meat-eaters and 31,546 non meat-eaters in the UK. Public Health Nutr 2003;6:259-69.
3: Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada. Vegetarian diets. J Am Diet Assoc 2003;103:748-65.
4: Center for Disease Control and Prevention. National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for Enteric Bacteria (NARMS). Antibiotic Resistance.
5: CBC. Canadian Press June 2015. Quebec bill calls animals 'sentient beings' and includes jail time for cruelty
6: Wikipedia - veganism
7: Environmental Working Group. Meat Eater's Guide. Accessed April 2018
8: WorlWatch Institute. Agriculture and Livestock Remain Major Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Laura Reynolds, May 8, 2013