by Christine Pesta
Almost twenty years ago a joint report was issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, along with the World Health Organization. The report, “Human Vitamin and Mineral Requirements”, stated that the world would benefit from a plant-based diet.
While stressing the importance of certain vitamins and minerals that should be present in one’s diet, the report also stated:
“Although two-thirds of the world’s population depends on cereal or tuber-based diets, the other one-third consumes significant amounts of animal food products. The latter group places an undue demand on land, water, and other resources required for intensive food production, which makes the typical Western diet not only undesirable from the standpoint of health but also environmentally unsustainable.”
The report did not state that consumption of animals should be avoided completely, but at the time, it was a step in the right direction. To have such powerful organizations acknowledge the negative impact eating meat and dairy has on the planet was huge.
Unfortunately, the trend toward eating plant-based is just now coming more widely into vogue. Although many are not necessarily doing it to help the environment or out of compassion for animal rights issues, the vegan community and environmental organizations will still take it as a win.
If for no other reasons than to combat or prevent health issues, a vegan diet is becoming more commonplace, particularly among millennials. Veganism has also seen a growing number of Generation X-ers getting onboard a they’ve moved into the middle-aged bracket of life.
However, as more and more people begin to change their eating habits, they are also beginning to embrace the overall vegan lifestyle. With the Internet and social media so much a part of people’s lives, and there now being much easier and quicker access to information, those who look further into what veganism is all about, learn that there is so much more to it than just what one eats.
Groups like Vegan Outreach, Mercy for Animals, and Compassion Over Killing have tried to bring awareness to animal rights issues. Documentaries such as, “Earthlings” and “Cowspiracy”, not only educate viewers on the global abuse of animals, but the impact the meat and dairy industry has had on the environment.
With soil and water sources being polluted by the waste runoff from factory farms, as well as the methane gas they contribute to the atmosphere, it is believed by some that seeing a reduction to such plants would greatly impact the current global warming trend, as well as actually increase the amount of resources to fight hunger worldwide.
Anyone considering a move to veganism now has access to a wide array of food products at local supermarket chains, as well as various groups, organizations, and apps that can provide support and information. Making the change now has never been easier, and will not only impact the health of the individual, but the health of the entire planet.
For more information, feel free to explore liveyourlifevegan.com.
