The Vegan Family – Now Better than Perfectly Nuclear!

The vegan family will continue to expand as quality information circulates the globe and more people get acquainted with the concept of veganism and its benefits both to us humans and to the planet as well. Veganism, which refers to a lifestyle that abstains from animal foods and products in order to protect animal life and rights has weathered various storms of criticism and of course, has only evolved stronger and more refined. Even critics cannot deny the overwhelming benefits of vegan living being uncovered on a regular basis.

If there was a world where the inhabitants could get all they need without hurting their co-tenants; would that not be a pleasant place to live in? Habits we form in the closet have their involuntary mechanism of affecting our outward lifestyle. What this means is that our disposition towards lesser animals may determine to a large extent how we interact with members of our species and how much value we place on their lives.

The benefits of veganism are numerous and keep increasing with more research. A few of them will now be listed.

Can you live a vegan life?

Of course! The cuisines of most nations contain dishes suitable for a vegan diet, including ingredients such as tofu, tempeh and the wheat product seitan in Asian diets… Many recipes that traditionally contain animal products can be adapted by substituting plant-based ingredients. For example, nut, grain or soy milks can be used to replace cow’s milk and eggs can be replaced by applesauce or commercial starch-based substitute products, depending upon the recipe. Additionally, artificial “meat” products (“analogs” or “mock meats”) made from non-animal derived ingredients such as soy or gluten including imitation sausages, ground beef, burgers, and chicken nuggets are widely available.

To take the place of dairy milk you may take nut milk, potato milk, and soy milk. You may substitute cottage cheese and ricotta cheese with crumbled tofu. Legumes (beans, peas, soya products) and grains (wheat, oats, rice, barley etc) are rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. Nuts, seeds, and leafy vegetables are also rich in calcium, iron, zinc, and other micronutrients.

Nutritional Benefits

Those who take vegan diets usually eat meals sufficient in fruits and vegetables which are of vital importance to the body’s maintenance. According to the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada, diets that avoid meat tend to have lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein, and higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E which help to eliminate some really bad free radicals from your body system. People who avoid meat are reported to die less from ischemic heart disease, have lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, lower rates of hypertension, type-2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.

Research by Canadian experts has shown a vegan diet is as effective at reducing levels of the most damaging form of cholesterol as the new generation of expensive, fat-lowering drugs. Now people showing early warnings of heart disease can improve their health without medication.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published some papers showing that high fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with reduced risk of cardio-vascular disease, some common cancers, and chronic diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Whole-grain consumption is also associated with a reduced risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stomach and colon cancers. Eating nuts regularly also reduces your risk of having a heart disease.

Environmental and Health Benefits

Certain antibiotics are used to promote growth in chickens, cows and other food-producing animals, which can lead to strains of bacteria resistant to the antibiotics. Many of these bacteria can then infect people and cause fatal illnesses if antibiotics are no longer effective against them.

Human hunger and poverty is increased by diverting grain and cropland to support livestock instead of people. People are now learning that it is not efficient to feed plants first to animals only to feed on the animals and their products later.