Veganism is a type of lifestyle that excludes eating all animal products along with animal cruelty and exploitation. Any and all types of animal products are not a part of a vegan diet, this includes meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, eggs, honey, and their by-products. If we look at the figures, only 1.16% of the world population is vegan. Now, keeping in mind the current situations, this may seem like the least of our worries. We’re facing a worldwide pandemic; the economies of our countries are clashing and much more. We don’t have it in us to add another problem in our list of worries. But if we don’t care about this now, the situation will only get worse at an alarming rate.
More than 200 million animals are killed and slaughtered every day just for us to eat. Various methods are performed to keep the animal unconscious during animal slaughter. Many countries including China are using animals in scientific experiments and lab rats. Whether animals are stunned before slaughter or not, they suffer stress while waiting to be killed. It is high time that we realize that killing animals for food or any other purpose is an act of iniquity.Many people consume animals because they are rich in nutrients. For example, one chicken breast contains about 54 grams of protein; tuna fish contains 28 grams of high protein, etc.
Yes, animals are rich sources of protein and other healthy nutrients but is it worth killing them? We need to start viewing animals as our equals. Killing an animal is just as opprobrium as killing a human. Vegan diets containing food items like tofu, chickpeas, green peas, etc are just as rich in protein as the animals we kill. Quinoa contains 4.4 grams of protein. Green peas contain 5.4 grams of protein. Beans, lentils and peas are the best options as they contain 10–20 grams of protein per cooked cup. They’re also excellent sources of fibre, carbohydrates, iron, manganese, zinc, antioxidants and other health-promoting plant compounds. Vegetarianism and Veganism benefit everyone. For the sake of saving animals, vegans avoid all kinds of animal products. Apart from this, a vegan diet has its own benefits. It brings us health benefits, it is a more economically stable option and it is a part of a healthier and broader lifestyle. Switching to a vegan diet also helps in curing weight problems.
If we have the facility and choice to obtain what our body needs without having to kill, why not take it? Eating a vegan diet not only protects animals but also gives us a feeling of placidity. Just like us, animals have a family too. Adapting the lifestyle of being vegetarian or vegan will evince our true humanity and how much we care about our surroundings. It is said that ‘be the change you need’. It means that you have to change if you want the world to change.
After all, ”Veganism is a boon to health and saving our fauna is in our own hands.”
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