Veganism, as you probably already assume from its term, is a plant-based eating style. Throughout the years, there have been several eating styles that grew in popularity or were discredited based on their dietary limitations and the potential physical impact they had on the body.

While maintaining these lifestyles can be challenging because your diet is more limited and creativity in the kitchen is a must, their health impact benefits those embracing these practices. Still, embarking on board the veganism train, you must be aware of the pros and cons of this lifestyle. Understanding the basics of veganism and its logic and reasoning is important because you'll have to change many aspects of your life.

While there are people who choose to be vegan for dietary reasons, switching to a completely plant-based diet can cause weight loss, others look to the animal kingdom and become vegan to treasure all life; you might simply don't like meat, dairy, and eggs. It doesn't matter why you choose, just understand that to make an informed decision, you need to consider the pros and cons of veganism and see if that could fit your lifestyle.

What is Veganism?

Becoming a vegan or choosing a vegan diet means that you will choose a 100% plant-based lifestyle that abstains from all animal products and derivates. Many people choose this lifestyle based on strong ethical beliefs, environmental awareness, and health reasons, but not long before, it was considered impractical and extreme.

Someone who chooses to be a vegan, regardless of their reason, does not eat products that come from animals. These include meat, fish, eggs, fowl, honey, and dairy products and their derivates. The appeal has increased over the years as vegan cookbooks, online searches, online content, and social media influencers promote this lifestyle. The availability of vegan products has also increased, their taste is more appealing, and international cuisines offering more vegan options are becoming more popular and approachable. You can even see the growing variety of ingredients suitable for vegan dishes is available now, compared to ten years ago.

With celebrities promoting this lifestyle as well, while it is easy to look up to them, be aware that they are selling a product. Like every other lifestyle, veganism comes with its pros and cons. These disadvantages and advantages need to be taken into account by anyone considering this lifestyle.

Veganism vs. Vegetarianism

While both veganism and vegetarianism are plant-focused diets, they shouldn't be mixed up because they differ greatly. While a vegan diet refrains from any animal product like meat, fish, honey, and dairy, vegetarianism does allow them, but there are several types of vegetarians.

While veganism is the strictest plant-based diet, the following are also considered types of vegetarians:

• Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians - vegetarians that don't eat meat but consume egg and dairy products.

• Lacto Vegetarian - vegetarians that don't eat meat or eggs but consume dairy products.

• Ovo Vegetarian - vegetarians that don't consume meat and dairy products but consume eggs.

• Vegans - vegetarians that don't consume any animal products or derivates.

• Pescatarians - vegetarians that don't consume the meat of land animals but consume fish.

• Flexitarians - vegetarians who adhere to these rules only part-time.

The last two don't fall under the definition of vegetarianism, technically, as they eat animal flesh.

Pros and Cons of Veganism

Over the years, veganism has been studied by dieticians and doctors to determine whether or not this lifestyle is safe for those who choose it. While the younger generations are more prone to dabbling in more plant-based diets, some drawbacks exist in all cases. Aside from the limited options, there are health factors that need to be taken into consideration, as well as the comfort that comes with a takeaway dinner, for which you don't have to triple-check the ingredients.

Pros of Veganism

The importance of the benefits that come from a vegan diet depends on your personal reason for choosing to adhere to this lifestyle. Still, the advantages that come from this lifestyle are definitely worth mentioning because even if your reason is ethical, there will be health benefits that you will become aware of in time.

Health Impact

As a vegan, you will access vitamins and minerals more easily as your diet will include a multitude of vegetables, fruits, greens, legumes, and whole grains. Many of these ingredients are not common in regular diets making vegan diets rank higher for nutritional quality due to their diversity. Generally, vegan diets are high in fiber, magnesium, folate, vitamin C, and iron while scoring lower in calories and saturated fats.

A plant-based diet can lower the risk of many chronic diseases. Among these, veganism reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, cardiometabolic risk factors, obesity, type-2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular mortality, and total mortality. If you have any medical reasons for choosing this diet, consult a medical practitioner for the required tests.

Broadening Food Horizon

If you can't turn to such as chicken wings, steak, baby back ribs, or hamburgers for a satisfying meal, replacing meat in your diet may be a challenge. Still, when you do, you will discover the versatility of the plant world. Even though foraging, you can discover just how ample your options are. The standard for regular diets is some form of meat with something on the side (usually potatoes or pasta). But meat can be replaced with soy, fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and many others.

If you eat meat, you won't even consider replacing it on your menu, but did you know that you can make a vegan tuna stake with some watermelon? Without the go-to meat options, you need to venture out of your comfort zone by diversifying your ingredients. While it may be difficult to get used to the wide variety of options, you won't regret it as there is so much flavor in plant-based diets that are so disregarded in omnivore diets across the world.

Lower Food Cost

When you cut meat, dairy, and seafood off the menu, you will see that there is a change in your monthly expenses. The fact that those products are increasingly more expensive only boosts the appeal of plant-based foods. Still, gaining this pro of veganism depends on what you eat and where you purchase your food. While going to the grocery store and choosing every vegan option they have can cost a pretty penny as you pay more for the brand than the product, purchasing your food from Farmer's Markets or vegan-friendly convenience stores will be less expensive than an animal product-rich diet.

Environmental Impact

The meat industry is one of the biggest polluters as livestock farming practices leave a heavy carbon footprint. Agriculture of vegan-friendly products uses less land and water resources, and when combined with regenerative farming, it doesn't only limit its carbon footprint but also manages to produce more.

No Animal Impact

While this is the most obvious benefit of veganism, as it is the most common reason to choose a vegan diet, ethical beliefs work their way into every other facet of a person's life. Those who choose a vegan diet based on their desire to stop animal cruelty won't wear leather, won't use animal-tested products and are most likely to abide by this diet longer and with more passion.

Con of Veganism

While both your and the planet's health will thank you for choosing this diet, the expansive restrictions and limitations make it difficult to approach by many. These are some of the cons of veganism that you need to take into consideration before you stock up on vegan products.

Limited Food Selection

As the most restrictive plant-based diet, veganism is challenging to adhere to based on the products we commonly use. Especially if you eat a standard American diet, you will see that many of the products you usually consume do not pertain to a vegan diet. Lifestyle choices will be necessary as many foods contain some form of animal-derived ingredients. While a wide variety of food will open up to you, switching to a vegan diet won't be easy and may be seen as limited.

Risk of Nutritional Deficiencies

The biggest drawback of vegan diets is the potential nutritional deficiencies. Some nutrients are commonly found in animal-based foods, such as calcium, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and iron. There are vegan options that can ensure a diet that covers all the nutritional needs, but one needs to make sure they include them in their daily meals. Mushrooms, leafy greens, pumpkin, nuts, and beans cover these needs, but you shouldn't stick to one but explore the variety.

Due Diligence

Following a vegan diet will take some getting used to, and checking nutrition labels will become second nature in time. You'll discover that animal-based by-products can be found in many foods you would consider animal-free or that many of the vegan options in grocery stores are not compliant with a vegan diet.

Conclusion

If you are considering a change in your dietary practices, be aware of what such a change may entail. While it is easy to think about all those promoted by vegan influencers on social media, actually taking the time to make it every day may be more challenging. Still, you'll be less tired by choosing veganism. It may take you some time to get accustomed to it, but if you stick to it long enough, it will become second nature.