Is it healthier to be a vegan?

Question

I am thinking about becoming a vegan for the health benefits. I have no problem eating animals or carrying around my leather purses or even hunting overpopulated animals for sport. I just want to know if it really is better to eat all those veggies or if it is not any different from eating a well balanced meals of chicken/fish with veggies etc. If you could direct me to some books or websites that have more ndepth information I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Answer 1

I am a vegan, and it really is much healthier. I could go on and on about reasons why it is better for you, but I recommend reading the book "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins. This explains many reasons from both health and cruelty standpoints. The first section is about cruelty reasons, and if you aren't really interested in finding out what all happens to your meat before you consume it, than you could just skip that section and go right on into parts two and three. These explain very thoroughly why it is healthier not to eat meat or dairy products; why many vegetarians and vegans live longer than meat-eaters; how excess protein, especially animal protein, causes osteoperosis; how the human body was not designed to digest meats or animal fats... and so on.

Also, in response to droidac, you should read the book "Dominion" by Matthew Scully. It is a vegatarian argument from a christian standpoint, explaining that animals were put here for humans to have dominion over them. To protect them and watch over them is what we were intended to do. Not torture them, kill them, and eat them. Many parts of the bible that you will find as an argument for why humans should eat meat were written by MEN who ate meat their whole lives, and so did their ancestors, and their ancestors and so on. But just beacuse humans have been eating animals for so long, does not mean that it is right to do so. It is a terrible thing to assume that something is right just beacuse it is custom.

Answer 2

If you have no trouble with meat, then you should probably just reduce eating it to 3-4 times a week, lean cuts only. Round out the rest of the diet with veggies and whole foods. I think dairy should be tossed, especially cheese due to the saturated fat content. Find out what Jack Lalane is eating. He's 92 and works out in the gym for two hours a day. He drinks alot of vegetable juices and has fish and egg whites in his diet. (I am vegetarian and have low dairy and egg in my diet).
The Food Revolution by John Robbins
www.ravediet.com
www.veganoutreach.org (vegan nutrition concerns)

Answer 3

Well, I have been a vegetarian since I was 8 years old. I think being a vegetarian is healthy. Works for me. Vegan however I think is stretching it. I have tow girlfriends who are vegans and just had babies. They have been breastfeeding and are raising them vegan too. The children are so tiny and underweight it is causing great concern. One of them at 10 months old, wears size 3 months. The other just turned 1 and is still in size 6 months. My children are being raised vegetarian and I never had this problem.

Answer 4

as a former vegan myself,I can tell you whole heatedly that vegan ism is not the healthiest diet in the world,no matter what propaganda is thrown at you.Some people do okay as vegans and others crash very hard,even become extremely ill.While the spiritual and philosophical reasons behind it are understandable,they are also unfounded.There is no long living culture on earth that is purely vegan.Human beings have been relying upon animals for good nutrition since the beginning of time.Whether through their milk,meat or eggs.Vegetables cannot provide the essential b 12 that your body needs.I destroyed my health on a raw foods type vegan diet,im paying for it now.The vegan movement is nothing but a cult.If you do decide to go vegan pay close attention to your nutrition,consult a dietitian and u have to take extra b-12 supplements.listen to your body,if it doesn't feel right for you then change it,if you are doing okay then make sure you don't get into a set mentality or judge others who do use animal products.

Answer 5

What about environmental benefits, moral benefits. Many vegetarians eat few veggies. It's easier to be healthy if you eat a variety of plant foods. Find out about pesticide residues in dairy products and flesh foods, you'll be surprised how much worse they are than in plant foods. Moral health is important also.

Answer 6

Well it is sad to see animals suffer, but it would be really hard to fill yourself up on fruit and vegetable. just think about it. Yes I thought about becoming one once to.But then I thought it wouldn't be any healthier than it is if you eat the right amount. You need milk to build strong bones, meat for protein, and dairy as it cheese to build your calcium. You may thing this is bull, but it's not so hope you listen to my opinion and not become a vegan!!! good-luck

Answer 7

No, it is not healthier. There are some diseases that affect meat eaters more often, and there are some diseases that affect non-meat eaters more often. In both cases it is more because of imbalanced diets than anything else. In general, meat eaters need to beware of harmful fats, while non-meat eaters need to beware of the lack of certain (usually trace) nutrients. The best thing is to be aware of what one eats, whether on eats meat or not
Exercise, mental attitude, genetics and a host of other factors, including some random ones like location, go into determining ones health. Nowadays, there tends to be an overemphasis of one factor over another without any real justication other than things being "à la mode."

Answer 8

Vegan in my opinon, is not a good idea at all. I can understand being a veggie for the sake of the animals but to be a vegan is to much. Try going vegetraian that way you can still get protein and stuff from cheese and stuff...

Answer 9

yes, it's probably healthier than being non vegan. the only thing you have to worry about is vitamin b12, but i get that from soymilk and cheerios.

Answer 10

PLEASE come to care about other animals. it would not be nice if man would be "hunted" and made into purses by others would it? Some think this is far-fetched but it really is not, I mean just think and realize how GROSS man has been to be murdering other creatures.
BREAK ON THRU: BE VEGAN, hope in peace



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