Jenna Hall

Professor Waggoner

5/4/2021

“Veganism: A Discussion”

We as people never question what impact our diet has on the earth, especially our

physical and mental health. I know that I never did until I watched a film about vegan lifestyle.

The effects that the meat and dairy industry have on our bodies is insane. Consuming animal

products can be proven as fatal to our self. It’s also terrible what it is doing to our planet. I think

that if everyone were to see what just changing to a plant-based lifestyle does to our planet,

there would be so much more change in our environment. This could be for the better. Taking

part in a vegan lifestyle is scientifically proven to be more humane to not only the animals, but

to the earth and all its people.

Before diving into the scientific facts, I want to just share my story about how partaking

in a vegan diet has changed my life. I was always a person who said, “I could never be vegan, I

love cheese way too much to do that!” Oh, how I was wrong. I remember turning on the movie

“Okja”, simply because my favorite actor is in the film. For those who don’t know it describes

the story of a fictional animal who is in the meat industry. It’s a heartbreaking film where the

animal is ripped away from its owner and then its children. I never thought about how scarily

accurate that is. Animals are constantly being ripped away from their children that they were

forced to have. This movie opened that thought up for me. I began to research on the meat and
dairy industry and then that night I decided I had to go vegan. I have been vegan for almost 4

years now and I wouldn’t change that at all especially knowing how important this lifestyle is.

The first thing I want to dive in to is the effects that the meat and dairy industry hold on

our surrounding environment and we don’t even know it. In a documentary called “What the

Health” They dive into some of the most important information about the meat and dairy

industries power. The world health organization classifies processed meat as a group one

carcinogen. For those who don’t know, cigarettes are currently in that same category as well.

They also classify red meat as a group two carcinogen. You would think that cancer societies

and hospitals wouldn’t recommend these types of foods to those suffering with the disease, but

they do! If you go to the American Cancer Society website and look at their recommended

diets, meat will pop up.

A diet that has meat and dairy can also be linked to diabetes. Harvard has conducted 8

studies and every single one shows that eating processed meat at least once a day increases

your risk of diabetes by 51%. You’d think, “Hey maybe they won’t recommend these foods to

people with diabetes.” Well guess again! If you go on the American Diabetes Association’s

website, they also have meat in their recommended diets section. The American Heart

Association also recommends the consumption of animal products as well. Why would this be?

The ADA takes money (is sponsored by) Dannon, Kraft, Velveeta, Oscar Mayer,

Lunchables, and Bumble Bee foods. If these companies are creating foods that increase risks of

cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, why would organizations helping those with those

diseases promote them? Simply because they get money out of it. All the associations get
hundreds of thousands of dollars by simply promoting those brands in their recommended diet

sections. This goes to show that not only animal product producing companies, but health

organizations only care about the money not the consumer.

Now I’m sure you’re wondering why these health organizations promoting animal

products is important to you. You might be somebody who doesn’t have any health problems at

all or just expects to have them when you’re older. It’s important to see what effects an animal-

based diet has on our bodies now so we can prevent severe health risks in the future.

A plant-based diet can decrease your chances of obesity, cholesterol,

rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. There have been countless randomized

studies conducted that were published in 2019 to see if a plant-based diet effects the physical

body and mind. It showed that in a twenty-four-month span of time there was a beneficial

effect on weight status, glucose, insulin, plasma lipids, and inflammatory markers. It also helped

with microbial and neurological diseases as well. This study also showed that 19 out of 32

studies, that those who were overweight saw a healthy amount of weight loss and metabolic

improvements. They even performed the same study in a non-caloric deficit to see if there

were still improvements and there were. Those who ate a plant-based/vegan diet still saw

significant changes in their disease status, weight status, and even had increased insulin

sensitivity.

Since the study I mentioned shows us how a vegan diet can influence our insulin

sensitivity it helps prove the fact that it can reduce the rates of diabetes and may even be

preventative. We also get to see that even when each group in the study ate the same number
of calories, those in the plant-based group still saw better health benefits then those with

omnivore diets.

The people that performed the above study also performed one in hopes of seeing a

plant-based diets effects on a person’s psychiatric health. They created six clinical trials of

clinical groups. These groups were made up of people with migraines, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid

arthritis, multiple sclerosis, etc. This study only showed mild improvements with these diseases

but then they started wondering how this would affect those with disorders like anxiety or

depression.

When they looked at the results for mental health in obese and nonobese healthy

adults, they saw large improvements in people who had diagnosed depression and anxiety,

they also saw improvements in stress. This helps us see the power a plant-based diet could

have on our nervous systems and how it affects those with multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia. It

also helped those with mood disturbances. This mental health study lets us see that with a

nonrestrictive eating pattern, a vegan diet can really have great benefits on your nervous

system. (Studies are currently being worked on whether a restrictive vegan diet can improve

your nervous system or not.)

Vegan diets provide high fiber intake which is beneficial to our metabolic processes like

carbohydrate and protein fermentation, improved gut appetite regulation, and obesity. By

having a higher fiber intake, you can decrease your chances on a microbial level which proves

lower long-term weight gain. Some studies also show that since plant-based diets provide
nutrients like vitamin C it can boost your immune function and eventually prevent certain types

of cancer.

Although we are talking about all these beneficial effects from a vegan diet, we also

have to look at what could be a con of the diet. There can be certain nutrient deficiencies

especially for vitamin B12 (which is mainly an animal-derived nutrient). If those who have a

vegan diet neglect to take care of the B12, they will see changes in maintaining their nervous

system and memory performance. It can even lower concentration with cognitive impairments.

That’s not a reason to worry though because most people who have a vegan diet just take B12

vitamins to make up for it! I even do. It’s always important to take supplement’s in any diet that

you take!

Another risk for those who don’t monitor their vitamins levels with a plant-based diet

can also see effects on their iron levels. Iron deficiency can also be found in people who partake

in a vegan diet. Therefore, it is important to know what your supplementing and what you can

get these nutrients from. If people that have a vegan diet aren’t getting enough iron it can

cause the same health risks as those who have a B12 deficiency. These risks being those of

cognitive issues. Even though these deficiencies seem a little extreme, the Academy of Nutrition

and Dietetics don’t see this as a major risk with plant-based dieters. Especially if you’re

supplementing it. You also must think of all these other health risks that you are leaving behind.

One reason that there is less cause for disease and lower rate of health risks in a plant-

based diet is because of all the antibiotics that the animal industry pumps in to the animals. We

never really think about what happens to the animals that humans are consuming. 80% of the
antibiotic use in the U.S alone is used in agriculture. Pigs and poultry receiving five to ten times

more antibiotics then cows and sheep do. Farming meat is an awful and painful process for the

animals. They live in awfully tiny and confined spaces which increases the animals stress and it’s

easier for them to transmit diseases from one another. The animal factories also take the child

away from its mother so early that they are unable to develop a strong enough immune system

or a fully developed gastrointestinal tract. Since these animals are unable to have a naturally

developed immune system, they are pumped full of antibiotics to prevent infections or E. Coli.

Antibiotics are also used in animals to genetically modify the animal and cause it to grow

faster. The growth in these animals helps produce more meat which mean’s more profit for the

company. This applies to organic and nonorganic farming practices. Antibiotics should never be

used as a growth promoter or for the benefit of lightly fixing an animal’s health condition. There

is too much risk in consuming animal protein when there are so many health benefits and too

large of an amount of antibiotics that one person should be consuming.

Not only are their plenty of health benefits there are also environmental and social

changes as well. Any human can look at the state of our planet and see that there is obvious

climate change going on. The main contributor of this problem is the livestock industry. They

have a large environmental impact on water usage, land usage, and waste produced. Not only

that but the livestock industry also doesn’t promise food security.

According to the Agricultural Organization of the UN, 30% of land and 70% of all

agricultural land is the main contributor to climate change. Just think of how having a plant-

based diet can change that! The livestock industry also influences the greenhouse emissions
which it creates 18% of. It has been shown that your diet has a higher effect on the planet than

your choice of transport.

A 2017 study created “Climatic Change”, discovered that if every American chose to

substitute their beef in meals for beans America could reduce their greenhouse gas emissions

from 46-74 percent. That’s just America! Think of the change that could be created if other

countries did it as well. Also, the effects it could change for future generations after us.

Since the livestock industry also is the main problem of water shortage, we can see how

that effects the planet. It shows that we have a negative impact on the soil, and replenishment

of freshwater, it also causes an increase in runoff which leads to deforestation. The highest rate

of deforestation can be found in Latin America where 70% of forested land is now used for

livestock in the Amazon. That is way over half of the forest land in Latin America.

If you’re starting to wonder, why these environmental factors are important to you we

can see that by the year 2025 64% of the population will be living in areas that are water-

stressed. Over half of the United States water supply goes toward the raising of livestock. Just

producing one pound of beef uses 1,800 to 4,000 gallons of water. The water footprint on

livestock is six times larger than when producing vegetables.

Animals take space and area to live. How does this effect the surrounding people around

this livestock farms? When excrement from farm animals runs off and spills over it

contaminates streams and the surrounding areas around it. This not only effects the wildlife

living in waters but also the humans living around them. In the documentary “What the

Health”, we can see the health factors that these dairy and meat farms have on people. It
causes them to get sick and catch diseases from the fertilizers and pesticides that are used in

such small vicinities.

Not only does the mass producing of animal products harm those living near it, it also

harms the surrounding environments. Mass deforestation is caused to create places to build

livestock farms. It is a threat to the biodiversity that inhabits the land. Farming animal products

takes 6 to 17 times more of the amount of land then it costs to make any type of soy protein.

The animal industry also requires 50 more times fossil fuels then that of soy protein.

Many research studies have been developed to see what diet helps with saving the

planet. In an essay written by Andrew Joyce, he describes this study. They did 7 types of diets: A

“normal” diet, “normal” but organic, vegetarian, vegetarian but organic, vegan, vegan but

organic, and “normal” Italian conventional farming. In this study the researcher created a 7-day

diet for each pattern. His results showed that the vegan diet over all was better for the

environment. He also discovered that an organic one does too. I personally don’t eat an organic

diet but seeing that influences the environment is opening my mind up to that.

This study also showed us that this list of foods was the highest in single impact foods:

Beef, followed by fish, cheese, and milk. As we discussed earlier in this essay, these products

used too much water, land, and fossil fuels. Having a “normal” omnivore diet just proves to be

too unsustainable to continue eating that diet. Future generations need us to make changes in

our diets to help them out. A plant-based diet is more equitable to feed our earth’s population.

To search for more answers on people’s views on veganism, I interviewed some of my

family to see what they had to say. The first person I interviewed was my sister, Caitlyn Hall,
who helped me discover how important a vegan lifestyle is. The first question I asked her was

what does being vegan mean to you. She responded, “It means loving animals and doing better

for not only them but for myself.” This is an outlook many vegans have. Since this was her

response, I decided to ask her why she decided to be vegan instead of having a (what we

consider) “normal” diet. “Because I love animals. I watched a documentary called Vegucated. It

opened my eyes to the effects the industry has on the animals. I’ve always had a love for

animals, and I couldn’t imagine causing them any sort of pain like that. It opened my eyes to

what is wrong with the animal product industry.” Now, my sister has been vegan for as long as I

remember. As I said she was one of the people who inspired me to find this journey for myself. I

thought it would be important to ask her how sustainable a vegan lifestyle can really be. She

replied with a very passionate answer, “I think so. I think as long as you have a passion for the

animals, health, or the environment you can. Especially if you’re somebody who can stick to

your morals. I’ve been vegan for eight years and I’ve never even thought about stopping.”

Finally, I asked her what her favorite foods were, as many people who critique vegan diets

complain about how they think they a vegan diet consists of foods that just aren’t good. She

gave a very honest response: “I think it does. I make all the same recipes just vegan versions.

My favorite meal to make is chili with a fresh baked potato. I have to admit, Fritos being vegan

is a huge bonus. I would also say my interest in cooking has increased a lot, I never really

cooked before I went vegan. Now I know how to make many things with what the earth

provides.”

Of course, if we are going to have a supporting side, we also must have an opposing. I

asked my mom (Kimber Hall) questions about veganism and what she thinks about it. She has
never once identified as vegan in her life and never even grew up around that culture until my

sister and I decided it was a good decision for us. The first thing I asked her of course was: What

does veganism mean to you? She responded with: “Not using any animal product or byproduct

in your diet. Some people don’t use it in their lifestyle choices like wearing leather.” This a very

accurate answer. I then proceeded to ask if she has ever been interested in a vegan diet. “Yes, I

have. I thought about it for about a year. It was when my children were vegetarian, and I

debated whether to not I should go vegetarian or vegan. I was educated on what it meant and

to decide. It’s a healthier diet, I just never did it.”

If you know what a vegan diet means and stands for what could possibly make

somebody decide it’s not for them. I thought this would be a very important question to gather

information for this essay as I want to see every side to this story. “I like eating meat. I just, I

don’t know it’s hard for me because I get queasy easily and some stuff makes my stomach hurt.

I’m afraid if I make a change in my diet because I don’t want to make myself sick. I have no

negative thought toward veganism, everything I’ve studied or heard has been positive. Honestly

our bodies weren’t even made to process meat and dairy. I just like meat though. If I had to kill

it myself that might be a different story. We lived on a farm and we couldn’t even kill the

animals they all died of old age.” This just shows that people who aren’t supplied with the right

knowledge believe that they will get sick off a vegan diet when that isn’t the case. Especially

since our bodies truly weren’t made to process all of those products.

I hope this essay about veganism and its effects on the earth and it’s environment has

truly opened at least one readers eyes to its importance. If we want a cleaner and healthier

world for the future generations, we must start now to make that change. Starting with our
diets. As we have seen with the information provided, a vegan diet effects our health, mental

and physical, as well as our planet as we know it. It’s so important that we make that change,

for ourselves and for the animals. We should use our voice for the voiceless.

SOURCES:

-“What the Health”: Directed, performance, and production by Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn

-Cox, David. “Is veganism as good for you as they say?” The Guardian, 29. 2019,

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/dec/29/is-veganism-as-good-for-you-as-they-say.
-Medawar, Evelyn. “The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic

review” 17 July 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6742661/

- Joyce, Andrew. “Reducing the Environmental Impact of Dietary Choice: Perspectives from a

Behavioural and Social Change Approach” 30 Apr. 2012

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3382952/

- “The Effects of Antibiotic Use in Animals on Human Health and the Drug Resistance Crisis.”

Medical News Today, MediLexicon International,

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323639#Implications-for-human-health.

-“Plant-Based Diets and Environmental Sustainability.” Forks Over Knives, 12 Apr. 2021,

www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/vegan-diet-helps-environmental-sustainability/

- Caitlyn Hall, Interviewed by Jenna Hall, 2021

- Kimber Hall, interviewed by Jenna Hall, 2021