Should You Go Vegan?

Nayeli Rubio, Writer

© Talline Gabriel/Instagram
Colorful foods are not only pretty to look at, but healthy too.

What does it mean to be vegan? Someone who considers themselves vegan does not eat animal meat or any other animal products. This includes fish, eggs, dairy, or poultry. Some who eat vegan don’t limit veganism to foods, and also refuse to use any animal products such as furs or leather.  Vegetarians are similar- they don’t eat meat but may consume or use other animal products.

There are several motivations to go vegan. Some reap the health benefits of this diet, while others do it to better the environment. Some choose the lifestyle based on their moral beliefs.  All these reasons and more are valid justifications for choosing this way of life.

Mary Neimeyer is the Advanced Placement Biology teacher at ERHS. While she herself is not vegan or vegetarian, she loves vegan food and is knowledgeable about plant-based diets.

According to her, eating vegan has several health benefits.  Studies have shown that “when people eat a diet low in vegetables and plants, their telomeres actually shorten at a faster rate, which means a shorter lifespan.” Additionally, eating colorful foods ensures you absorb more vitamins, as Neimeyer states “the different colors of your plants…are the precursors for your vitamins”. This means that certain colored plants will have certain vitamins. Neimeyer reported that carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes are orange colored foods that all contain beta-carotene, which is made into vitamin A in the body. These are just a few of the countless rewards your body gains from eating more vegetables.

Vegan diets are not only beneficial for you. They are also good for the earth! Eating green puts you “at a lower food chain, which means you require less of the Earth’s resources,” states Neimeyer. This reduces your global footprint.

Despite all the benefits, going vegan isn’t a walk in the park for everyone. It can be difficult, especially at a young age when one’s main source of meals is from their parents, who may or may not  support their lifestyle. A vegan diet must be diverse in order to get all the required daily nutrients. This can be hard when meals are not carefully thought out. “Can anyone do it? Absolutely, but it does take a level of awareness of what you’re eating”, says Neimeyer.

So whether you decide to go completely vegan, vegetarian, or even simply strive to reduce your meat intake and eat more plants, there is no doubt that there are several benefits to eating more greens (and oranges, and reds, and purples…).