# What are 10 good reasons to go vegan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 22, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336 "2012-01-22T22:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/101 "2012-01-24T10:32:19Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > 100% hard-line activist abolitionist [i would not argue I would act!], you CANNOT compare humans to animals in any way. > > Sorry I don’t see the correlation. > > I will continue to argue for better conditions for animals that are kept for meat, milk, skin etc but I will still use the meat etc in my life. > > We could stretch to primates and how we care for them, I for one to do not advocate eating apes or whales but chickens, cows pigs etc? yep… If you cannot compare animals to humans in any way, then why even bother arguing for better conditions for them? If you will include whales or primates in your moral universe, what makes them different than cows or pigs? Why the distinction? ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/102 "2012-01-24T12:04:23Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > If you cannot compare animals to humans in any way, then why even bother arguing for better conditions for them? > > If you will include whales or primates in your moral universe, what makes them different than cows or pigs? Why the distinction? Just because I think that comparing human slavery to animal husbandry practices is wrong and typical of hard core vegans does not mean I don’t think we should not respect the animals and give them a decent quality of life. I see no issue here. The distinction is one that sits well with me. We are primates so i guess that I feel a familial bond. I can farm a pig or cow and they can live a nice life until they end up dead but you cannot farm a whale or dolphin. Some might say that farming fish is as bad as farming a whale as the fish is not allowed to live naturally but fish are dumb.. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/103 "2012-01-24T12:29:14Z")
[quote=“florez, post:98, topic:610336”] > [@sisu](#): > > We had a thread about that, not long ago, and it did educate me as to the fact that things are not as black and white as I previously thought. I will quote from the comments made by sailboat. > “This is the abolition vs welfare debate” > **"Weather it does more good to strive to eliminate a perceived evil,** \* or to accept compromise with the doers of the evil to mitigate the extremity, and make incremental improvements in the lives of the perceived victims". > “For example, with the slave trade would you be an abolitionist, arguing against human slavery, or would you advocate for better treatment of the slaves, while accepting their permanent bondage?” I don’t have a problem with people who take an ethical stand and that openly admit that they are imperfect. But I’ve seen with my own eyes “ethical” vegans who refuse to eat the simplest foods because they may contain teeny tiny insect parts, but they have no problem screaming about a roach and asking someone to stomp on it for them. Or putting Advantage on their dog or cat. Or working in a biology lab where fish and macrointebrates are killed in the hundreds every day. (Lots of biologists are vegan or veganesque–a position that I totally do not understand because we are frequently required to destroy life in our efforts to study it). I don’t like playing “gotcha!” But to me, to go there with the slavery analogy–if you’re going to be about freeing the slaves, you can’t do that part-time. You can’t say, “I believe slaves should be free!” while working at a slave plantation as the accountant. The point about “every little bit counts” is fine…until it becomes a farse. If I decide I’m only going to eat chicken once a week–but I’m against poultry farms goshdarnit!!–I’m no different from the slave abolitionist who’s against slavery goshdarnit!!, except when it’s time to go to the big ball and Mammy is called upon to make a dress. Such a person is diluting whatever political stand they think they are taking. Though I agree that our society makes it hard to be a total vegan. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/104 "2012-01-24T12:30:39Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > If you cannot compare animals to humans in any way, then why even bother arguing for better conditions for them? > > If you will include whales or primates in your moral universe, what makes them different than cows or pigs? Why the distinction? My thoughts on this. Everyone makes their own distinction on how much exploitation of animals they are comfortable with. Even Vegans and vegetarians do. Plenty of creatures are killed to allow arable farming, and what do you think made the oil and gas that drives our vehicles and powers our homes? Just by existing and interacting with the world we all harm animals in one form or another. I believe there is a spectrum of cognition and self-awareness. The ability to feel pain and to suffer is probably universal (though again, the severity and nature exists on a spectrum). It makes sense to me that when raising any animal that we minimise the pain and suffering we cause. However, there is a line to be drawn when the animal has sufficient self-awareness and the associated distress that can be caused by that. e.g. a chicken won’t be too worried that its “friends” walked into a barn and didn’t walk back out again whereas a chimp might. Arbitrary lines I know, but that’s where I draw them. What’s more, my feelings will change if the scientific evidence is strong enough. Should it be shown that the chicken is self-aware and capable of suffering mental distress through expectation and empathy for others…well, I would have to draw the line somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/105 "2012-01-24T14:09:12Z")
> [@slm2955](#): > > I’ve been thinking of making the change but kinda iffy about it…any vegans here? Well… I’m not vegan and have no intention of being on, but _assuming an adequate vegan diet_ potential positives are: 1. Much reduced chance of heart disease, and possibly reversal of some types of heart disease 2. Less chance of obesity 3. Potentially a reduction of the severity of Type II diabetes, or even a “remission” of the condition 4. You won’t have to worry about eating contaminated meat products 5. Less heavy metals such as mercury in your diet (they tend to become concentrated as you move up the food chain) 6. You will not be a direct cause of animal suffering 7. Some people find it an ethically/morally superior diet That said, most of the above can be achieved by a reduction of animal products in your diet and do not require an elimination. Anyhow, that’s seven reasons, you’ll have to find three more on your own. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/106 "2012-01-24T16:24:27Z")
1. Not necessarily true, you can have a diet very high in saturated fat even 100% vegan, such as coconut oil and palm fruit oil, and the worst are trans-fats which are 100% vegan. 2. Again, not necessarily true, 3. false 4. 1. True, not contaminated meat products, just contaminated plant products. Lettuce is the worst source for salmonella, for example. 5. Worst in certain fish, true. 6. But you will cause plant death. 7. Some people find eating a holistic, integrated agricultural model, one which promotes “best use” for the land, as most “ethical”. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/107 "2012-01-24T17:14:17Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > Would you be surprised to learn that a Twix bar and pound cake are low on the glycemic index and potatoes and parsnips are high? Carrots and potatoes have about the same high GI as sugar and white bread. But potatoes are ranked as being very high on the [satiety index](http://foodandhealth.com/cpecourses/giobesity.php). > > Here’s another article by Aragon regarding the glycemic index I think you’ll appreciate. > > [Understanding the Glycemic Index: Men's Health.com](http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/understanding-glycemic-index) The high GI of carrots has been questioned, I’m not clear on the details but from conversations with a GP it may have to do with the GI having been measured using cooked carrots, never raw ones. Given that many people only eat carrots raw, for them it’s akin to measuring the cooked GI of boiled lettuce. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/108 "2012-01-24T17:34:29Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > 1. But you will cause plant death. Plant death? Is that really an issue? > [@](#): > > 1. Some people find eating a holistic, integrated agricultural model, one which promotes “best use” for the land, as most “ethical”. And those people are omnivores. But she’s making a case for why people would choose to be vegan/vegetarian, so saying “well some people don’t agree with that” seems kind of stupid and irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/109 "2012-01-24T17:58:27Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Vegan / vegetarian food can certainly make you fat… We have a couple of friends who switched to a full vegan diet about 5 years ago. Since doing so, they have both gained a fair amount of weight and are on the edge of being fat/obese. We’ve eaten with them many times, and to my omnivorous palate, their foods are heavy, greasy, oversauced, and overprocessed. I have no doubt that our homemade chicken parmesan, as an alternative, is vastly more healthy and nutritious than their vegan staples. Also, to respond to another poster’s comment, a vegan diet does not drive care and attention to a health, a _healthy_ diet does. Don’t assume ‘vegan’ is an inherent subset of healthy. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/110 "2012-01-24T18:21:21Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Plant death? Is that really an issue? > > . Everyone picks a level where they are comfortable ethically with eating. For most, it’s “don’t eat your own species”. For others, it’s “don’t eat sentient species”, then there’s “endangered species” (I draw the line at endangered or sentient) “poorly treated animals” “warm-blooded animals” “animals big enough to see” “plants” then like Fruitarians, not even killing plants to eat. Then there’s Breatharians, aka “dead people”. But still, choosing to kill plants to eat is a ethical line. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/111 "2012-01-24T21:04:08Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Well… I’m not vegan and have no intention of being on, but _assuming an adequate vegan diet_ potential positives are: > > 1. Much reduced chance of heart disease, and possibly reversal of some types of heart disease > [@DrDeth](#): > > 1. Not necessarily true, you can have a diet very high in saturated fat even 100% vegan, such as coconut oil and palm fruit oil, and the worst are trans-fats which are 100% vegan. First, I send POTENTIAL positive, nowhere did I guarantee anything, and I also said ADEQUATE diet - you could call a diet of white bread and olive oil vegan, but that’s no one’s idea of adequate or nutritious. Yes, you can construct totally crap vegan diet, big surprise. > [@](#): > > 1. Less chance of obesity > [@](#): > > 1. Again, not necessarily true, Yes, not necessarily true, hence the phrase LESS CHANCE not “guaranteed to make you slimmer”. While you can become obese on vegan foods MOST people wind up losing weight when switching to a vegan diet. > [@](#): > > 1. Potentially a reduction of the severity of Type II diabetes, or even a “remission” of the condition > [@](#): > > 1. false If a change in diet results in weight loss and greater consumption of fiber, yes, it CAN lessen the severity of Type II diabetes, even to the point of no longer requiring medication. Doesn’t mean you can stop being vigilant (hence “remission” in quotes) and it’s not guaranteed (hence the word “potentially”) but yes, it _can_. As noted, you can have a crap vegetarian diet but _most_ of them tend to have more fruits/vegetables/fiber and fewer calories than diets containing a lot of meat and animal products. > [@](#): > > 1. You won’t have to worry about eating contaminated meat products > [@](#): > > 1. True, not contaminated meat products, just contaminated plant products. Lettuce is the worst source for salmonella, for example. OK… that in no way negates my point, as omnivores have to worry about both types of food contamination. > [@](#): > > 1. You will not be a direct cause of animal suffering > [@](#): > > 1. But you will cause plant death. Not necessarily. A rather extreme form of vegetarianism restricts the person to foods that don’t result in the death of the plant. But aside from that, you have to eat _something_ if you intend to remain alive. Vegetarians may cause “plant death” but omnivores cause both plant and animal death. > [@](#): > > 1. Some people find it an ethically/morally superior diet > [@](#): > > 1. Some people find eating a holistic, integrated agricultural model, one which promotes “best use” for the land, as most “ethical”. Uh… yeah, and your point is? Your statement in no way negates mine. Clearly, there is more than one theory on what is the most ethical way to eat. But, equally clearly, you missed my closing point, which was: **That said, most of the above can be achieved by a reduction of animal products in your diet and do not require an elimination.** ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/112 "2012-01-24T21:15:22Z")
Just a couple pieces of advice, take it or leave it. 1. The only reason to go vegan is because YOU really want to and feel strongly about it. Whatever your motive, if your heart isn’t behind it, it will probably just be a miserable struggle the whole time. 2. It might be hard at first, but the sooner you can give up trying to find things that taste like “the real thing” or what you used to eat, the happier you will be. Its never going the taste the same as that stuff, but guess what… there are still plenty of great meals to be made/eaten out there. Sure, every once in a while i want the comfort of a veggie burger and fries, but as the years go by i find myself going to that well less and less. FWIW, i’ve been vegetarian for about 8 years, and vegan for about 4. In 2011 i ran a personal best in the Marathon, and completed my first 2 ultra-marathons (training to do my first 50 miler in 2012!)… but eating healthy and exercising is a priority for me, you can certainly be an unhealthy vegan, or a healthy omnivore… its about more than the surface level distinction of being vegan or non-vegan. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/113 "2012-01-24T21:18:53Z")
You know what they say: once you go vegan, you’ll probably go back! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/114 "2012-01-24T21:25:02Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > First, I send POTENTIAL positive, nowhere did I guarantee anything, and I also said ADEQUATE diet - you could call a diet of white bread and olive oil vegan, but that’s no one’s idea of adequate or nutritious. > > Yes, you can construct totally crap vegan diet, big surprise. > > Yes, not necessarily true, hence the phrase LESS CHANCE not “guaranteed to make you slimmer”. While you can become obese on vegan foods MOST people wind up losing weight when switching to a vegan diet. > > If a change in diet results in weight loss and greater consumption of fiber, yes, it CAN lessen the severity of Type II diabetes, even to the point of no longer requiring medication. Doesn’t mean you can stop being vigilant (hence “remission” in quotes) and it’s not guaranteed (hence the word “potentially”) but yes, it _can_. As noted, you can have a crap vegetarian diet but _most_ of them tend to have more fruits/vegetables/fiber and fewer calories than diets containing a lot of meat and animal products. > > OK… that in no way negates my point, as omnivores have to worry about both types of food contamination. > > Not necessarily. A rather extreme form of vegetarianism restricts the person to foods that don’t result in the death of the plant. But aside from that, you have to eat _something_ if you intend to remain alive. Vegetarians may cause “plant death” but omnivores cause both plant and animal death. > > Uh… yeah, and your point is? Your statement in no way negates mine. Clearly, there is more than one theory on what is the most ethical way to eat. > > But, equally clearly, you missed my closing point, which was: > > **That said, most of the above can be achieved by a reduction of animal products in your diet and do not require an elimination.** Ok, you make some good points, but still, as I said, there are no actual health benefits (for a normal person) from a vegan diet that eating sensibly cant achieve. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/115 "2012-01-24T21:34:17Z")
Correct. I actually have met very few people who remain truly vegan any significant length of time. However, the attempt does seem to expose them to a more varied diet with a higher percentage of plant derived calories than the normal western diet, so the experience may well have beneficial effects. As long as they don’t define “vegan” as “french fries and Doritoes”. Personally, I take a “flexitarian” approach - I might go several days without eating meat, but I don’t rule it out entirely. Much of the same benefits, but without the deprivation. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/116 "2012-01-25T02:00:11Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > But if fifty people turned vegan, that would be a movement. 😃 All that roughage? You’d better believe it. > [@DrDeth](#): > > Let us be clear here. There are no health benefits from going vegan or vegetarian. That depends on the prevalence of bovine spongiform encephaly, doesn’t it, at the very least? ---
**Author:** ![Anna\_Nimity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Anna\_Nimity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anna_Nimity)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/117 "2012-01-25T02:20:58Z")
I was an ethical vegetarian who became a “vegan” strictly for health reasons. So actually I’m on a plant based diet…no animal products, no dairy or eggs. However, most people would not define me as a vegan. I wear leather, eat honey, etc. There needs to be a new label for people who are eating vegan but not for ethical reasons. Plant based just sounds like you eat a lot of vegetables. Anyway, I’ve only been on it for about 4 months and don’t eat processed foods (including fake meats) and am using added oils and sugar sparingly. No more high blood pressure, cholesterol dropped 34 points, etc. I feel great and its easier than I thought it would be. There’s a lot of science now showing the benefits of a plant based diet. Lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, cancer. No, I don’t have a cite, easy enough to look up on Pub Med though. I don’t try to get anyone to do this or even talk about it too much. If someone asks me, I’ll tell them. People get angry sometimes even if you’re not at all pushy or obnoxious about it. I saw part of an interview with Portia Rossi where she said she gets a lot more flak from being vegan than from being a lesbian. You might want to read The China Study. Bill Clinton read it and says he’s on a vegan diet now (because of all the bypasses, I imagine). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/118 "2012-01-25T02:57:06Z")
Call yourself a “Fooditarian” and that you follow Michaels Pollan’s guides. Mind you he doesn’t say “eat NO meat” but you’re close enough. That way, a occassional piece of fish won’t make you feel guilty, either. But it is NOT \*plant based \*which is healthier. Yes, cutting out junk food, _excess_ meat and fast food is great, along with adding MORE veggies. But one can eat pure crap entirely plant based OR eat a very healthy diet with a omniverous diet. It’s slightly harder to eat crap by eating vegan, true, but some manage it- as Broomstick sez “french fires and Doritos”. Yes, do _cut out the processed foods (including fake meats) and use added oils and sugar sparingly_- all good advice. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336/119 "2012-01-25T03:00:51Z")
> [@Anna\_Nimity](#): > > You might want to read The China Study. Why? It’s junk science. If you’ve fallen for it, you may want to read the following: [http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Spotting-Bad-Science-103-The-China-Study.pdf](http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Spotting-Bad-Science-103-The-China-Study.pdf) > **[The China Study: Fact or Fallacy?](https://deniseminger.com/2010/07/07/the-china-study-fact-or-fallac/)** > > Disclaimer: This blog post covers only a fraction of what’s sketchy with “The China Study.” In the years since I wrote it, I’ve added a number of additional articles expandi… [http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/cancer/the-china-study-vs-the-china-study/](http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/cancer/the-china-study-vs-the-china-study/) > **[35 Healthy Recipes For A Low Cholesterol Diet](https://recipes.net/articles/healthy-recipes-for-low-cholesterol-diet/)** > > A low cholesterol diet is definitely a must nowadays. After all, your cholesterol and health go hand in hand. Eating too much high cholesterol food can give way > **[The China Study: More Vegan Nonsense! – Anthony Colpo](https://anthonycolpo.com/the-china-study-more-vegan-nonsense/)** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-10-good-reasons-to-go-vegan/610336.md?page=5)