What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think Vegan?

Is it this?

Believe it or not, Veganism has come a long way from being a diet of the hippies.

Your last encounter with someone who was Vegan might have been at a dinner party where they informed you that they could eat none of the food that you spent hours to prepare. And just like every other Vegan who’s been to a dinner party, they probably had a salad thrown at their face.

Salad. Yum?

So turns out eating as a Vegan can be incredibly difficult. Vegans can’t eat any animal products. This means: no meat, no eggs, and no dairy.

So pretty much nothing in this picture:

Then again…maybe that’s a good thing.

That brings us to the big question…why? Why become Vegan? Why give up such a vast variety of food options.

Well it really boils down to 4 things:

They do it to protect animal rights

To be Vegan is to be have empathy for all life whether that’s human or animal.

“Being vegan is about living a lifestyle that does not cause suffering, harm or death to animals, and allowing animals to be free to choose the way they want to live. Other animals are sentient beings like us, with their own needs, desires and interests. We now know that like us, they can experience a wide range of sensations and emotions such as happiness, pain, pleasure, fear, hunger, sadness, boredom, frustration or contentment. They are aware of the world and what happens to them matters to them. Their lives have intrinsic value — they are not inferior beings nor just here as resources or tools for human use. Discriminating against non-human animals or believing them to be inferior solely because they belong to a different species is known as speciesism and is as unscientific and unjust as racism or sexism” -Animal Equality

Here are the statistics of how many animals are killed every year:

10+ Million cows and pigs (Britain only)

100+ Million birds (Britain only)

139+ Million chickens (US only)

56 Billion farmed animals

“Pigs are smart individuals fully aware of their own existence, and enjoy their lives when given the chance. They can spend hours playing, rooting in the ground, lying in the sun and exploring their surroundings with their keen sense of smell. They take pleasure in doing these things and like us, want to continue experiencing and enjoying their lives.” — Animal Equality

They do it to conserve the planet

Most understand that our planet is dying every single day, others (specifically, political figures of the orange variety) believe that Global Warming is a concept created by the Chinese to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.

Regardless of what anyone else says, you should know the facts:

The global sea level has risen 8 inches in the last 100 years

The surface temperature of the planet has risen 2 degrees

16/17 Warmest years on record have occurred since 2001

2016 was the warmest year on record

In a universe filled with emptiness and space, despite all odds, emerged this beautiful planet.

“Global warming is not a conqueror to kneel before — but a challenge to rise to. A challenge we must rise to.” — Joe Lieberman

By going Vegan, one can significantly reduce the impact of climate change and pollution. 51% of global greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture.

They do it because it’s healthier for their bodies

“Every time sitting at a dining table, we make a choice. Please choose vegetarianism. Do it for the animals. Do it for the environment and for the sake of your own health.” -Alec Baldwin

Compared to other diets, Vegan diets have higher dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, Vitamins C and E, iron, and phytochemical. In addition, people who follow a Vegan diet enjoy a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type-2 diabetes.

Modern day advertising has gotten us to crave greasy fast food. Seriously. Look around. When was the last time you saw an ad for a bowl of fruit or a fantastic Vegan cuisine. The food we’re shown on TV was not engineered for our health or nutrition…no it was engineered to taste good. To be addictive.

Just being aware of this…can make a world of difference.

They do it because their girlfriend/boyfriend is Vegan

Oh yes…being Vegan can even get you laid! Well…kind of.

When you’re in a relationship, you spend a lot of time with someone. And in that time period, you adopt a lot of their core beliefs. Being a Vegan is more than a diet or philosophy, it’s a big chunk of who you are.

It becomes every fiber of your being. Whether it’s to protect animal rights, promote sustainable eating, or improve your health — every person who is Vegan lives their life with conviction. They’re Vegan because doing so will move society forward.

So…sometimes people become Vegan because his/her significant other is…and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just one way that someone can see what it means to be Vegan. They then have the choice of whether or not to embrace it themselves.