What
is veganism?
Veganism has become increasingly popular
in the last ten years, with a growth in conscious consumption and a worldwide
push to reduce the human footprint on earth. Veganism excludes products derived from animals. Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, and preservatives
with animal by-products, are excluded from a vegan diet. Many vegans also
exclude animal- derived materials from their lifestyle, like leather, fur, and
wool (The Spruce Eats, 2019, para. 3).
Why go to such lengths you ask?
1.
Animal Cruelty
Many people follow a vegan diet to minimise animal exploitation. The meat industry has long been under fire for inhumane animal treatment. Vegan activists argue animals are sentient creatures with feelings, and have a right to life and freedom (The Vegan Society, 2019, para. 1).
Many people follow a vegan diet to minimise animal exploitation. The meat industry has long been under fire for inhumane animal treatment. Vegan activists argue animals are sentient creatures with feelings, and have a right to life and freedom (The Vegan Society, 2019, para. 1).
2.
Environment
Meat production has a heavy impact on the environment. The more meat that is consumed, the more crops and water needed to feed the increase in livestock. In Brazil alone, 5.6 million acres of land are used to produce soybeans for livestock feed (The Vegan Society, 2019, para. 5).
Meat production has a heavy impact on the environment. The more meat that is consumed, the more crops and water needed to feed the increase in livestock. In Brazil alone, 5.6 million acres of land are used to produce soybeans for livestock feed (The Vegan Society, 2019, para. 5).
3.
Health
It is a common argument that veganism is a positive choice for your health. Balanced vegan diets include plants, whole grains, fruits, and seeds, all of which are full of vitamins and minerals that are vital to keep our bodies going. However, is a vegan diet really healthy?
It is a common argument that veganism is a positive choice for your health. Balanced vegan diets include plants, whole grains, fruits, and seeds, all of which are full of vitamins and minerals that are vital to keep our bodies going. However, is a vegan diet really healthy?
Australian
Dietary Guidelines
There are five dietary guidelines, created
to encourage Australians to make wise choices about their health and wellbeing.
Guideline two is associated with nutrition and recommends Australians eat a
variety of foods from five food groups (Eat For Health, 2013, p. 3). The five food
groups shows vegan friendly options in the protein and dairy groups. This means
a vegan diet can address all food groups without needing to eat animal
products. If we look at the below chart, we can see that grain, vegetables, fruit,
soy dairy products and proteins like tofu or beans, will stay within the limits
of a vegan diet, while still addressing each food group (Eat For Health, 2013, p. 10). By addressing each food
group, we also ensure we meet our macronutrient needs by consuming natural
fats, carbohydrates, fibre, and protein (Nutrient Reference Values, 2017, para. 1). This means that a vegan diet can
effectively adhere to the Australian dietary guidelines, and can be a balanced
and healthy diet choice.
As for the other guidelines, these
relate to physical exercise, breast feeding, food safety, and minimising junk
food consumption. These guidelines are unaffected by choosing to follow a vegan
diet (Eat For Health, 2013, p. 5).
5 Tips
and tricks for implementing a vegan diet
1. If you are
interested in implementing a vegan diet, start off with small and sustainable
changes. If you try to drastically change your diet or way of living, your
changes are less likely to stick
2. In my
experience, it is easiest to start by cutting out meat. Dairy and animal by-products
can be hidden in many foods that you would not expect, whereas meat is easily
identified.
3. Remember,
choosing a vegan diet is a journey. There is no end goal to reach. It is about making
positive choices for your health and wellbeing.
4. Use the Australian
guide to healthy eating to give you ideas of what you can eat to address all
five food groups.
5. Consult a
dietician or physician to see if a vegan diet is right for you.
References
References
Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council.
(2013). Australian Dietary Guidelines. Retrieved
from https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/n55_australian_dietary_guidelines.pdf
Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council. (2017).
Nutrient Reference Values for Australia
and New Zealand. Retrieved from https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients
Hackett, J. (2019). What is
veganism?. Retrieved from https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-do-vegans-eat-3376824
The Vegan Society. (2019) Why go
vegan?. Retrieved from https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism
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