Veganism is defined as a way of life that aims to eliminate all types of animal exploitation and cruelty, whether through food, clothing, or any other means but becoming vegan doesn’t suit everyone's bodies as we all have our own personal needs in order to survive. There is no such thing as a real vegan because animals are killed or injured in the manufacture of numerous vital goods required by humans, and whether directly or indirectly, vegans kill animals. Some items that use animal products are wax paper, candles, soaps, shaving creams etc. So doesn’t that mean we’ll have to cut all of these out?
In today’s world even many medicines contain animal products, therefore becoming vegan also restricts you from having various medicines prescribed to you, which can later on harm you if you avoid having them.
The vegan diet has many negative effects, I’ll cover a few of them. Like it is very unhealthy for the human body. This diet is deficient in many important nutrients such as vitamin B12, creatine, zinc, iron and omega-3 fatty acids. All these are very important for various body functions and without them humans can become critically unwell. Another reason is that since vegans can’t have any animal protein they turn to having alternatives like soy for protein. Having these legumes in huge quantities daily can sometimes cause hormonal disruptions, including estrogen and thyroid hormone. A lack of protein can also mean weight loss, skin, hair, and nail problems; and increased risk of bone fractures.
Becoming vegan also costs a lot as most products are imported, thus not making it suitable for everyone's budget. Not only does veganism affect humans but it is also putting the meat and dairy factories out of use. Since many people have started opting for a vegan diet, purchase of meat and dairy has reduced. This is affecting many farmers as they aren’t earning money. Veganism does not improve land usage, and millions of farmers who rely on cattle will suffer as a result.It is in fact even affecting the environment.
Vegans are all about saving the animals and planet but they themselves are contributing to destroying the world without even realising. Most people who have become vegan have exported fruits and vegetables, as not all crops are grown in all countries. For example, India. This means that pollution has increased due to transportation. The prices of the fruits and vegetables have also increased in their country of origin, due to this many local people are suffering since they can’t afford it.
So veganism isn’t benefiting the planet, because I’m sure eating lamb chops that come from a farm a few miles down the road is much better for the environment than having peaches that have travelled from the other side of the world. Not only that but since the vegan diet mainly consists of fruits and vegetables, it means that most of them need to be imported for constant supply. And to do so farmers use various chemicals and pesticides to forcefully grow these plants all year long. So this is harming not only our bodies but it’s affecting animals and the soil.
All in all, the whole world can’t possibly be vegan as studies show that if the planet went meat-free, it would lose the biodiversity which is essential in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. So if you think becoming vegan is the answer to saving the world,you’re wrong, you’ll just help in destroying the whole ecosystem. And to finally conclude, I personally think that becoming vegan should be a choice not a decision made for you by others.