World Vegan Day is a global celebration of veganism and its positive impact on the planet, animals, and human health. This is an annual event observed on November 1 that focuses on encouraging people around the world to explore and embrace a vegan lifestyle. A vegan lifestyle involves abstaining from the use of animal products for food, clothing, or any other purpose. World Vegan Day serves as an opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of veganism, raise awareness about animal rights, and promote sustainable and compassionate choices.
1. Eating vegan food helps reduce the risk of diseases, as plant-based foods are packed with phytochemicals. Vegan foods have a high concentration of antioxidant carotenoids, a higher proportion of total omega-3 fatty acids, and lower levels of saturated fatty acids all of which lead to positive health outcomes.
2. Vegan foods are lower in calories compared to animal-derived foods hence making it easier to achieve a healthy body weight without actively focusing on cutting calories. Most vegan foods contain significantly less saturated fat than animal-based foods. It is believed that vegans tend to have lower body mass indexes than non-vegans.
3. People eating vegan food have lower blood sugar levels compared to non-vegans. Vegan food reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 78%. Consuming plenty of healthy plant-based foods can also help mitigate the risk associated with developing diabetes, such as obesity.
4. Dairy consumption exacerbates acne in both men and women. Vegans, apart from not consuming dairy, typically eat more fruit and vegetables, which means they get more of the antioxidants and vitamins that are needed for healthy skin.
5. A diet high in healthy vegan foods helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Consuming animal-derived foods is linked to pain-causing inflammation hence eating probiotic plant-based foods such as fermented vegetables and non-dairy yogurts boosts the good bacteria in the large intestine, also helping to boost nutrient absorption and reduce inflammation.
6. Sticking to a vegan diet is associated with lower blood pressure and better cholesterol management. Vegans tend to enjoy greater cardiovascular benefits, with notable reductions in a number of cardiac risk factors.
7. Eating more plant-based foods including legumes, fruit, and vegetables rather than smoked or processed red meats reduces the cancer risk. The impact of a plant-based diet shows that the best outcome for the management of cancer is achieved from a well-balanced vegan diet.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)