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PLANT BASED DIET

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By Matilde Sandon

SPREADING AWARENESS ON THE POWER OF PLANT BASED DIETS

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“Nothing will benefit health and increase the chances for survival on Earth as the evolution to vegetarian diet” - Albert Einstein

Deciding to pursue a plant based diet can be the most transforming and impactful change you will make in your life. There is no obligation to do so, but the consequences of what you decide to eat will impact on your health, the earth’s health, and animal’s health. Having a wider perspective on what we can do to improve sustainability will be the significant change the earth needs. 


Dr. Joanne Kong studies suggest three main reasons on how important this change can be. The first is health: “we are what we eat”, the consumption of meat is connected to the cause of various diseases. Health costs in the USA for meat consumption “skyrocketed to 50billion dollars every year”. Time magazine, the American Cancer society and the College of cardiology also studied how meat consumption is affecting our health. Vegetarians have a higher life expectancy. Plant foods are the only with beneficial fibres, as well as Secondly for the earth. The health of our plant is equally as important. We are in a dramatic state of environmental crisis. Humans are polluting the air, soil and water in a rapidly dangerous way. By 2050 we are risking exceeding some key environmental limits. The fires spreading in California, Spain and Australia would be just the start of how much it can affect our environment.  nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals that protect the body.

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Deforestation in Indonesia and the Amazon destroys entire ecosystems and diminishes the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. As well as oxygen depleted dead zones in the ocean, where fish can’t live anymore.  To solve these issues we have to observe human actions we can change to improve the situation. Our food system happens to be one of these. Research published by PNAS shows the potential of excluding meat from our diets. One quarter of Greenhouse emissions are caused by our food system, as well as the industry itself occupying one third of the world’s surface
therefore pressuring ecosystems. Sustaining such a sector requires two thirds of freshwater supply, the use of fertilizers and over fishing/ hunting. These numbers are expected to grow as the population does. It’s right to reduce carbon emissions, and invest in technological advancements for renewable energy as most countries are trying to do, but it comes with a heavy price. Fortunately there is a cheaper alternative. Animal agriculture is one of the major carbon emission fonts (51% of gas emissions), as well as the major cause of species and habitat loss, feeding the animals requires land and water to grow the crops (70% of our grain, 80% of agricultural land and 50% of our water). The Stanford Environmental law journal states that our consumption of animal products is “the leading cause of everything”. The whole world should change their diet though.

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We encourage you to take a look at some meat substitutes and start eating sustainably. Remember though that some vegetables are not sustainable as well. Imported berries, or tropical fruits exploit the environment as well, and these should be eaten in moderation. 

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Lastly, people should change their diet habits for compassion. Every second 317 animals have been slaughtered. By the time you finish reading this article, which is about 4 minutes, 76.000 animals have been slaughtered.


“Billions of animals are tortured, raped, abused, and murdered every year so people can eat them or their bodily secretions. The total processes result in heavy pollution, world hunger, ocean dead zones, extinction and deforestation. Facts are facts, your excuses won’t change that” - Anonymous


In fact, the lives of animals born for meat production are devastating. Pigs are more intelligent than dogs, and 3 year olds. And we, torture them. Pigs are kept in gestation crates in half darkness, the space is so small that they can’t even turn around, lying on their own excrements. Deprived from all natural behaviours, consequently causing depression and neurotic behaviours like screaming and shouting. Forced to get impregnated, and deprived from their babies. To then reach the age of 3-5 and be slaughtered with no sedation.

What makes it different from our pets? In comparison to pets, there is just the species. Dogs are individuals just as pigs.  We were taught to eat meat, when we were born we didn’t have this need. It’s all about habits.

Works cited

Plant based eating, Dr Joanne https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_joanne_kong_the_power_of_plant_based_eating

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