Why I Went Vegan And How I Answer Skeptics

5 years ago, I decided to make a huge change in my life; I decided to cut all animal products out of my diet. When I first did it, I remember my family was not happy with me. They said it was causing a huge inconvenience when it came to family dinners and weekly groceries. But I couldn't go back to consuming animals; after what I learned, everything changed for me.  I stopped eating animal products because I learned where my food came from. Once I came face to face with my food, I knew I couldn't continue. It was when I visited my first Farm Sanctuary and had the chance to interact with farm animals that I realized I couldn't eat the way I did before. To me, when I thought of meat, I instantly thought of the face of a beautiful cow or pig. Going vegan was not hard for me. Most people think it's too difficult to give up such a big part of your diet, but once you make the connection, it's not hard at all. There are many things that people worry about when giving up animal products, and I'm here to reassure you that if you do it right, none of it is true.

You won't die from protein deficiency.

Many people believe they will fall ill due to lack of protein on a plant-based diet, but as long as you eat enough calories, there's nothing to worry about. Carbs are the most important group of nutrients because every cell in your body runs off of glucose, which comes from carbohydrates. You can also get plenty of protein from plant-based foods such as beans, nuts, and mock meat. In my five years of being vegan, I have never once had a protein deficiency.

Being vegan is too expensive.

This is especially not true. As a college student, being on a budget was really important, and I had to watch every dollar I spent. When I stopped consuming meat, my grocery receipt actually went down. Meat is considered a luxury, while foods like rice, beans, and potatoes are some of the cheapest foods around. You can also buy them in bulk so they'll last much longer.

If being vegan is the best possible diet, how come B12 deficiencies exist?

The only reason you get B12 from meat is that the farmers inject the livestock with B12 shots. B12 doesn't come from the animals, but the dirt that fruits and vegetables grow in. Since we have such strict food requirements now and our food is washed so thoroughly, the B12 is not naturally found in animals, but from them being injected with vitamins.

Being vegan is too restrictive.

Also not true. What I eat now compared to what I ate before I went vegan is so different. Going vegan opened me up to so many foods that I didn't eat before. Also, it's 2019, and veganism is growing, so there are so many options now; all different kinds of plant milk, vegan chocolate, and your other favorite foods that can be "veganized".

Although going vegan is a major change, the benefits outweigh any negatives. I may not eat meat anymore, but the changes I've seen from eating only plant foods has been an incredible journey. My skin has cleared up, I have way more energy than I did before, and most importantly, I can go to bed every night knowing I haven't caused any animals any harm.