The Positives and Negatives of a Plant-Based Diet

The Positives and Negatives of a Plant-Based Diet

Olivia Rogers

The meat and dairy industry has a negative impact on the environment. Production of meat and dairy uses over eighty percent of farmland and produces over half of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. Switching to a plant-based diet is one of the easiest ways to reduce an individual’s negative environmental impact. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a plant-based diet also reduces land and water use.

In addition to the environmental impact of a plant-based diet, it can also be healthier. The absence of meat and dairy reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancers due lowered amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol. However, if a plant-based diet is not well balanced, it is easy to lack in protein, vitamins, and minerals. This may result in the use of vitamins to supplement the missing nutrients in the diet.

A plant-based diet can be expensive if you buy processed foods that are marketed to be plant-based. Having a diet that consists of primarily whole foods, however, is cost-effective. The only con is that you have to make a lot of dishes from scratch, which can be very time consuming.

Even without fully converting to a plant -based diet, by just incorporating aspects and limiting the consumption of meat and dairy, the planet will become cleaner and healthier. 

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-a-plant-based-diet-right-for-you/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth 

https://medium.com/@kitiara.pascoe/the-false-expense-of-plant-based-c1dac9e30aee