As the trend towards plant-based eating continues to grow, many people are starting to wonder if they can make a significant impact on their health and the environment by adopting a mostly vegan lifestyle. So, can you be 80% vegan?
The short answer is yes, you can be 80% vegan. In fact, any shift towards a more plant-based diet will have a positive impact on your health and the environment. However, it’s important to understand what being 80% vegan means and whether it’s the right choice for you.
First, let’s define what being vegan means. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, and honey. It also avoids any products that are derived from animals, like leather and wool. Vegans often adopt this diet for ethical reasons, as they believe in the rights of animals, while others do it for health and environmental benefits.
Now, being 80% vegan means that you follow a mostly plant-based diet but still consume some animal products. This might include occasional meat or dairy consumption or eating vegan most of the time but making exceptions for certain situations or special occasions.
So, why would someone choose to be 80% vegan instead of fully vegan? There are several reasons why this might be the case. For some people, a completely plant-based diet simply doesn’t work with their lifestyle, their budget, or their health needs. Others may be hesitant to completely give up certain animal products due to taste preferences or cultural traditions.
There are also some people who choose to be 80% vegan as a way to gradually transition to a fully plant-based diet. This can be an effective way to slowly cut out animal products and make the transition more sustainable and manageable.
While being 80% vegan can still have health and environmental benefits, it’s important to note that there will still be some negative impacts associated with consuming animal products. For example, meat and dairy production are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, which are two significant environmental problems.
That being said, any amount of plant-based eating is a step in the right direction. By reducing our consumption of animal products, we can help to address these environmental issues and improve our health. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a vegetarian diet was associated with a lower risk of heart disease, while a study in the British Medical Journal found that a vegan diet could reduce our carbon footprint by up to 73%.
In conclusion, while being 80% vegan may not be the same as being fully vegan, it’s still a positive step towards a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle. If you’re interested in reducing your consumption of animal products, but aren’t ready or willing to give them up completely, then an 80% vegan diet might be the right choice for you. Just remember to focus on eating a balanced, nutritious diet that is rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
