From athletes and celebrities to some of your good friends, veganism and vegetarianism are on the rise. Previously, resorting to a diet that eliminates all meat and animal-based products were reserved for monks who followed this out of duty. Now, however, many are choosing to switch to plant-based diets out of their own desire and choice.

As the number of vegans and vegetarians continue to increase, so, too, do the number of establishments catering to them. Today, it is quite common to find weekend markets full of vendors selling fruits and vegetables in megabins. The offerings have expanded as well to include food like quinoa, kale, tofu, and many different kinds of berries.

Truly, going vegan has never been a better option. Here are some reasons for you to give the plant-based life a go:

More recipe options

In the past, vegetarian meals would always be cooked very plainly, and the options would have been very limited. Not anymore.

Just do a quick search on Google or Instagram, and you will yield hundreds of mouth-watering vegan recipes that have also been plaited perfectly to entice even non-vegans. Thus, you can easily prepare your own meals at home and have a hand in how your food is prepared and what goes into your meal. This allows you to prepare delectable meals personally suited to your tastes without much effort.

There has also been a rise in the number of specialty restaurants that specifically offer vegetarian meals. These offer delicious alternatives to much of what we eat every day, such as burgers and patties. Thus, the possibilities for good, organic, and healthy food have never been more endless.

Increased Concern for Health

With chronic diseases only increasing in prevalence, studies have illustrated a correlation between an unhealthy diet and an increased risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. As a result, many are choosing to eat more healthily, and choosing to go vegan is one way of doing this.

A vegan diet allows people to consume more vitamins and minerals that improve both physical and mental health. As a result, they not only end up losing weight and shedding fat, but they also feel much better and happier and have more energy to accomplish their daily tasks.

In addition to the increased consumption of nutrients, going vegan lets you go organic and avoid the unhealthy preservatives that go into much fast and junk food. Many types of food available today have been processed in factories and cooked in great amounts of oil. Vegan dishes let you eliminate these from your diet, while still maintaining the good taste.

Desire for Sustainability

Another major reason why people choose to go vegan is their desire to prioritize environmentally sustainable lifestyle options. The meat industry is among those most responsible for the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The production of meat also utilizes more resources, including land, water, and energy, thus making it a more wasteful option for some. Given the increased urgency towards protecting the Earth, many are choosing to eschew meat.

The mass production of meat has also meant that animals are increasingly bred in horrible conditions, with their only purpose being to be slaughtered for food. Not only do such a large number of animals require great amounts of food and water to raise, but they are also kept in the dark, cramped areas to discourage movement that will toughen their meat. Thus, for some, the only way to get this cruelty to stop is by reducing the demand for meat, which is what going vegan can help with.