Should You Go Vegan/Vegetarian?

Impossible meat, oat milk… Going vegan or vegetarian has been the trend lately, with about 7% of the local population being vegan or vegetarian, according to a poll by YouGov Singapore. But why has this lifestyle appealed to so many people? Read on to find out, maybe you’ll find a new diet to adopt!

Vegan vs vegetarian 

1. Vegetarian

Contrary to popular belief, a vegetarian does not only eat vegetables. Vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry or seafood. Some vegetarians eat eggs and dairy, which is called the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. Interestingly, some people are only vegetarians for certain days of the week. To fulfil the same nutritional requirements from animal protein sources, vegetarians largely eat grains, nuts, and soy-based products such as tofu (Health Hub, 2023). 

2. Vegan 

Veganism falls under the vegetarian diet, which is considered the ‘total vegetarian’ diet - you do not have any animal products in your diet, including eggs and dairy (Harvard Medical School, 2020). Some vegans even take on the ‘raw vegan’ diet, where they eat completely raw foods. Since eggs and dairy are forfeited in a vegan diet, leafy green vegetables and wholemeal bread are usually the sources of calcium. 

Sustainable Living

Cutting meat from your diet can drastically reduce your carbon footprint. Rising meat production results in the loss of natural habitats due to the land needed to rear animals. As more trees are cut down to meet the global demand for meat, carbon dioxide emissions released into the environment contribute to hotter temperatures and affect the climate (Waite et al, 2022). In particular, beef production emits a major greenhouse gas - methane - due to manure storage (Varanasi, 2019). Even if going vegetarian may not be the route for you, substituting meat for one meal every few days can help the environment!

Is it for me?

Having a vegetarian diet comes with great health benefits. Increased intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, along with decreased intake of saturated fat and sodium, leads to a lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (Hargreaves et al, 2021). Furthermore, a sense of fulfilment can be derived from vegetarianism and caring for the environment. However, it does come with a cost. Vegans, in particular, may face the problem of having low vitamin B12. As eggs and dairy are vital sources of vitamin B12, vegans may take supplements to meet the nutritional goal (Health Hub, 2023).

A simple trip to the wet market and a scroll through Instagram recipe accounts will make you realise that a vegetarian diet is not very difficult to start! With careful planning, it is a lifestyle that can give you a healthier body and an improved ecological footprint. Take your time and see whether this diet is the one for you!

Written by: Shernice Feng

03/2024

References

Harvard Medical School. (2020, April 15). Becoming a vegetarian. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian  

Health Hub. (2023, November 22). A Vegetarian’s Guide to Eating Right . HealthHub. https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/vegetarian_guide_eating_right 

Hargreaves, S. M., Raposo, A., Saraiva, A., Zandonadi, R. P. (2021, April 12). Vegetarian Diet: An Overview through the Perspective of Quality of Life Domains. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8069426/ 

Varanasi, A. (2019, September 26). You asked: Should we all go vegetarian or vegan to reduce our carbon footprint?. State of the Planet. https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2019/09/26/vegetarian-vegan-diets-climate-change/ 

Waite, R., Searchinger, T., Ranganathan, J., & Zionts, J. (2022, March 7). 6 Pressing Questions About Beef and Climate Change, Answered. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/insights/6-pressing-questions-about-beef-and-climate-change-answered