One nutrient that is often lacking in a vegan diet is Vitamin B12, as it is found almost exclusively in animal products. Luckily, many vegan products are now fortified with Vitamin B12, or you can take Vitamin B12 supplements to solve this problem.
Furthermore, many studies have shown that eating meat and animal products is closely linked with increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Therefore, by eating a vegan diet you reduce your risk of these diseases and as an overall result, improve your health.
Vegan Diets and the Environment: Modern day animal agriculture is typically intensive, contributing greatly to greenhouse gas production and climate change. If you adhere to a vegan diet, you do not support animal farming and therefore you are not responsible for this pollution.
However, some vegan alternatives to regular foods are also bad for the environment. It is important to know where and how certain foods are produced to make sure that you are consuming a sustainable food source.
In conclusion, a vegan diet is good for your health and good for the environment. If you are considering becoming a vegan, discuss the implications with your doctor first to ensure that it would suit your lifestyle.
For more information, use the links below.
Paper suggesting that less animal products = improved health and reduced environmental impacts
http://www.pnas.org/content/113/15/4146.full
Paper showing that cow farming is terrible for the environment
http://www.pnas.org/content/111/33/11996.short
Plant Based Protein Sources
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321474.php
Vitamin B12 Information
https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrients/vitamin-b12/what-every-vegan-should-know-about-vitamin-b12
Vegan Diet Health Benefits
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/89/5/1627S/4596952
http://www.thetravellingscientist.com.au
https://www.patreon.com/thetravellingscientist
Use the links below to follow The Travelling Scientist
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0OPSqjSuqsDPhZFokbVxZg?view_as=subscriber
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travellingscientist/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travellingscience/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jctravelscience