🌱 Why Go Plant-Based? The 3 Pillars of a Benevolent Revolution

Veganism is often externally perceived as a list of restrictions. But for those who make the change, it is quite the opposite: it's an opening. An opening toward better health, a preserved planet, and an ethic aligned with one's deepest values.

As a holistic dietitian, I don't just look at the nutrients on your plate, but the global impact of your diet on your life and on the world. Here is why transitioning to a plant-based diet is one of the most powerful decisions you can make.

1. The Health Pillar: What Science Has Validated

Far from being a mere trend, a Whole Food Plant-Based diet is supported by decades of solid scientific research.

Prevention of Chronic Diseases

Epidemiological studies are clear: populations following a predominantly plant-based diet suffer less from diseases of civilization.

• Heart Health: By eliminating dietary cholesterol (present only in animal products) and reducing saturated fats, a significant drop in the risk of hypertension and vascular accidents is observed.

• Type 2 Diabetes: Diets rich in fiber and whole grains help regulate blood sugar and can even, in some cases, reverse insulin resistance.

• Cancer Risk: The WHO has classified processed meat as carcinogenic and red meat as "probably carcinogenic." Conversely, the phytonutrients and antioxidants in plants protect our cells.

  
  

Energy and Digestion

A plant-based diet is rich in fiber, the preferred fuel for our gut microbiota. A healthy microbiota means:

• Better immunity (80% of immunity resides in the gut).

• Optimized production of serotonin (the well-being hormone).

• Lighter digestion, reducing post-meal fatigue.

  
  

2. The Ecological Pillar: Eating for the Future

The plate is the most powerful ecological lever we possess, three times a day. The impact of industrial livestock farming on the planet is undeniable today.

Carbon Footprint

Livestock farming is responsible for a massive share of greenhouse gas emissions (more than the entire transportation sector, according to some FAO studies). Eating plant-based dramatically reduces one's individual carbon footprint.

Water and Land Preservation

This is a matter of energy efficiency:

• Water: It takes about 15,000 liters of water to produce 1 kg of beef, compared to about 300 to 1,000 liters for 1 kg of cereals or legumes.

• Land: Vast areas of forest (notably in the Amazon) are deforested to grow soy intended... to feed European livestock. Eating the plant directly would allow us to feed more humans with less agricultural land.

  
  

3. The Ethical Pillar: Compassion on the Plate

This is often the core of the vegan approach: refusing to let our gustatory pleasure take precedence over the life of a sentient being.

The Reality of Animal Sentience

Science has now proven that farm animals (cows, pigs, chickens, fish) are sentient beings. They feel pain, fear, but also joy and social attachment.

• Veganism rejects speciesism (the idea that one species, like a dog, deserves to be cherished, while another, like a pig, can be exploited).

  
  

Rejecting Industrial Cruelty

The image of the traditional farm is a marketing illusion. The vast majority of animal products come from intensive farming where:

• Animals live confined without access to the outdoors.

• Painful practices (tail docking, castration without anesthesia, male chick culling) are standardized.

• Life expectancy is drastically shortened (a chicken is slaughtered at 40 days old, even though it could live for several years).

  
  

The Holistic Dietitian's Perspective

Why are these three pillars inseparable in my approach?

Because everything is connected.

As human beings, it is difficult to be fully "healthy" if one lives in cognitive dissonance (loving animals but eating them) or if one worries about the future of the planet while contributing to its degradation.

Adopting a plant-based diet is about aligning your actions with your values. It is nourishing your body with living, vibrant foods, while nourishing your mind with the peace of having made a just choice.

Veganism is not a deprivation; it is a reconnection.