Want to become vegan? Here’s all the tips you need to know

What does vegan mean?

When someone is vegan, they avoid products that are derived from animals. Typically, a vegan person excludes meat, dairy, or egg products from their diet. Some vegans cut out animals and animal-derived ingredients from their entire lifestyle, avoiding cosmetics and household products that were tested on animals, as well as clothing items and furniture made from animal-derived materials, like sheep’s wool, leather and suede, and fur. People practice veganism across cultures and generations, for a variety of reasons—to help animals, to reduce their impact on the planet, or even to support their personal health.

Why do people become vegan?

For the animals

Throughout our lives, we encounter many animals who hold special places in our hearts—whether we have a beloved companion animal in our home, or a favorite childhood story about a furry friend. Knowing the spark of joy we get from giving a kitten a belly rub or even watching a baby panda sneeze, it’s no wonder that 75% of Americans identify as animal lovers.

And, when we love animals, the last thing we want is to see them suffer. Unfortunately, millions of sentient, lovable animals suffer every day to become food on people’s plates. Behind closed doors, the meat industry subjects pigs, chickens, cows, turkeys, goats, and sheep to the worst forms of abuse imaginable. They keep pigs in cages so tight they can’t even turn around. They tear scared, helpless baby cows away from their mothers just moments after being born. They even boil chickens alive.

This abuse is precisely why factory farms and slaughterhouses don’t offer public tours. If more people could witness the sheer terror animals experience in factory farms, they would act to put a stop to it. And the best way to do that is to leave animals off your plate and make the switch to compassionate, plant-based alternatives.

By leaving animals off your plate and becoming vegan, you disrupt the cruel factory farming system by reducing demand for animal products. Less demand means fewer animals are born and bred to experience a lifetime of suffering in factory farms, all to end up on someone’s plate. In fact, Barbara J. King reports for NPR, going vegan spares an average of 95 animals from the factory farm system per year.

While becoming vegan directly helps animals by reducing demand for animal products, becoming vegan is also a powerful ethical choice—a choice to treat animals with the compassion they deserve as living beings. Actress Natalie Portman powerfully explains this sentiment when an interviewer asks her why she became vegan, saying:

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“Three times a day, I remind myself that I do not want to cause pain to or kill other living beings. That’s why I eat the way that I do.” Natalie Portman

For the planet

Throughout the day, we can all make small choices to reduce our environmental impact and be kinder to the planet: turning the lights off when we’re not in the room, bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, opting for public transit instead of driving. Out of all these choices, what we choose to eat has one of the biggest impacts on the health of the planet. Leaving animals off your plate and opting for compassionate, plant-based meals doesn't just benefit animals—it helps our planet, too. In fact, a study from the University of Oxford identified going vegan as the “single biggest way” an individual can reduce their environmental footprint.

This is because growing plant-based foods is much less harmful to our planet than industrial animal agriculture. Researchers estimate that 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions—the emissions responsible for warming our atmosphere and accelerating global climate change—come from animal agriculture. That’s more than the entire global transportation industry combined.

And, while shorter showers and turning the tap off while brushing your teeth might save some water at home, the amount of freshwater needed for animal agriculture dwarfs the amount of water we use as individuals. A single pound of beef takes around 1,800 gallons of water to produce. That’s the equivalent of taking a shower for 12 hours straight. Altogether, the production of meat and dairy accounts for close to 20% of all freshwater use worldwide.

When considering the massive toll that the meat industry makes on our planet, it’s no surprise that one of the latest United Nations climate change reports identified plant-based diets as a “major opportunity” for mitigating climate change. And, as more and more people wake up to the reality of our climate crisis, they’re taking action to stop it by becoming vegan. After all, it’s one of the most impactful choices you can make for the planet, every day.

For your health

The food we eat becomes fuel for our bodies, giving us the energy to stay active, use our brains, and stave off disease. When we cut out animal products and become vegan, our bodies benefit from the higher-quality nutrients in healthy, plant-based foods.

Whole, plant-based foods like fruits, veggies, nuts, and legumes are jam-packed with the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to thrive. They’re also free from cholesterol, which is why many doctors recommend cutting out burgers and steak to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes linked with high cholesterol. Studies show that going plant-based can reduce or even reverse inflammation, one of the root causes of chronic pain.

Plus, plant-based foods still meet our bodies’ protein needs. In fact, researchers in Germany found that “athletes following a plant based diet with B-12 supplementation actually had marginally higher nutrient adequacy than athletes who were meat eaters.” Given these clear health benefits, many professional athletes have adopted a plant-based diet, including ultra-marathon runner Scott Jurek, all-time tennis great Venus Williams, and US women’s soccer star Alex Morgan. 15 members of the Tennessee Titans gave veganism a try during the most recent NFL season, crediting their plant-based diets for better performance on the field.

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“I was reading the research and seeing that a plant-based diet could be beneficial, specifically for recovery. And so I started incorporating it and I started seeing really good results with it. I was recovering better. I wasn't getting as sore. I was a lot less swollen. Basically, to confirm what I was feeling, I got my blood tested. Six months after being on the diet, all of my markers were down, my blood pressure, my cholesterol.” Derrick Morgan, Tennessee Titans Linebacker (The Game Changers, 2018)

While many athletes go vegan for increased performance, you don’t need to be an NFL star or a marathon runner to reap the benefits of becoming vegan. Read on to learn how becoming vegan can boost your own personal health, too.

Benefits of becoming vegan

Lower risk of heart disease

Animal products like chicken, shrimp, dairy, and eggs are high in cholesterol, which can build up in the bloodstream and increase risk of heart disease—the number one cause of death in the United States. Thankfully, we can manage our risk of heart disease by making lifestyle changes, including changing our diets. As mentioned before, plant-based foods are cholesterol-free, making going vegan an appealing option for anyone who is concerned about their heart health.

Lower risk of cancer

Sadly, cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the US. Although we have yet to find a cure for cancer, our dietary choices can help reduce our risk of getting the disease. When researchers tracked the eating habits of nearly 70,000 volunteers, they found that people who followed a vegan diet had the lowest rates of cancer. This is likely because vegans don’t eat processed meat—a category that includes bacon, hot dogs, and cold cuts. The World Health Organization even classifies processed meat as a “known carcinogen,” in the same category as cigarettes and UV radiation.

Lower risk of diabetes

Millions of Americans already suffer from Type 2 diabetes, and millions more are at risk of developing the disease. The food we eat has a direct impact on our likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes—and making the switch to plant-based is one proven way to lower our risk. This is because vegan diets help control blood sugar and stop the depletion of insulin, which causes chronic diabetes. The Harvard School of Health found that cutting out animal products out of your diet can cut your risk of diabetes by up to 20%. And, after adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet, some people were able to reverse and recover from their existing Type 2 diabetes.

Improved gut health

If you’re one of the majority of Americans who suffers from gastrointestinal issues, you may find relief by making the switch to a vegan diet. Vegan foods are full of fiber, which is essential for regulating your gut health. Meanwhile, animal products contain little to no fiber whatsoever. Vegan foods are also free from lactose, a sugar compound found in milk and other dairy products. Over 65% of the global population suffers from lactose intolerance and cannot properly digest cow’s milk. After ditching dairy products and becoming vegan, many are pleasantly surprised to find that they no longer experience the “abdominal pain, bloating, gas, nausea, and diarrhea” associated with consuming dairy products.

Brain health and better mood

Interestingly, the bacteria in our stomachs doesn’t just impact our gut health—gut bacteria also help produce hormones that impact our brain function. Plant-based nutritionist Trisha K. Best explains:

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“Your mood and mental cognition will improve rather quickly (when you go vegan). What we eat affects our gut bacteria and these bacteria produce many of the active hormones of the brain. Gut bacteria depend on fiber, which is naturally found in whole plant foods only. This results in a plant-based vegan diet improving mental clarity and mood quickly as the body is able to produce mood-enhancing hormones more efficiently.”

Is it hard to be vegan?

As we’ve seen, there are plenty of benefits to adopting a vegan lifestyle. However, making big changes to what you eat and how you live can be understandably intimidating. Thankfully, with the recent explosion in popularity of plant-based products, going vegan is easier now than ever! Plus, there are lots of helpful tips, tricks, and tools you can use to help you on your journey. Check out six tips to get started below.

How to go vegan

1. Learn about it

Chances are, if you’ve found this article, you’ve already started your research on vegan lifestyles. This is the first step toward making the switch! There are also plenty of books, websites, and documentaries that can help educate you on what becoming vegan means, and why you should make the switch. Which brings us to step 2...

2. Know your “why”

We’ve already explored some of the reasons why people might choose to become vegan—for animal welfare, for the planet, or for their health. But, why are you becoming vegan? Knowing what motivated you to start on your plant-based journey will encourage you to stick with it.

3. Add more before subtracting

If the idea of changing your eating habits is overwhelming, start small. Begin by adding more plant-based foods to your diet as you slowly cut out meat, dairy, and egg products. Trying a new plant-based recipe once or twice a week or dining out at your local vegan restaurant is an exciting way to introduce new foods into your diet without feeling like you’re missing out.

4. Ask for help

No one is born vegan—even people who have been vegan for decades had to go through the journey of making the switch, just like you are now. Don’t be afraid to ask others for help with recipes, grocery lists, or ingredient swaps. Even if you don’t know any vegan people in real life, there are many online communities where vegans and folks interested in veganism can connect and share their experiences. Vegan Facebook groups and Reddit communities are great places to find vegans from your city, or from around the world.

5. Be kind to yourself

Committing to any lifestyle change can be a challenge. Throughout the journey of becoming vegan, it’s important to remember that you’re making a difference with every individual meal. Even if you slip-up every once in a while, eating just one plant-based meal can save the same amount of carbon emissions it takes to drive across the country. That’s an impact that adds up!

6. Don’t give up

Behavioral science tells us that it can take anywhere from 2 to 8 months to form a new habit and stick with it. Challenges may arise along the way, but, as long as you keep trying, it will get easier, one day at a time.

What should I eat to become vegan?

There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to be vegan. You can adapt a vegan lifestyle across cultures and cuisines, incorporate foods you already know and love, and even use innovative plant-based products that replicate the taste and texture of meat and dairy. In short, you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out on anything when you become vegan. In fact, you may find yourself being more open to trying new things!

That said, there are a few methods you can use to change what you eat as you transition to a vegan lifestyle.

Omnivore to vegan

If you currently follow an omnivorous diet—a diet that includes meat, dairy, and eggs—try slowly and intentionally cutting animal products to become vegan. You can start by cutting out and replacing one ingredient at a time, or choose one day a week to eat vegan, like Meatless Monday.

For the omnivore to vegan transition, it may be helpful to create two lists: a list of animal-based foods that you will slowly cut out of your diet, and a list of plant-based foods to add to your meal plan. As you discover more plant-based foods to enjoy, you may find it easier to eat vegan full-time.

Vegetarian followed by veganism

Some people find it helpful to start transitioning to veganism with a vegetarian diet, which is free from beef, chicken, pork, and fish. Vegetarianism differs from veganism because vegetarians still eat dairy and eggs.

Like the omnivore-to-vegan transition, you can start incorporating more plant-based alternatives to dairy and eggs as you go along—for example, replacing your morning eggs with an equally tasty and protein-rich tofu scramble or ordering your favorite coffee with oat milk instead of cow’s milk. After all, there are more dairy-free alternatives to milk on the market than ever before, and—while going vegetarian is a great way to start—you will likely not reap the full health, environmental, and ethical benefits of becoming vegan until you ditch dairy and eggs, too.

Go full-on vegan

A slow transition isn’t for everyone. After learning all the positive impacts of becoming vegan, some folks may be motivated to start leaving all animal products off their plate immediately and go vegan overnight. This can be challenging, but if you’re up for the challenge: go for it! You’re making a great choice for the animals, for the planet, and for your health.

If you go this route, there are several programs, like Veganuary and Challenge 22. Both challenge you to go full-on vegan for a few weeks, while providing you with support and encouragement along the way. This is a great way to dive headfirst into the vegan lifestyle and stay motivated to stick with it.

More tips for becoming vegan

Whether it’s out of compassion for animals, or concern for the environment and your health, or a combination of both, becoming vegan can change your life for the better. If you’re feeling inspired, check out our free plant-based starter guide for even more tips, recipes, and tricks to help you on your vegan journey.

And, if you’ve already made the switch, you can help others on their vegan journey! The Humane League is partnering with Veganuary to get people to try vegan in 2023, and we need changemakers like you to spread the word and support others. Sign up to join the movement and receive exclusive access to our Veganuary Toolkit, resources to help get you started, and a field organizer that can offer one-on-one guidance to help make your community more veg-friendly this January!

When we leave animals off our plates, little changes that we make every day—as little as trying a new non-dairy creamer in your coffee—add up to create larger shifts. Every day, we make more compassionate choices for animals, for our planet, and for ourselves—choices that set us in motion toward the more compassionate world we want to live in.

Together, we’re making a more compassionate future for all—which also means calling out companies that support animal cruelty. It'll take individual and institutional change to transform our broken food system.