There is a ton of literature out there about how veganism is “healthier” for you, for the planet, and of course for the animals.  While some of us may know that it’s just as possible to be a junk food vegan as it is to be a junk food omnivore, there are some compelling details about veganism that make it not just physically more healthful, but also economically lean as well– and these benefits go far beyond the cost of food. In fact, some insurance companies agree so much they Strongly advocate a plant-based diet for everyone. Below are 7 strong reasons to medically and economically #govegan.

1. Here is a Time article about how simply being vegetarian can save $750 a year in just food costs. From the look of it, its not even trying to be very thrifty, so I think you could even improve upon that figure, probably upwards of $100-150 a month per person. This article also links to this Time article about the diseases it addresses, and let’s explore the cost reduction next…
2. Following the data about overall chronic disease reduction, self-insuring systems, like Hospitals with their staff, are increasing their incentives for switching to a plant-based diet regimen.  Lee Memorial in Florida, Kaiser Permanente, New York-Presbyterian (<— this is a really important document and features many, many others), and Medicare are all advocating moving more towards a vegetarian “optimal” diet, towards the elimination of animal proteins.  In many of these cases, the savings to individuals can be as much as 40%, and let’s not forget that also means taking less medication, not having surgery, or tubes hooked up to you, which in my mind is also a major benefit to quality of life.
3. Here is a break down by an affordable-care act NY insurance service explaining why vegan and vegetarian diets lower overall medical costs, procedure costs, and reduce the likely incidence of the need for preventing and palliative care.
4. The Cleveland Clinic describes a variety of ways in which a plant-based diet can intervene and reverse most chronic and many acute medical issues
5. Quality of life improvements should also be considered, while some medications that are available in the US can extend our lifespan, they cannot give us the ability to dance at our children’s weddings when Diabetes creates a need for amputation, or crippling neuropathy, or heart attacks increasing in frequency starting at age 40.  In Canada, this has become the focus of several public health campaigns, and unsurprisingly areas of Canada, like Ontario have made veganism a protected social group (a creed, and subject to same protections as religious freedom, gender and race.)

6. Medical Studies even in the 90s were showing cost reductions available in the tens of BILLIONS of dollars attributed to meat consumption.

7. Albeit a plant-based source, this website has a very good breakdown on the ways in which Plant-based diet addresses the lack of sustainability and affordability in our current healthcare system. Including projections of 70-80% savings in costs!

Want more information:

visit nutrition facts.org or The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Need help going vegan or plant-based?

PETA Vegan Starter Kit

Vegankit.com

Veganuary

Mercy For Animals