{"id":22494,"date":"2020-07-01T05:31:33","date_gmt":"2020-07-01T12:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/?p=22494"},"modified":"2020-08-20T13:35:21","modified_gmt":"2020-08-20T20:35:21","slug":"10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Although veganism is one of the <i>in<\/i> things right now, there are much better reasons to eat more plant proteins than following a trend. Just ask the vegans who went meat-free out of compassion for animals, or those who did it for health reasons. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">We can think of 10 great reasons why you should up your intake of plant proteins. Whether you\u2019re looking for motivation to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/plant-power-your-yearthe-right-way\/\" ><span class=\"s2\">embrace a plant-based diet<\/span><\/a> or you want confirmation that you\u2019ve made the right dietary decision, you will find it below.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#1_Plant_Protein_Is_Animal-Friendly\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\"  >1. Plant Protein Is Animal-Friendly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#2_Plant_Protein_Is_Earth-Friendly\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\"  >2. Plant Protein Is Earth-Friendly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#_3_Plant_Protein_Fights_Climate_Change\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\"  >\u00a03. Plant Protein Fights Climate Change<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#4_Plant_Protein_Is_Complete_Protein\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\"  >4. Plant Protein Is Complete Protein<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#5_Plant_Protein_Makes_Financial_Sense\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\"  >5. Plant Protein Makes Financial Sense<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#6_Plant_Protein_Builds_Muscle\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\"  >6. Plant Protein Builds Muscle<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#7_Plant_Protein_Can_Reduce_Colorectal_Cancer_Risk\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\"  >7. Plant Protein Can Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#8_Plant_Protein_Can_Decrease_Arthritic_Pain\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\"  >8. Plant Protein Can Decrease Arthritic Pain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#9_Plant_Protein_Promotes_Good_Health\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\"  >9. Plant Protein Promotes Good Health<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#_10_Plant_Protein_Leads_To_A_Better_Diet\" class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\"  >\u00a010. Plant Protein Leads To A Better Diet<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Plant_Protein_Is_Animal-Friendly\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\">1. Plant Protein Is Animal-Friendly<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">One of the best reasons to adopt a plant-based diet is that it\u2019s the compassionate choice. For many people, the idea of veganism begins and ends with the lack of slaughtering animals, but it really goes much deeper than that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Those same people may picture modern farms as seen in children\u2019s story books \u2013 picturesque places filled with smiley daisies, happy cows, and friendly chickens. According to the ASPCA, the sad truth is that <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspca.org\/animal-cruelty\/farm-animal-welfare\/animals-factory-farms\"  rel=\"external nofollow\"><span class=\"s3\">95% of America\u2019s farm animals live on factory farms<\/span><\/a>. They are effectively meat factories, and they\u2019re as depressing as they sound. Those animals live short, miserable lives, often are subjected to cruel treatment, and ultimately end up on the dinner table.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Plant_Protein_Is_Earth-Friendly\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\">2. Plant Protein Is Earth-Friendly<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">A diet that is rich in plant protein is not only animal-friendly, it\u2019s earth-friendly too. The Amazon rainforest is responsible for producing more than 20% of the world\u2019s oxygen. However, that fact isn\u2019t enough to deter unscrupulous people from destroying as much of it as they can.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Between August 2017 and July 2018, 3,050 sq. miles of the Amazon were destroyed. According to reports, more than 90% of deforestation in that region happens because of animal agriculture. If the land is not being used for animals directly, it\u2019s being replanted with monocrops to grow feed for animals. Either way, one and a half acres of land produces a mere 375lbs of meat. In contrast, an area of the same size produces 37,000lbs of plant food.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_3_Plant_Protein_Fights_Climate_Change\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-22498 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tsaiga-QiVVtHrrC6I-unsplash-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tsaiga-QiVVtHrrC6I-unsplash-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tsaiga-QiVVtHrrC6I-unsplash-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tsaiga-QiVVtHrrC6I-unsplash-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tsaiga-QiVVtHrrC6I-unsplash-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tsaiga-QiVVtHrrC6I-unsplash-1-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tsaiga-QiVVtHrrC6I-unsplash-1-1080x608.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\u00a0<span class=\"s1\">3. Plant Protein Fights Climate Change<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Eating more plant proteins can help intensify the fight against climate change. In addition to being the cause of massive deforestation in the Amazon and elsewhere, the livestock industry is also responsible for 75% &#8211; 80% of agricultural emissions. The amount of beef in the average American diet produces 1,984lbs of CO2e every year. If beef were replaced with plants, the average diet would produce as little as 75lbs of CO2e annually.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22501 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-01-at-9.06.16-PM-1-1024x508.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"508\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-01-at-9.06.16-PM-1-1024x508.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-01-at-9.06.16-PM-1-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-01-at-9.06.16-PM-1-768x381.png 768w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-01-at-9.06.16-PM-1-1536x761.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-01-at-9.06.16-PM-1-2048x1015.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-01-at-9.06.16-PM-1-1080x535.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Plant_Protein_Is_Complete_Protein\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\">4. Plant Protein Is Complete Protein<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">There was a time when even the experts thought that plant protein was not a complete protein, and that a truly balanced, healthy diet required the inclusion of some meat. It\u2019s true that many plant proteins do not include all nine essential amino acids that our bodies need to get from outside sources. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Some plant foods, such as chia seeds, spirulina, and maca powder, do contain all nine essential amino acids. As long as you are including some of those foods in your diet regularly, you\u2019re getting complete proteins.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-22497\" src=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/maksim-shutov-pUa1On18Jno-unsplash-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/maksim-shutov-pUa1On18Jno-unsplash-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/maksim-shutov-pUa1On18Jno-unsplash-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/maksim-shutov-pUa1On18Jno-unsplash-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/maksim-shutov-pUa1On18Jno-unsplash-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/maksim-shutov-pUa1On18Jno-unsplash-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/maksim-shutov-pUa1On18Jno-unsplash-1-1080x720.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Plant_Protein_Makes_Financial_Sense\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\">5. Plant Protein Makes Financial Sense<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Meat, fish, and seafood is expensive, and because the production of it usually is labor-intensive, those costs are not likely to come down any time soon. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/recipes\/cuisine\/beans\" ><span class=\"s2\">Legumes and pulses such as beans<\/span><\/a> and lentils, as well as nuts and seeds, are rich in plant protein and are available at a fraction of the cost. They also are simple to store, which makes it easier to buy them in bulk.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Plant_Protein_Builds_Muscle\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\">6. Plant Protein Builds Muscle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">When it comes to putting on muscle mass and increasing strength, there\u2019s a misconception that animal protein is the only way to do it. This is not true, as plant protein can do just as good a job. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">If you want to build muscle on a plant-based diet, be sure to include two different types of plant protein in every snack or meal that you have. For example, include legumes and nuts in one meal, and soy and whole grains in another.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Plant_Protein_Can_Reduce_Colorectal_Cancer_Risk\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\">7. Plant Protein Can Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">According to the American National Cancer Institute, the third most common form of cancer in the country is colorectal. This may be partly due to an average diet that is high in animal protein while being relatively low in plant food. JAMA Internal Medicine journal <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamainternalmedicine\/fullarticle\/2174939\"  rel=\"external nofollow\"><span class=\"s3\">published a study<\/span><\/a> that revealed that the risk of colorectal cancer in vegetarians was 22% lower than in meat eaters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Plant_Protein_Can_Decrease_Arthritic_Pain\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\">8. Plant Protein Can Decrease Arthritic Pain<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Arthritis can become particularly painful when the affected joint becomes inflamed. While various factors can trigger inflammation, a common cause is the body\u2019s production of cytokines, which are proteins that can worsen inflammation. According to Frederick\u2019s Arthritis Treatment Centre\u2019s Dr. Nathan Wei, decreasing your intake of animal protein and eating more plant protein slows the production of cytokines.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Plant_Protein_Promotes_Good_Health\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\">9. Plant Protein Promotes Good Health<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">In addition to reducing the risk of colorectal cancer and decreasing the pain of inflammatory arthritis, plant protein can promote good health in other ways. One of them is a possible reduction in the risk of developing diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Plant protein also has been shown to assist with the control of blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes. There are possible links between a plant-based diet and reduced risk of heart attacks and stroke. What\u2019s more, it could lower your level of cholesterol and your blood pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_10_Plant_Protein_Leads_To_A_Better_Diet\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-22496\" src=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Salad Packed with Plant Protein\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-1080x721.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\u00a0<span class=\"s1\">10. Plant Protein Leads To A Better Diet<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">When you eat more plant protein, there\u2019s a good chance you are eating other plant-based foods as well. In addition to getting a healthy dose of protein, your diet will also supply an array of vitamins and minerals. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ajcn\/article\/89\/5\/1627S\/4596952\"  rel=\"external nofollow\">According to reports<\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">, research showed that vegetarians had more of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as folate, fiber, non-heme iron, calcium, magnesium, and riboflavin in their diets compared to meat eaters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Whether you consider compassion, climate change, sustainability, or the health benefits, the reasons to eat more plant protein outweigh any reasons you could have for eating meat. Up your intake and you could experience many of the benefits for yourself.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b>About The Author: <\/b><em>Jess is an Editor at Forager Project. She is a lover of everything organic and is passionate about making the world a better place one written piece at a time. <\/em><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foragerproject.com\/\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer external nofollow\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.foragerproject.com\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1593680388974000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFPDPJQrEe4An6B3lJ1dHwhtAomRA\">https:\/\/www.foragerproject.<wbr \/>com\/<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>___<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Follow HappyCow on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/happycow\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Twitter<\/a>,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/happycow\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener noreferrer\">\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/happycow\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Facebook<\/a>, @HappyCow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/moozine\" >Get regular updates here from HappyCow<\/a>, with travel tips, vegan advice, and insider restaurant info.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although veganism is one of the in things right now, there are much better reasons to eat more plant proteins than following a trend. Just ask the vegans who went meat-free out of compassion for animals, or those who did it for health reasons. We can think of 10 great reasons why you should up your intake of plant proteins. Whether you\u2019re looking for motivation to embrace a plant-based diet or you want confirmation that you\u2019ve made the right dietary decision, you will find it below. 1. Plant Protein Is Animal-Friendly One of the best reasons to adopt a plant-based diet is that it\u2019s the compassionate choice. For many people, the idea of veganism begins and ends with the lack of slaughtering animals, but it really goes much deeper than that. Those same people may picture modern farms as seen in children\u2019s story books \u2013 picturesque places filled with smiley daisies, happy cows, and friendly chickens. According to the ASPCA, the sad truth is that 95% of America\u2019s farm animals live on factory farms. They are effectively meat factories, and they\u2019re as depressing as they sound. Those animals live short, miserable lives, often are subjected to cruel treatment, and ultimately [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7417,"featured_media":22496,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-22494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-veganism"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins - HappyCow<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Eating more plant protein is a way to live more compassionately, sustainably, and healthily. Take a look at 10 good reasons to increase your intake.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins - HappyCow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Eating more plant protein is a way to live more compassionately, sustainably, and healthily. Take a look at 10 good reasons to increase your intake.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HappyCow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HappyCow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-07-01T12:31:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-08-20T20:35:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1709\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"HappyCow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@happycow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@happycow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"HappyCow\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"HappyCow\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/92d9f62b2632b744ddffc02807c9d323\"},\"headline\":\"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-07-01T12:31:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-08-20T20:35:21+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/\"},\"wordCount\":1087,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Veganism\"],\"articleSection\":[\"General\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/\",\"name\":\"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins - HappyCow\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-07-01T12:31:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-08-20T20:35:21+00:00\",\"description\":\"Eating more plant protein is a way to live more compassionately, sustainably, and healthily. Take a look at 10 good reasons to increase your intake.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1709,\"caption\":\"Salad Packed with Plant Protein\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"HappyCow\",\"description\":\"Find Vegan Food + Community\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"HappyCow\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/happycow-with-text500x500-rgb.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/happycow-with-text500x500-rgb.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"HappyCow\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HappyCow\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/happycow\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/happycow\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/happycowguide\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/happycow\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/92d9f62b2632b744ddffc02807c9d323\",\"name\":\"HappyCow\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.happycow.net\/members\/profile_pb.php?id=7417\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/author\/webmaster\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins - HappyCow","description":"Eating more plant protein is a way to live more compassionately, sustainably, and healthily. Take a look at 10 good reasons to increase your intake.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins - HappyCow","og_description":"Eating more plant protein is a way to live more compassionately, sustainably, and healthily. Take a look at 10 good reasons to increase your intake.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/","og_site_name":"HappyCow","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HappyCow","article_published_time":"2020-07-01T12:31:33+00:00","article_modified_time":"2020-08-20T20:35:21+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1709,"url":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"HappyCow","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@happycow","twitter_site":"@happycow","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"HappyCow","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/"},"author":{"name":"HappyCow","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/92d9f62b2632b744ddffc02807c9d323"},"headline":"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins","datePublished":"2020-07-01T12:31:33+00:00","dateModified":"2020-08-20T20:35:21+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/"},"wordCount":1087,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg","keywords":["Veganism"],"articleSection":["General"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/","url":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/","name":"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins - HappyCow","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2020-07-01T12:31:33+00:00","dateModified":"2020-08-20T20:35:21+00:00","description":"Eating more plant protein is a way to live more compassionately, sustainably, and healthily. Take a look at 10 good reasons to increase your intake.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/jez-timms-BHD2OxkYGSk-unsplash-1-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1709,"caption":"Salad Packed with Plant Protein"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-more-plant-proteins\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"10 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Plant Proteins"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/","name":"HappyCow","description":"Find Vegan Food + Community","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#organization","name":"HappyCow","url":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/happycow-with-text500x500-rgb.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/happycow-with-text500x500-rgb.png","width":500,"height":500,"caption":"HappyCow"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HappyCow","https:\/\/x.com\/happycow","https:\/\/instagram.com\/happycow","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/happycowguide\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/happycow"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/92d9f62b2632b744ddffc02807c9d323","name":"HappyCow","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.happycow.net\/members\/profile_pb.php?id=7417"],"url":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/author\/webmaster\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7417"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22494"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22494\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22567,"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22494\/revisions\/22567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}