Many people grow up consuming dairy products; we are told they are healthy, good for us, will make us grow big and strong. We imagine that cows grow up happily playing in green pastures. However, the realities of the dairy industry, and the nutritional benefit of dairy products, are in fact very different.
The following videos sum up why people who choose to be vegan have chosen to stop consuming dairy products.
Remember: there are an ever-increasing number of alternatives to dairy products available in shops, cafes, and restaurants (nut milks, soya milks, sunflower spreads, non-dairy butters, and so on). Making the positive choice to consume plant-based products is a wonderful thing - for your health, for the environment, and ultimately for the animals who should not have to suffer.
"Dairy is scary"
"The truth about dairy"
"The truth about dairy"
"Vegan visits UK dairy farm"
"Vegan visits dairy farm"
"The disturbing truth about dairy - Dr Michael Greger"
"What the dairy industry doesn't want you to know - Neal Barnard MD"
For advice and information about the vegan alternatives to dairy products, check out Veganuary's "Vegan Food Essentials", remember that the British Dietetic Association has confirmed that "well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages", and check out the Vegan Society's resources on vegan nutrition.
Above all, remember that very few people have been vegan since birth. Most people who are now vegan have gone through the process of thinking that they could never give up dairy products - not least because as reported here, dairy products are addictive - but having done so, they now feel happier and healthier than ever before and wish that they had made the transition sooner.
I would urge anybody to give it a go, explore the alternatives (from soya milk to hemp milk, almond milk to rice milk), and find out for yourself how choosing to be vegan can be a wonderfully positive experience!
