A Quick Review You're likely to notice changes if you decide to go vegan and abstain from non-plant foods. If you stick with healthy food choices, you'll likely lose weight and snack less. You may also see improvements in your skin and energy levels.

Many people still believe that a vegan diet is deficient in essential nutrients, or that it is not sustainable for long-term health. Additionally, vegans may face negative stereotypes, such as being viewed as “preachy” or “judgmental.”

Overall it appears that that well-chosen vegan diets can provide adequate nutrition, and that on such a diet long-term health will be broadly similar to that of comparable people who eat moderate amounts of meat and also follow nutritional guidelines for good health.

I grew up thinking that meat and dairy and eggs were simply food items — in the back of my mind, I knew that they came from animals, but I'd been protected from the reality of that. The animal agriculture industry is invested in us not looking more deeply than what we see in the grocery store.