WHY CHOOSE A PLANT-BASED DIET? Plant-based diets are in the media a lot at the moment, but are they are as popular as health enthusiasts might like us to believe? Most nutritionists agree that a plant-based diet is good for your health. People who follow plant-based diets generally eat a lot of vegetables, wholegrain bread and cereals, legumes like lentils and beans, and whole fruits. Unless they are vegan or vegetarian, they also include small amounts of lean meats, fish and some dairy products like milk or cheese in their diets. Healthwise, a predominantly plant-based diet has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. This is because plants are rich sources of many nutrients, which are important for good health. Plants provide us with vitamins, minerals, protein, fibres and healthy fats. According to the Farmers’ Union in Australia (2019), however, meat can also be a rich source of nutrients, providing protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B. But they agree that highly processed meats such as burgers contain a lot of saturated fat and salt, and have been linked to @ higher risk of heart disease and cancer, On the other hand, fish and white meat have been linked toa lower risk of these diseases. Environmentalists call for a global reduction in the amount of meat people eat for many reasons, not least to help reduce problems such ay a shortage of water for human consumption, biodiversity and ceosystem loss, and global warming. According to the Global Water and Waste Foundation (2019), approximately 2500 gallons of ‘water are needed to produce just one pound of beet. In contrast, it only takes about 25 gallons of water to produce one pound on wheat. The Foundation’s concern is that the water saved by not producing meat can help to feed the ever-increasing global population by producing more wheat and plant-based foods. This concern is supported by the Sustainable Food Organisation (2019). It is trying to raise awareness that breeding a lot of livestock results in a hugeamount of manure, which causes water and air pollution, and contributes to global warming due to the amount of gas produced. Unless there is more of 4 movement towards a vegan diet globally, the effects of climate will continue, including more frequent and extreme heat and droughts, rising sea levels and increased flooding. loss of biodiversity due to loss of habitat, longer and more damaging wildfires, and more destructive natural disasters like hurricanes.