Whenever I tell people that I’m a vegan (which, contrary to stereotypes, is not something I bring up every three minutes), I am often met with a chorus of questions, the most common of which is “Why?” The majority of people find the idea of giving up meat and all dairy products to be puzzling, especially since the society in which we live is heavy on packing meat and cheese in every meal. However, I have my reasons that motivate me, and since I’m asked them so frequently, I thought I’d share.

First, if I’m being completely honest, I wasn’t in love with meat in the first place. Growing up, I only really ate chicken fingers and turkey sandwiches. And yes, I did go to fancy steakhouses and try their dishes. I just wasn’t a fan. I much preferred the side of broccoli the filet came with, even in third grade. I grew up with a vegetarian mother, so I was exposed to the vegetarian lifestyle earlier on in life than most. And I was attracted to it. I always saw the benefit in going vegetarian, because I was a huge animal lover, but for the longest time I couldn’t give up dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets. However, once I got over my need for prehistoric shaped meat in the fifth grade, I was able to go full vegetarian. Going vegan was harder. So much harder. Because I have a huge sweet tooth. For those who may not be fully aware, vegetarianism is when you simply give up meat. Veganism is giving up all meat and animal byproducts. So no cheese, which means no pizza. No ice cream, no milk, no butter, no eggs, nothing with egg or butter or milk baked into it. Which means no brownies, no cakes, no muffins, etc. I will be honest, though. I still eat donuts. Because I’m obsessed and a 24-hour donut place just opened up in my neighborhood and I have no self-control. But I’m working on it!

Second, there are amazing health benefits. You are left with an abundance of energy, eating gives you energy rather than leaving you feeling sluggish, and it’s great for your heart. Cholesterol and blood pressure rates reduce, and it combats your potential of developing multiple forms of cancer and other diseases, such as type-2 diabetes. Studies show that individuals following a vegan diet live, on average, three to six years longer than those following a meat-based diet.

Another huge reason I’m vegan is my morals. Cows and pigs and chickens are herded into cramped cages on factory farms, forced to live on top of one another, rotting away in their waste. Often, cows are restrained by heavy chains tied around their necks and chickens are cooped up in cages no bigger than an average sheet of paper. Most of the animals are kept in dark rooms and will even suffer from forced anemia. Uneven, dirty flooring results in leg and/or foot deformities, especially prevalent in hogs. Mercy for Animals went undercover and discovered that baby chickens who were of no egg-laying use to the buyers (i.e. male chicks) were put on a conveyor belt and sent directly to a grinder.

However, the main reason that I am a vegan is quite simple. It’s not that I love animals, though I do. It’s because I hate plants and want to seem them die.