Have you considered switching to a vegan diet, and then decided against it because you weren’t exactly sure of why or how to even go vegan?

With so many diet fads and meal plans available, it can be hard to decide which option is right for you.

But there are several benefits to living a vegan lifestyle so it’s definitely something to reconsider - and here's why.

It used to be difficult to find vegan food options for a long time, especially while dining out. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case.

For a long time, vegans had to piece together their own meals when dining out by ordering several different side dishes.

Now, many restaurants have vegan options on the menu and it’s a lot easier to find vegan restaurants.

As vegan dishes continue to become more and more accessible, maintaining a vegan lifestyle only becomes easier.

So, for example, looking for vegan meals or all-vegan restaurants in your local area isn’t as stressful as it once was.

Love comfort foods? Vegan burgers are everywhere in the world. 

As more people choose a vegan lifestyle, more options for support become available. Now there are several groups devoted to being vegan-ish.

These groups are non-judgemental options for those looking for advice during the transition period or people who are interested in making as many vegan choices as possible without completely adapting to the lifestyle.

This type of support helps educate others on the importance of a vegan lifestyle without putting a lot of pressure on members.

Because of this, there’s no better time to go vegan than right now.

If you’re lugging around a few extra pounds, a vegan diet may help you shed them. Studies show vegans tend to be thinner than non-vegans, and one study showed that participants following a vegan diet lost more weight than those following a calorie-restricted diet.

Because vegan participants weren’t counting calories, they could eat until they felt full, which made the diet easier to adhere to.

Heart disease is a leading cause of death for both men and women.

Eating a healthy plant-based diet can help lower your cholesterol levels which, in turn, helps limit the amount of plaque buildup in your heart.

And a vegan diet actually helps lower cholesterol significantly.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, "a low-fat vegetarian diet reduced LDL (bad cholesterol) levels by an average of 16%, but a high-nutrient vegan diet reduced LDL levels by an average of 33%."

Of course, the biggest benefit of going vegan is that you aren’t contributing to the slaughtering of innocent animals.

Ethical vegans believe that all creatures have the right to a free life.

They are opposed to any psychological and physical pain put on animals bred for slaughter, so living a vegan lifestyle helps them remain true to their beliefs.

Whether you’re interested in veganism for health, the environment, or animals - living a vegan lifestyle allows you to do your part.

Going vegan isn’t always easy, but there aren’t many healthy lifestyle changes that are.

If you decide to make the change, there’s no better time to start than right now!