Canada

There are loads of other benefits that come along with eating plants, but regarding protein source:

"Conclusions Higher intake of total protein was associated with a lower risk of all cause mortality, and intake of plant protein was associated with a lower risk of all cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. Replacement of foods high in animal protein with plant protein sources could be associated with longevity." SOURCE

"Conclusions and relevance: High animal protein intake was positively associated with cardiovascular mortality and high plant protein intake was inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, especially among individuals with at least 1 lifestyle risk factor. Substitution of plant protein for animal protein, especially that from processed red meat, was associated with lower mortality, suggesting the importance of protein source." SOURCE

Of course it matters, the protein part is the main thing keeping a lot of people not vegan.

Not really true. If you exclude those other factors, plant-based diets still come out on top. You should check out studies on the Seventh-Day Adventists like this one, as it's fascinating stuff!

There are simply too many harmful compounds in animal flesh which aren't compatible with health in humans.

But overall, plant-based is just better in every way: cost, land use, water use, climate change, health, longevity, chronic disease risk/prevention, food security, etc., etc., etc.

That is a half truth.

While it’s true that some vegans are health conscious, it is the because it’s the norm that the diet is healthier. A plant based diet still has lower risks even when you eat a lot of the junk food.

Also it is good for your health to limit your cigarette,alcohol, caffeine, sodium and sugar intake, the plant-based diet is shown to reduce your level of cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

I would argue that there are thousands of plant-based recipes out there you can learn to cook and you can also substitute your favourites with alternatives that taste just as good! Also meat, dairy and eggs make it way more complicated to keep your kitchen clean and increases the likelihood of cross-contamination.

Here are some substitutes for your common cooking ingredients:

https://www.foodnetwork.ca/article/vegan-baking-substitutes-guide/

Here is a good resource for recipes:

https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-menus-collections/healthy-vegan-recipes-totally-crave-worthy/

Also here if you’re still interested here is a 30 day challenge to keep you motivated to live healthier and more sustainable.

https://veganuary.com/

Let’s increase the life expectancy from 82 years to 88 years for all Canadians by using the lessons learned from Loma Linda as an inspiration.