By Renée Onque

Copyright cnbc

Goodall cited her main reasons for shifting to a plant-based diet as not wanting to support factory farms and the damage done to the environment by meat production. She encouraged readers of her essay to cut meat out of their diets for the same reasons.

The production of meat “contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and other markers that could adversely affect planetary health,” Maya Vadiveloo, an associate professor in the department of nutrition at the University of Rhode Island, told CNBC Make It last year.

Goodall also saw improvements to her health when she went plant-based. “When I stopped eating meat I immediately felt better, lighter,” she said.

Cutting red meat out of your diet can lead to better health outcomes like a lower chance of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to Harvard Health Publishing. People who eat large amounts of red meat may also have a greater risk of dying at a younger age, researchers found.

“I didnʼt become vegan just because of my health. I became vegan for ethical reasons,” Goodall told The National in January.

“Iʼm vegan for the environment.”

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