Veganism has gained increasing popularity in the past few years.
Many celebrities have started adhering to this diet, and a lot of vegan products have been made available in the market as well.
You may be entertaining the idea of eating vegan that’s why you’re here. So let’s talk about the things you need to know about veganism.
Veganism definition
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from eating meat, eggs, dairy, or any other products of animal origin.
It discourages all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty for whatever purpose, be it for food or clothing.
Types of vegans
There are several types of vegans.
Low-fat, raw-food vegans. Also known as fruitarians, this group focuses on fruits and limits high-fat foods, including coconuts, avocados, and nuts. It allows eating small amounts of other plants occasionally though.
Whole-food vegans. This group focuses on whole foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, and nuts.
Junk-food vegans. Some people are also into processed vegan foods, such as frozen dinners, vegan meats, fries, and desserts like non-dairy ice cream.
Raw-food vegans. These people only consume foods that are cooked at temperatures below 118°F (48°C) or totally raw.
Dietary vegans. This term is often used interchangeably with “plant-based eaters,” but this actually refers to individuals who don’t eat animal products but still continue to use products of animal origin like cosmetics, bags, and clothing.
Why do people go vegan?
People choose to go vegan because of the following reasons.
Ethics
Ethical vegans almost always have emotional attachments with animals because they strongly believe that all creatures have the right to life and freedom.
They don’t want to end an animal’s life simply to consume its flesh or wear its skin, especially because there are alternatives available.
They are also opposed to modern farming practices that can cause physical and psychological stress to animals.
Most of them speak out against the practices of the modern farming industry, such as the force-feeding of geese and ducks for the foie gras market.
To demonstrate their opposition, vegan athletes, vegan celebrities, or anyone who is vegan actually may raise awareness, protest, and choose products that don’t include animal agriculture.
Environment
Some vegans follow veganism because they are passionate about protecting the animal agriculture environment.
Aside from the fact that animal-derived products require more resources, they also cause higher greenhouse gas emissions as compared with plant-based options.
For example, animal agriculture contributes to 9% of carbon dioxide emissions, 5–40% of methane emissions, and 65% of global nitrous oxide emissions – the three main greenhouse gasses involved in climate change.
Plus, animal agriculture also requires massive amounts of water, and it can lead to deforestation when forested areas are burned for this purpose.
Health
Veganism offers potential health benefits.
For instance, a plant-based diet may help reduce your risk of certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Reducing your intake of animal products may also reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Going vegan also helps you avoid the side effects associated with the hormones and antibiotics used in modern animal agriculture.
What’s more, vegan diets have been consistently linked to reduced body weight and body mass index. Thus, some vegans aim to lose weight.
Foods to avoid
Foods that vegans don’t eat include, but are not limited to, the following:
- fish
- shellfish
- chicken
- meat
- eggs
- honey
- dairy
Vegans also exclude foods and beverages with animal-derived ingredients, including whey, gelatin, shellac, pepsin, casein, carmine, isinglass, and albumin.
These ingredients are often found in some types of beer and wine, breakfast cereals, marshmallows, chewing gum, and gummy candies.
Foods to eat
Excluding animal products in your diet doesn’t limit your options to tofu and veggies.
In fact, there are a lot of common vegan dishes, including hummus wraps, pasta dishes, sandwiches, smoothies, tomato pizzas, veggie burgers, bean burritos, and nachos with salsa.
Meat-based menus can be replaced with meals containing any of the following protein sources:
- tempeh
- tofu
- seitan
- beans
- lentils
- nuts
- seeds
Dairy product alternatives can include plant milks, scrambled eggs with scrambled tofu, raw eggs with flax or chia seeds, and honey with plant-based sweeteners like maple syrup or molasses.
Vegans also tend to consume a wide range of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains.
What’s more, there are also a number of ready-made vegan products, such as vegan meats, vegan cheeses, fortified plant milk, and desserts. However, take note that these products are highly processed and may contain oils, additives, and other artificial ingredients.
The Takeaway
Vegans are people who avoid products of animal origin for ethical, environmental, or health reasons.
Instead, they focus on plant foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, and other products of plant origin.
Veganism is basically a practice that values animal lives.
Shifting to veganism isn’t that much of a challenge, but you might want to consider taking supplements to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs.
