http://www.care2.com/greenliving/whats-a-vegan-diet.html
What’s a Vegan Diet?
When I was 13, I decided to give up poultry and red meat. Although I knew it was because I’d just as soon take a bite out of my own arm, my mom (in a chidingly loving way) claimed it was because I was lazy and didn’t like to chew. (Explain salt water taffy and caramels then, ha, I protested!) Everyone called me a vegetarian, but that confused me because I still ate fish and eggs–and those weren’t vegetables. Vegan, vegetarian, lacto-ovo, raw foodist, fruitarian–what’s it all mean? Is a vegetarian a vegan? Is a vegan a vegetarian?
I decided to get to the meat of the matter with the granddaddy of vegetarian groups, The Vegetarian Society, a British organization founded in 1847 to advance the vegetarian movement. According to the society’s definition, a vegetarian is someone “living on a diet of grains, pulses (for non-British readers, that would be legumes–not heart rates), nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with or without the use of dairy products and eggs. A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products.”
Within the broader category there are a number of sub-classifications.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: Eats both dairy products and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian diet.
Lacto-vegetarian: Eats dairy products but not eggs.
Raw Foodist: Eats 75 percent of their food not heated above 116F degrees. Often vegan, but not always.
Fruitarian: Eats only raw fruit, including raw nuts and seeds.
Vegan. Does not eat dairy products, eggs, or any other animal product.
So in a nutshell, a vegetarian diet excludes flesh, but includes other animal products: A vegan diet is one that excludes all animal products. And I have to say that I have met very few vegans who stop with what they put in their mouths. Most people who adhere to a vegan diet are committed to a vegan lifestyle. This means they do not use anything made with animal products: Down, silk, honey, wool, leather, fur, as well as any products tested on animals.
One of the first arguments against a vegan diet is one of nutrition–many people assume the body can only get enough protein, calcium and other minerals through the consumption of animal products. But with a little consideration and a bit of knowledge, nutritional needs can be met without eating meat. Protein requirements can be met with nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, cereals, and soy products. Leafy greens, nuts and seeds, dried fruits and bread provide high amounts of calcium. Iron can be found in leafy greens, wholemeal bread, molasses, dried fruits (especially apricots and figs), lentils and legumes.
People gravitate to veganism for various reasons; but its popularity stems from three main reasons–number one being love and respect for animals. Animals raised on factory farms endure horrific living conditions, and most vegans believe that even animals raised with “free-range” and “organic” classifications still suffer. Another reason that people follow a vegan diet has to do with environmental concerns. Take this fact, for example: The world’s cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people–more than the entire human population on Earth. If we stop feeding all our land’s output to farmed animals, there will be more food for humans to eat. Lastly, some people become vegan for health reasons.
For all of these reasons, veganism is a strong movement and continues to increase in popularity. With increased awareness about the environment and animal welfare, it looks like it is a movement poised for continued growth. If you are interested in reading more about transitioning to a vegan diet, visit Vegan Action or Go Veg.
Interested in some of Care2’s most popular vegan recipes? Try:
A Vegan Burger to Love
Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
10 Favorite Vegan Recipes
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51 comments
add your comment »To Jennifer R.: You´re actually talking about leather and animal products... the nasty stuff that has to be used to make animal skin of any kind 'wearable', is more harming to the environment and to people's health than you could ever imagine. Don´t forget that anything that comes from animals' bodies, including animal skin (leather, suede, fur...) is organic matter (organic in the sense that it decomposes, not the sense we´re used to, like "organic food"), hence, as matter that decomposes, it needs to be treated with loads of extremely toxic and harmful chemicals to stop it from rotting. All these chemicals end up in our rivers and seas, and add yet more pollution, pollution of the worst kind, while at the same time harming the health of the workers who use them. Nasty stuff.
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** organic milk products, I meant to write.
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I'm a little late, but I just stumbled onto this article. Chandra: You are not a vegan if you drink organic milk and eat free-range eggs. That would label you as an ovo-lacto vegetarian. But since you eat fish, the term you are looking for is "pescetarian."
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I do not drink milk, eat eggs, or farm animals (pig, cow, chickens, ect.) BUT. I do eat seafood, organic milk products and free ranged eggs. I do label myself as vegan just to make it simple when I'm eating out with others, then I'm called a hypocrite when I order some salmon. Is there a term for a "vegan" who eats seafood?
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for other vegan products vist the online vegan shop here at care2 http://my.care2.com/veganstuff
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Vegan clothing products often DON'T contain toxic petroleum-derived chemicals.
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Vegan clothing products often contain toxic petroleum-derived chemicals, like PVC, which endanger the owner as well as anyone exposed to the runoff from the trash heap where they end up. And also, the production of the oil used to make them produces a lot of pollution, which endangers marine organisms. Isn't this a bit ironic?
I would have to be a raw vegan if I were a vegan, as I am allergic and/or intolerant to almonds, soy and gluten.
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Thank you for this informative article! I just printed the bean patty recipe (NOT veggie burger!) and ordered a vegan cookbook, for although we eat no mammals or birds, Alaskan wild salmon, and fresh Florida fish and shrimp are staples around this house. I have been concerned about too much soy, so with some new recipes to try, I know we can come closer to vegan. It was heartening to learn, though, that wine and some chocolate are OK on a vegan diet!
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A vegan diet is superior, not inferior, as all vegans should clearly know. There is so much negativity ( so called intelligent friends who say - where do you get your protein from, for example. We know that plant foods - wholegrains, nuts and pulses are the best possible protein foods - not murdered deseased animal flesh) and even hostility ( chefs are a fine example - I don't eat out much but in my bad experiences - and I dont want anything 'special' as I dont want to feel' different'- have come to the conclusion that most probably have mad cow disease) so eating out is often a negative experience. What effort would it be to make some veggies and potato or evan a curry as a course suitable for all? Im so sick of there being a choice of 3 for vegetarians at the bottom of the list, all including dairy cheese. So unimaginitive!
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My two cats are vegan too. I bake their kibbles with KibbleMix, which you can get from
http://vegepet.com/
No need to worry about lack of taurine with this KibbleMix. Many people believe that cats cannot become vegetarians and it is wrong to impose your own ideal to your pets. But if we think about it, we are not feeding our pets their natural food. The kibbles we get from pet food stores are far from healthy. In fact, my older cat's health has improved tremendously after switching her diet.
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