Veganism, which was formerly considered a specialist diet, has gone popular, with the number of individuals adopting a vegan diet increasing by 350 percent in the past decade, according to a U.K. study. (1)
Veganism is defined as a style of life in which individuals avoid all sorts of animal exploitation and suffering as much as possible.
A vegan diet may seem difficult or unduly restricted at first look. Many of my customers who are thinking about being vegan are concerned about finding adequate vegan substitutes for their favorite meals.
However, most people discover that after they’ve mastered a few fundamentals, the adjustment is far easier than they anticipated.
As someone who follows a plant-based diet, I’ve witnessed an increase in vegan alternatives on grocery shelves and restaurant menus in the last several years.
I’ve even discovered a vegan version of pastel de nata, one of my all-time favorite sweets.
In this essay, I’ll define veganism and give some basic information on items to eat and avoid on a vegan diet.
What exactly is veganism?
The word “vegan” was invented in 1944 by a small group of vegetarians who split off from the Leicester Vegetarian Society in England to establish the Vegan Society.
In addition to not eating meat, they elected not to consume dairy, eggs, or any other animal-derived items. (2)
The term “vegan” was created by combining the first and final letters of the word “vegetarian.” The original definition of veganism was published in 1949. It has evolved somewhat through time to become what it is now.
Veganism is defined as “a philosophy and way of life that tries to eliminate — as far as is feasible and practical — all kinds of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other reason.”
Many individuals use the word “vegan” to refer only to one’s diet. However, according to this new definition, veganism goes beyond eating a plant-based diet.
Vegans often strive to avoid animal exploitation or suffering in all parts of their life, including the clothing they wear, the cosmetics they use, and the leisure activities they engage in. (3)
As a consequence, many vegans steer clear of wool clothing, leather furnishings, and down pillows and comforters. They may also choose to visit animal sanctuaries rather than zoos, circuses, or animal petting farms. (4)
What motivates individuals to go vegan?
People often reject animal products for one or more of the reasons listed below.
Ethics
Ethical vegans firmly believe that all species have the right to life and freedom.
They consider all animals to be aware creatures that, like humans, want to escape pain and suffering. (5)
As a result, ethical vegans are opposed to killing an animal to eat its meat or wear its fur or skin.
Vegans are also opposed to the psychological and physical hardship that animals may experience as a consequence of current agricultural techniques, such as the tiny pens or cages in which animals usually dwell and seldom leave between birth and killing. (6, 7)
This emotion, however, goes beyond the brutality of current agricultural techniques for ethical vegans.
This is due to vegans’ opposition to eating items that largely depend on slaughtering other animals, particularly when alternatives are available.
This involves the killing of excess calves in the dairy business, as well as the culling of 1-day-old male chicks in egg production. (8)
Furthermore, ethical vegans often feel that humans should not exploit animals’ milk, eggs, honey, milk, and wool, regardless of the living circumstances provided to the exploited animals.
This is why ethical vegans refuse to consume an animal’s milk, eat its eggs, or wear its wool, even if the animals are free-roaming or pasture-fed.
Health
Some individuals opt for a vegan diet because of the possible health advantages.
Meat-heavy diets, particularly red meat, have been related to cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
On the other hand, plant-based diets have been associated with a decreased risk of acquiring or dying from these illnesses. (9, 10)
Reduce your consumption of animal products in favor of more plant-based choices to enhance digestion and lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. (11, 12)
A vegan diet may also assist to reduce the negative effects of antibiotics and hormones used in contemporary animal agriculture.
Finally, vegan diets tend to be particularly efficient in assisting people in losing excess weight. Several studies have linked a vegan diet to a decreased risk of obesity. (13, 14)
However, if you follow a vegan diet, you may receive fewer nutrients. That is why preparation is essential.
Consider consulting a healthcare expert, such as a doctor or certified dietitian, to help you develop a vegan diet that will provide you with the nutrients you need.
Vegan diets are often deficient in the following nutrients:
- vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Iodine
- Selenium
Vegans may take supplements to supplement nutrients that they may not receive enough of through their diet.
Environment
People may also opt to forgo using animal products to reduce their environmental effects.
According to current statistics, animal husbandry contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs), which cause climate change.
Meat eaters are responsible for 2–2.5 times the amount of GHGEs as vegans. This figure is based on self-reported eating trends in the United Kingdom.
Ruminant animals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats, seem to produce the most greenhouse emissions per gram of protein. As a result, diets that restrict or eliminate dairy create much fewer GHGEs.
According to one research, a vegetarian diet generates 33% fewer GHGEs than a meat-containing conventional American diet with the same number of calories.
A vegan diet has an even lower environmental effect, generating around 53% fewer GHGEs than a calorie-matched meat-containing diet (20).
A huge amount of the plant protein generated today is utilized to feed animals rather than people. As a result, producing an animal-heavy diet necessitates the use of more earth’s resources than producing a plant-based one.
For example, generating animal protein requires 6–17 times the land needed to produce the same quantity of soybean protein.
Animal protein also needs 2–3 times the amount of water, depending on seasonal and yearly rainfall changes. (15)
Because of all of these variables, scientists predict that, if nothing changes, our food system will likely outstrip our planet’s resources by 2050. Switching to a vegan diet might be one strategy to postpone this consequence. (16)
Types of veganism
It is crucial to realize that being vegan does not always imply being healthy.
The quality of a vegan diet is determined by the foods that comprise it. As a result, certain vegan diets may provide several health advantages, while others may not.
Here are a few vegan diet subcategories that I’ve seen in my clinical practice over the past several years:
- Vegans on a diet. This phrase, which is sometimes used interchangeably with “plant-based eaters,” refers to those who eschew eating animal products yet continue to utilize them in other things such as clothes and cosmetics.
- Vegans who eat only whole foods. These people choose a diet high in whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
- Vegan “junk-food” eaters Some individuals consume a lot of manufactured vegan meals, including vegan meats, fries, prepackaged dinners, and sweets like Oreo cookies and nondairy ice cream.
- Vegans who eat only raw foods. This group consumes exclusively raw or cooked meals at temperatures less than 118°F (48°C).
- Vegans who eat low fat raw-foods. This subcategory, often known as fruitarians, avoids high-fat foods, including almonds, avocados, and coconuts, in favor of fruit. They may consume modest quantities of other plants on occasion.
Whole-food vegan diets provide a lot of health advantages. If you want to attempt a vegan diet, consult with a healthcare practitioner to identify the best diet for you.
What exactly do vegans eat?
Here are some crucial foods that vegans prefer to consume and avoid.
Vegans’ Favorite Foods
Avoiding animal products does not limit you to eating just salads and tofu. A vegan diet allows you to enjoy a broad range of delectable items.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Beans, peas, and lentils: red, brown, or green lentils; chickpeas; split peas; black-eyed peas; black beans; white beans; and kidney beans
- Soy goods, such as fortified soy milk and soybeans, and items produced from them, such as tofu, tempeh, and natto.
- Nuts such as peanuts, almonds, and cashews, as well as their butter
- Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and their butter, as well as flaxseed, hemp seeds, and chia seeds, are examples of seeds.
- Whole grains: These include quinoa, whole wheat, whole oats, and whole grain brown or wild rice, as well as items manufactured from these grains, such as whole grain bread, crackers, and pasta.
- Potatoes, sweet potatoes, maize, squash, beets, and turnips are examples of starchy vegetables.
- Broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, radishes, and leafy greens are nonstarchy vegetables that may be eaten fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or pureed.
- Fruits including apples, pears, bananas, berries, mango, pineapple, oranges, and tangerines may be bought fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or pureed.
- Algae, nutritional yeast, fortified plant milk and yogurts, and maple syrup are plant-based foods.
Many of the recipes you already like are either vegan or can be turned vegan with a few easy changes.
You may, for example, replace meat-based main courses with meals that include beans, peas, lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts, or seeds.
Furthermore, you may substitute plant milk for dairy items, scrambled eggs for tofu, honey for plant-based sweeteners like molasses or maple syrup, and raw eggs for flaxseed or chia seeds.
You may also pick from an ever-expanding range of ready-made vegan items, such as vegan meats, vegan cheeses, and vegan sweets.
Keep in mind that they may have been heavily processed. So, although they are OK in moderation, they should not constitute the majority of a balanced vegan diet.
Vegans should avoid the following foods
Vegans abstain from all animal-derived foods. These are some examples:
- Beef, chicken, duck, fish, and shellfish are examples of meat and fish.
- Whole eggs and items containing them, such as bakery goods
- Dairy products include milk, cheese, butter, and cream, and dishes created with these components.
- Honey, albumin, casein, carmine, gelatin, pepsin, shellac, isinglass, and whey are examples of animal-derived components.
Reading food labels is the best approach to discovering whether a product includes animal-derived substances. Many vegan items are now labeled as such, making it easy to identify them while shopping.
The Bottom Line
Vegans often abstain from animal products for ethical, health, environmental reasons, or a combination of the three.
On a vegan diet, you’ll most likely replace meat, eggs, and dairy with a plethora of plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fortified goods created from these foods.
Transitioning to a vegan diet is less difficult than most people believe. However, it does need some extra dietary expertise.
So, if you’re thinking about making a move, consult a certified dietitian specializing in plant-based diets to ensure you’ve got the fundamentals covered.
Depending on your expertise, finances, and cooking talents, you may also consider taking specific supplements to ensure your body receives all the nutrients it requires.
0 Comments