Exactly what does becoming a vegan mean?
Veganism, an extreme kind of vegetarianism, is the individual course of action of avoiding the utilisation and consumption of all animal goods, including eggs, dairy and honey. The lifestyle usually also excludes those animal items that don’t require the demise of the animal, for instance wool, down and beauty products or chemical products tested on animals.
In comparison, the large majority of vegetarians simply do not buy garments made of leather, fur or any sort of animal product which requires the harming of the animal.
Veganism is a small, but thriving, movement. In 2007, 0.3% of the UK population named themselves vegans. A 2008 Harris Interactive study of 5,050 respondents found that “approximately 0.5%, or 1 million [Americans] are vegans, who consume no animal products at all.”
So what is the background of veganism?
The phrase “vegan” was created in England in 1944 by Donald Watson, co-founder of the British Vegan Society, to mean “non-dairy vegetarian”. The Vegan Society likewise was against the use of eggs as foodstuffs. This classification was subsequently extended (in 1951) to mean “the doctrine that man should live without exploiting animals”. Then, nearly a decade later, the American Vegan Society was established and was linked by its founder (H. Jay Dinshah) to the Jainist concept of ahimsa - the avoidance of violence against living things.
Having said that, the theory of flesh-avoidance can actually be tracked back to ancient Indian and eastern Mediterranean societies. In fact, vegetarianism is first talked about by the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras of Samos around 500 BCE!
Around the world, veganism is seen in different lights. In certain places, there is national and even legal support, such as in India and the United Kingdom, where food labelling is in place which can make it less difficult for vegans to find meals congruent with their eating plans.
Why do people become vegans?
Veganism is considered to be a logical extension of vegetarianism and centres around living a cruelty-free way of life. Of course, the considerations why people decide to live their lives as vegans are personal and various. For example, a large number of vegans decide on their lifestyle on account of dietary or health reasons. However, most often, veganism is an ethical decision. Such vegans strive to produce equity and freedom by eradication of their benefit from the exploitation that targets and oppresses animals. It’s also believed by some that veganism is much more ecologically sustainable than a food regimen sustained by animal products.
Health related reasons
Many vegans select their diet because they worry about the possible health issues linked to usage and consumption of animal products. As an illustration, the intake of animal fats and proteins has been linked with cardiovascular disease, intestinal tract and lung cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure and obesity. It’s also their opinion that, whilst cows’ milk includes ideal amounts of fat and protein for young calves, it is actually far too much for humans. Similarly, they keep away from eggs because they contain high levels of cholesterol, making them a contributor to heart related illnesses. In contrast, vegan foods, such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables and legumes tend to be low in fat, have low cholesterol levels and are usually rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Animal welfare
So-called “ethical vegans” refute the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any purpose, while dietary vegans or strict vegetarians eliminate them from their diet only.
Vegans feel that commercially-raised dairy cows and egg-laying chickens, whether factory-farmed or “free range”, are slaughtered once their production levels drop. It’s believed that these cows and chickens live their short lives caged, drugged, mutilated and deprived of their simplest freedoms.
Environmental considerations
It is thought by vegans that animal agriculture takes a heavy toll on the earth, being an inefficient means of making food. This is due to, for instance, feed for farm animals requires land, water, fertilizer and various resources that might otherwise have been applied directly for making human food.
Additionally it is suggested that animal agriculture’s requirement of greater yields boosts topsoil erosion on farmlands, rendering land less productive for crop cultivation, thus forcing the transformation of wilderness to grazing and farm lands. Additionally, it is likely that animal waste from massive feedlots and factory farms is a leading cause of pollution in our groundwater and rivers.
Animal agriculture has been connected to many other ecological complications, including contamination of aquatic ecosystems, soil and tap water by manure, pesticides and fertilizers; acid rain from ammonia emissions; greenhouse gas production and depletion of aquifers for irrigation.
Intelligent diet planning
In theory, vegans can have a well-balanced diet, including protein, from legumes (e.g. beans, tofu, etc) and grains (e.g., rice, corn, whole wheat breads and pastas); calcium from broccoli, kale, collard greens, tofu, fortified juices and soymilks; iron from chickpeas, spinach, pinto beans, and soy products; and B12 from fortified foods.
Having said that, the fact is, this can be more challenging than it sounds. For example, most people who are vegans also choose (or, due to an allergy or intolerance, need) to live gluten, wheat or sugar free. Yet another very common problem is that, quite often, vegans do not take in adequate calories or protein to maintain their weight. Unless their diets are well planned, it’s easy for them to grow to be deficient in any number of nutrients - not everyone likes beans!
Plant-based diet regimes thus cause particular problems that vegans should take into account. For instance, they generally have a particularly low intake of protein, calcium, iron, zinc and Omega-3 fatty acids. There are also particular nutrients (notably B12) that can be located principally in animal-based products or don’t seem to be absorbed as well in their plant form.
Consequently, if you are a vegan aiming to make sure you have a well-balanced diet, notwithstanding your lifestyle choice, what positive steps can be taken?
Well, dietary supplementation is a clear cut and obvious alternative. Nutrients-fortified meal replacement powders, protein powders and health supplements are all great ways to increase the nutritional content of a vegan diet and make certain that you are obtaining all of the protein, vitamins and minerals that you require on a regular basis.
Specialist Supplements Ltd has a brilliant and extensive range of products that are suitable for vegans, including organic superfood powder blends and organic superfood multivitamins. Take a look now and, specifically, don’t miss our dairy and gluten free meal replacement, MEALtime Protein Drink. MEALtime is a soya-based protein drink liquid meal high in good quality protein, complex carbohydrates and nutrients. This protein drink powder (with added psyllium husks for colon detoxification and cleansing), is the ideal solution for vegans planning to maintain ideal nutrient intake and high energy levels. Additionally, it is dairy and gluten free, which makes it appropriate for individuals with sensitive stomachs and people who have problems with coeliac disease and dairy allergies.
