The Vegan Society defines veganism as, “A way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.”
Veganism can come in many different form, including raw food diet vegans, but all vegans eat a plant-based diet and do not eat any animal-based foods such as meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, insects, dairy, eggs and honey.
Many also avoid any foods with yeast in them in order to avoid exploiting these living creatures, which are used for bread, beer and other fermented foods.’
Most people focus on what vegans eat, but veganism is about more than just food. Vegans also avoid animal-derived products such as leather and natural-bristle hair brushes, fur, and various cosmetics like mascara (made from ground up chicken feathers) and lipstick (often derived from crushed insects).
In terms of cosmetics and personal care products, a vegan will also not use any products that are tested on animals. They don’t support circuses, zoos, or any places that animals are kept for entertainment rather than conservation.
They also don’t support any charities that are not ‘green’ or use animals in testing. They do not support pharmaceutical companies that test on animals and try to avoid pills that are made up of gelatin or lactose, both of which are derived from cows.
Vegans who invest, such as in 401ks, will often hold a ‘green portfolio’ of environmentally friends stocks and shares.
What Do Vegans Eat?
But as soon as people hear the word vegan, they wonder what that person can eat. The answer is quite a lot. A plant-based diet is rich in nutrients and there are many fruits, vegetables, gains, nuts and seed that are delicious and can give all of the nutrients a vegan needs if they plan their menus carefully.
There are also vegan alternatives to many popular foods, such as soy yogurt, cheese and milk, or nut-based ones like almond or cashew milk, or hemp or rice milk for those who are allergic to nuts.
Vegans get their protein from beans, nuts, seed and legumes, such as lentils. For sweetening, they might use agave nectar from a cactus instead of honey, or stevia (a South American plant) instead of honey or white sugar.
Veganism can be a bit challenging at first, but doing your research will make it a lot easier to live a better life free of any animal products or exploitation.
