Why You Should Consider Veganism?
Veganism is becoming increasingly popular recently. In the past few years, several celebrities have gone vegan, and a wealth of vegan products have appeared in stores.
However, you may still be curious about what this eating pattern involves — and what you can and can’t eat on a vegan diet.
This post tells you everything you need to know about veganism.
What Is Veganism?
Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, clothing, animals for food, or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.
Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes dairy products, meat, eggs, and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. Vegan refers to either a person who follows this way of eating or to the diet itself. That is, the word vegan can be an adjective used to describe a food item, as in, This curry is vegan, or, it can be used as a noun, as in, Vegans like cookies, too.
History of Vegan
Although the vegan diet was defined early on in The Vegan Society's beginnings in 1944, it was as late as 1949 before Leslie J Cross pointed out that the society lacked a definition of veganism. He suggested The principle of the emancipation of animals from exploitation by man. This is later clarified as “to seek an end to the use of animals by man for food, work, commodities, hunting, vivisection, and by all other uses involving exploitation of animal life by man.
The society was first registered as a charity in August 1964 but its assets were later transferred to a new charity when it also became a limited company in December 1979. The definition of veganism and the charitable objects of the society were amended and refined over the years. By winter 1988 the current definition was in use - although the phrasing has changed slightly over the years.
Types of Vegans
There are lots of ways to be vegan, and deciding how you want to handle your diet can have a big impact on your overall health and well-being.
1. Dietary Vegans
A dietary vegan doesn’t consume any animal products or by-products but might use products that contain them. For instance, shearing sheep for wool isn’t nearly as barbaric as slaughtering innocent animals for their meat.
You have to consider that using animal by-products, such as wool, can be detrimental to the animal. Sheep, alpacas, and other similar animals grow fur for a reason. Their wool keeps them warm and helps regulate their body temperatures. And like in most cases of using animals to produce anything, the animals’ welfare is not the main concern for the producers, as seen in yet another expose of the industry in the UK in 2018.
2. Raw-Food Vegans
A raw-food vegan doesn’t cook any of his or her food. These vegans typically sustain themselves on raw veggies, salads, whole fruits, and nuts and legumes.
Eating raw is something of a fad these days, though some people try 30-day experiments with it. You can try it if you want. Eating raw limits your diet substantially, though, and might cause some digestive upset due to the high fiber content. The upside is that after this diet, any other vegan diet will be like a walk in the park.
3.Whole-Food Vegans
A whole-food vegan doesn’t eat any processed foods. No Boca Burgers or vegan frozen meals for them. Instead, they fill their plates with vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and legumes. This type of diet can lead to numerous health benefits, including weight loss, better digestive function, improved energy, and reduced risk for certain diseases.
4. Low-Fat Vegans
A low-fat vegan focuses on reducing fat intake. They would cut down on olive oil, for instance, because of its extraordinarily high-fat content. They also avoid high-fat vegetables and fruits, such as avocados, and steer clear of nuts, chia seeds, nut butters, and the like.
We need body fat to survive. Without it, our bodies lack sufficient energy resources. There’s nothing wrong with a low-fat diet, but it’s not a good idea to deprive yourself of all healthy fats.
While we’re describing these different permutations of the vegan diet, remember that you don’t have to follow any strict rules. Create your own version of veganism that works for your body, your palate – and the animals and the planet.
5. Junk-Food Vegans
There are lots of unhealthy foods that fall under the vegan umbrella:
Vegan cookies and other desserts (like vegan donuts)
Bread
Chips
Vegan donuts (yes, again, because donuts)
Foods fried in peanut or vegetable oil
Frozen Vegan Meals
You see where we’re going with this. There’s nothing wrong with eating what you want, but remember that your body deserves good nutrition. Donuts may not be it sometimes.
What is the Difference between Veganism and Vegetarianism?
Vegans and vegetarians choose not to eat meat. Veganism is stricter and also prohibits eggs, dairy, honey, and any other items that derive from animal products, such as leather and silk.
vegetarians are people who do not eat the products or byproducts of animal slaughter.
Vegetarians do not consume:
poultry, such as chicken, turkey, and duck
fish and shellfish
rennet, gelatin, and other types of animal protein
meat, such as beef, pork, and game
stock or fats that derive from animal slaughter
Many vegetarians do consume byproducts that do not involve the slaughter of animals. These include:
- eggs
-dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
- honey
Vegetarians typically consume a range of fruits, seeds, nuts, vegetables, grains, and pulses, as well as meat substitutes that derive from these food types.
Vegetarianism is generally less strict than veganism, so there are several well-known variations of the vegetarian diet. These include:
Ovo-vegetarian. Individuals following this diet do not eat any meat, fish, or dairy products but do consume eggs.
Lacto-vegetarian. People on this diet do not eat any meat, fish, or eggs but do consume dairy products.
Pescatarian. Those who follow this diet avoid all meats expect fish and other types of seafood.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian. People who follow this diet avoid all types of meat and fish but do consume dairy products and eggs.
However, this does not meet the traditional definition of vegetarianism, and many people refer to the pescatarian diet as being semi-vegetarian or flexitarian.
Health Benefits of Being Vegan
Research show that vegans have better heart health and lower odds of having certain diseases. Those who skip meat have less of a chance of becoming obese or getting heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Vegans are also less likely to get diabetes and some kinds of cancer, especially cancers of the GI tract and the breast, ovaries, and uterus in women.
Going vegan might even help you live longer, especially if you also cut down on your daily calories. Here are the list of benefit:
1. Eating vegan helps reduce our risk of suffering from cancer and other diseases.
A recent study suggests that eating vegan can help reduce our risk for disease, as plant-based foods are packed with phytochemicals – including the powerful antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. Researchers found that vegans had higher concentrations of antioxidant carotenoids, a higher proportion of total omega-3 fatty acids, and lower levels of saturated fatty acids than non-vegans, all of which are linked to positive health outcomes.
An 11-year German study involving more than 800 vegetarian men also found that their cancer rates were less than half those of the general public.
2. Vegan foods are rich in the nutrients your body needs.
You can get all the nutrients you need from a healthy, balanced vegan diet rich in wholefoods including fruits, vegetables, pulses, grains, nuts, and seeds. Several studies have reported that people who eat vegan tend to consume more fibre, antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E.
3. Vegan food can boost your mood.
It’s a given that following a compassionate lifestyle that avoids harming animals will give you a clearer conscience, and studies show that vegans may actually be happier than meat-eaters. In fact, vegans and vegetarians had better scores on depression tests and mood profiles than those who ate fish and meat.
4. It can help prevent type 2 diabetes.
Research has shown that people who eat vegan tend to have lower blood sugar levels than non-vegans and may reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 78%. Consuming plenty of healthy plant-based foods can also help mitigate the risk factors associated with developing diabetes, such as obesity.
5. Eating vegan can help you achieve a healthy body weight.
Vegan foods tend to be lower in calories than animal-derived ones, making it easier to achieve a healthy body weight without actively focusing on cutting calories. Most vegan foods contain significantly less saturated fat than animal “products” do, and many studies have shown that vegans tend to have lower body mass indexes than non-vegans.
6. Eating vegan can reduce the pain of arthritis.
Studies have shown that a diet high in healthy vegan foods can help reduce the symptoms of arthritis, since consuming animal-derived foods is linked to pain-causing inflammation. Eating probiotic plant-based foods such as fermented vegetables and non-dairy yogurts with live cultures can boost the good bacteria in the large intestine, also helping to boost nutrient absorption and reduce inflammation.
7. Your skin may benefit, too.
Who doesn’t want a glowing complexion? When it comes to skin issues, one of the worst culprits is dairy – multiple studies have shown that dairy consumption exacerbates acne in both men and women. Aside from ditching dairy, vegans typically eat more fruit and vegetables, which means they get more of the good stuff that’s needed for healthy skin, such as antioxidants and vitamins.
Last Words
While there are a variety of reasons for adopting a vegan diet, health reasons are attracting a lot of scientific focus. Vegans tend to be thinner, have lower cholesterol, and have lower blood pressure, and there is some evidence there are additional health benefits that can lead to longer life expectancy.
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