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A vegan (noun) is a person who adopts veganism as a way of life.
Veganism is defined in the following quote from the Memorandum of Association, the British Vegan Society (2004) :
"The word 'veganism' denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude — as far as is possible and practical — all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment.
In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."
Vegan is also as an adjective to describe people (one who avoids all animal products), diets (plant-based), food (containing no animal products), and products (containing no animal products and not animal tested).
The word vegan (pronounced vee-gun, but less commonly as vay-gun) was originally derived from vegetarian in 1944 when Elsie Shrigley and Donald Watson founded the UK Vegan Society. The word starts and ends with the first three and last two letters of vegetarian, representing that veganism begins with vegetarianism and then takes it to its logical conclusion. Therefore the term vegan was originally coined to differentiate those vegetarians who (primarily for ethical or environmental reasons) sought to eliminate all animal products in all areas of their lives from those who simply avoided eating meat.
Those who are vegans for ethical reasons today generally oppose the violence and cruelty they see as involved in the (non-vegan) food, clothing and other industries. By extension cruelty and exploitation are avoided in all human activities and relationships between people as well as with animals. Animal products such as leather, silk or wool are avoided. Soap must be of vegetable oil instead of animal. Toothpaste and hair product etc. must not be tested by animal experiments such as the Draize or the LD50 tests.
Overview
Veganism (as a diet) is thus a stricter form of vegetarianism and is an expansion of vegetarian ideals. Some vegans insist on organically grown fruits and vegetables. The term used is "veganic". Some vegans will only eat raw fruits and choose to avoid damaging the plant from which the fruit comes. The term for this is "fruitarian".
That the vegan movement has distanced itself, over the years, from the simple dietary practice of vegetarians is evidenced in British supermarkets such as Sainsbury's, Tesco and the Co-op by the numerous products which are marked either "suitable for vegetarians" or "suitable for vegetarians and vegans" - clearly giving mainstream acceptance to the difference between the two systems. For instance, the Co-op supermarket has a website where customers can learn more about these two philosophies dietary requirements).
Other goals may include polyculture and other means of sustainable agriculture. Some vegans see this as part and parcel of their veganism.
Animal products include all forms of meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy products, fur, leather, wool, silk, and byproducts such as gelatin, rennet, whey, and the like. The Vegan Society and most vegans include insect products such as honey and beeswax in their definition as well. There is some debate on the finer points of what constitutes an animal product; some vegans avoid cane sugar that has been filtered with bone char and some won't drink beers and wines clarified with egg whites, animal blood (this is exceedingly rare today), or isinglass (even though they are not present in the final product). Further, some vegans won't eat food cooked in pans if they have ever been used to cook meat, while other vegans are content to simply remove meat, fish, eggs, and milk from their diets.
Many vegans cite as their primary motivation, the concept of reducing animal suffering. Utilitarian philosopers, such such as Jeremy Bentham, and especially Peter Singer, argue that the suffering of all sentient animals should be taken into consideration when making ethical decision; thus, by abstaining from consuming products from animals exploited for food - veganism is the application of this system of ethics. Though Peter Singer's ethical theory recognizes the suffering of sentient animals, it does not, however, rely on the concept of rights. However, philosophers such as Tom Regan and Gary Francione believe that because sentient animals are capable of valuing their life, they have the inherent right to possess their own flesh, and therefore it is unethical to treat sentient animals as property, or as a commodity.
For many, the vegan philosophy also has close connections with the concept of Ahimsa, a Sanskrit word central to the Jain sect of Hinduism and taught by Mahatma Gandhi - Ahimsa roughly means "non-killing and non-harming." The American Vegan Society website says: "It is not mere passiveness, but a positive method of meeting the dilemmas and decisions of daily life. In the western world, we call it Dynamic Harmlessness." Ahimsa is also used as a backronym: Abstinence from animal products, Harmlessness with reverence for life, Integrity of thought, word, and deed, Mastery over oneself, Service to humanity, nature, and creation, and Advancement of understanding and truth.
Those who avoid animal products for reasons of health (eg, due to allergies or to avoid cholesterol) rather than compassion sometimes describe themselves as "dietary vegans". However, popular vegan author Joanne Stepaniak argues that this term is inappropriate because veganism is by definition about helping animals. She believes that a term such as "total vegetarian" would be a better categorisation for those who, for example, avoid eating meat and dairy products, but continue to buy new leather shoes.
A Time/CNN poll published in Time Magazine July 7, 2002, found that 4% of Americans consider themselves vegetarians, and 5% of self-described vegetarians consider themselves vegans. This small-sampled poll may suggest that two-tenths-of-one-percent of Americans are vegans; therefore, there are about half-a-million American vegans. A 2000 poll suggested closer to 0.9% of the USA population may be vegan, i.e. 2.5 million citizens.
In the UK, research [1] showed that 0.4%, approximately 250 000 people were vegan in 2001.
Veganism is seen by some as a reaction to the perceived modern exploitation of, and alienation from nature of non-human animals.
Because of this, some people feel that modern veganism is not a complete return to human's "essential" relation to nature, it is seen by them as a minor and localised reaction to the excesses of the developed world.
For example, a similar diet has been followed for thousands of years by adherents of many Eastern religions, e.g. Jainism, and is an integral part of a lifestyle which tries to promote harmony and non-suffering. (See the discussion of 'Ahimsa' elsewhere on this page, and in Wikipedia).
Also, in most parts of the world, animal products are a minor part of the diet , and this has been true for many centuries (whether for religious or ethical reasons, or for more pragmatic reasons like health or lack of infrastructure). Therefore the eating of meat and extensive use of animal products in food can be seen from a historical perspective as the phenomenon worthy of note, not veganism. Recent nutrition research is looking at the possible links between low animal fat diet and low incidences of the diseases of the developed world such as cancer, heart and other obesity-related illnesses. See the China project.
It is therefore thought that the developed world still has some way to go before it can claim to have restored a healthful and authentic diet, and a natural, sustainable way of life.
There are several diets similar to veganism, including the aforementioned fructarian diet, raw foods, and the macrobiotic diet. There are also numerous religious groups that regularly or occasionally practice a similar diet, including some sects of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, as well as some Christian sects as the Eastern Orthodox church and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The best way for any person, Vegan or not, to attain adequate nutrition is to eat a variety of foods from different food groups (see Food_pyramid).
For most people, especially Vegans, dietary supplements are helpful. Dietary supplements derived entirely from plant sources do exist. Most commercial multi-vitamin supplements cover almost all human vitamin needs, except calcium, so a separate calcium supplement should be taken. OMEGA-3 fatty acids have also been found helpful and the best Vegan source is from fresh, cold pressed flaxseed oil.
One should note that nutrition is about balance. Too much or too little of one nutrient can be dangerous. One must remember not to over-do dietary supplementation. For example, some people may take a multi-vitamin supplement and a separate vitamin C supplement. This could be dangerous over time, depending on how much vitamin C is in the multi-vitamin. In the USA the FDA maintains RDA (recommended daily allowances) for all vitamins. The RDA can actually be considered a safe maximum in many cases. Always drink plenty water with supplements and meals; it is very hard to drink too much.
Also trans fat (partially hydrogenated oil), which is found in some popular Vegan and vegetarian products such as veggie-burgers, French fries and almost all baked goods, should be avoided altogether. It has no nutritional value at all and it can lead to heart disease.
According to the American Dietetic Association's position paper on vegetarian diets, vegans eating a varied diet have ample sources of nutrients, but vegans should pay attention to intake of vitamin B12. There is evidence however that indicates it is not difficult to acquire sufficient levels of B12. Some would say one must consume a variety of foods that are supplemented with it. Others would point out that the bacteria which produce cyanocobalamine (B12) will survive in the human digestive system and produce the B12 without the need for supplements. The foods which contain these supplements include many kinds of rice milk, soy milk, yeast extracts, (supplemented) breakfast cereals, and meat analogs. Vegans may sometimes have lower calcium intake than non-vegetarians --but, then again, their calcium requirements may be lower as well.
Besides diminishing animal suffering, a vegan diet may reduce the risk of many health problems, including heart failure, obesity, diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, and cancer. Veganism also may be healthier for the enviroment and may improve the conditions of low income people in and out of third world countries by freeing more food for human consumption.
For a list of vegan recipes complementary to this article see the wiki cookbook section, Vegan cuisine.
Like most alternative lifestyles, veganism has generated backlash from outsiders. Much of this is harmless parody; however, veganism is also a ready target of conspiracy theory.
Examples:
Animal products
Motivation
Veganism: reaction, or return to nature?
Similar diets
Vegan Nutrition
Possible problems
Possible benefits
Vegan cuisine
Backlash
See also
Vegan essays online
External links
(See also external links on the vegetarianism page.)