Veganism- A fad or here to stay

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A follower of the diet or the philosophy is known as a vegan. In recent years, a lot of people have gone the vegan route due to various reasons such as animal welfare, health concerns, environmental worries and also because of the rise in popularity of plant-based diets.

Basically, there are 2 types of vegans-

Dietary vegans (also known as "strict vegetarians") refrain from consuming meat, eggs, dairy products, and any other animal-derived substances.
An ethical vegan (also known as a "moral vegetarian") is someone who not only follows a vegan diet but extends the philosophy into other areas of their lives, and opposes the use of animals for any purpose.

In the beginning, there was a lot of skepticism regarding veganism as many people said that going vegan will not be able to provide the nutrients (especially protein) that meat can but it was soon disproved as there are many vegan alternatives like soy beans which provide sufficient protein. Also, a lot of new alternative vegan foods have also popped up such as fake meat which makes the transition for non-vegetarians a lot easier.

Why go vegan?

There are a lot of benefits of going vegan.Going vegan is a great opportunity to learn more about nutrition and cooking, and improve your diet.                                                       

For health- Getting your nutrients from plant foods allows more room in your diet for health-promoting options like whole grains, fruit, nuts, seeds and vegetables, which are packed full of beneficial fibre, vitamins and minerals. Following a plant-based diet also lowers the risk of heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.

For the environment- One of the most effective things an individual can do to lower their carbon footprint is to avoid all animal products. he production of meat and other animal products places a heavy burden on the environment - from crops and water required to feed the animals, to the transport and other processes involved from farm to fork. The vast amount of grain feed required for meat production is a significant contributor to deforestation, habitat loss and species extinction.On the other hand, considerably lower quantities of crops and water are required to sustain a vegan diet, making the switch to veganism one of the easiest, most enjoyable and most effective ways to reduce our impact on the environment.

For animals- It's tempting to want to believe that the meat we eat is ethical, that our 'food animals' have lived full, happy lives and that they have experienced no pain or fear at the slaughterhouse. Yet the sad truth is that all living creatures (even those labelled 'free range' or 'organic') fear death, just as we do. No matter how they are treated when alive, they all experience the same fear when it comes to slaughter.

So, limiting meat and other animal and dairy products from our diet will not only be beneficial for us health-wise but also for the survival of mankind on the planet. And it's popularity is only increasing so, it's safe to say that it is here to stay and more and more people are adopting it.