The vegan diet consists mainly of all organic plant material. Being a vegan is more than a way of eating, it is also a lifestyle. Vegans do not consume anything with animal products in it. They also don’t use anything that could be made from animals, including clothes, beverages and cosmetics.
Many people turn to a vegan diet for moral and ethical reasons. Their main concern is the treatment of the animals that are being raised and processed for their food. This is not the only reason for veganism, however. Some people become vegans for spiritual or religious reasons, but the main reason is factory farming and animal testing.
A vegetarian is a slightly less strict form of veganism. A vegetarian will use products with animal products, and while they will consume products like eggs, milk and cheese, they stay away from meat. Some vegetarians only refrain from eating red meat, but will eat poultry or fish. It is a much less strict lifestyle than the vegan.
While the vegan diet does not contain many of the much-needed vitamins and minerals that are in meat, this does not make it an unhealthy diet to follow. For those dedicated to following a properly planned and executed diet, nutritional needs can be easily met and the body can be satisfied. Meat is not the only way to get these important aspects into your diet.
Some missing nutrients from a vegan diet are calcium, vitamins B & D and iodine. However, these can be found in nutritional supplements. This is the best way to get the key nutrients you need daily. Make sure when choosing your supplement it does not contain animal products.
It is a concern in some cases that adolescents who become vegans do so because they are trying to mask an eating disorder. However, there is no evidence that the vegan diet causes eating disorders. It is important for the parents of these kids to know why their child wants this lifestyle. Be involved in what they are eating, making sure they take their supplements, and know what they are not eating as well.
Diets similar to vegan, but in a much smaller niche, are raw veganism and fruitarianism. The raw vegan eats basically the same as a standard vegan, however, the difference is they don’t eat foods cooked over one hundred eighteen degrees Fahrenheit. This goes for all nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, fruit juices and herbs consumed. The raw vegan dieter who eats at least seventy-five percent of raw foods is still thought of as a raw vegan.
The fruitarianism vegan diet is probably one of the smallest niche groups of vegans. As the name entails, the main ingredients in this diet are fruits along with nuts and seeds, grains and vegetables. As with the raw vegans, people who consume fruit as seventy-five percent or more of their diet are considered fruitarians.
While these smaller niche groups follow the principals of veganism, they don’t contain the same dietary health benefits. A properly maintained vegan raw food diet can improve health greatly. Many other countries already implement vegan diets or vegan inspired diets. Many East Asian diets contain seitan, tofu and tempeh, which are all used in veganism. Now, cow milk is being replaced with soy and applesauce is being used as a starch in cooking instead of eggs. With so many varieties now, being a vegan is tastier than ever.
