What is the Definition of Vegan? Is it a Diet or a Lifestyle?

As the joke goes, how many vegans does it take to change a light bulb? Two: One to change the light bulb and one to check for animal ingredients. It’s funny because it has a grain of truth to it. Everyone knows that vegans are obsessed with reading ingredient labels. But what’s less well-known is the full definition of veganism and whether it’s a lifestyle or just a diet.

What is the definition of vegan?

Vegans—people who do not consume anything that comes from animals—have existed for thousands of years. For example, the Therapeutae were an ancient Jewish sect that abstained from all animal foods, and the philosopher and poet Abū al-ʿAlāʾ al-Maʿarrī (973–1057) abstained from animal products and wrote, “Do not desire the flesh of slaughtered animals for food / Or the white milk of mothers who seek its pure milk for their young, not for their noble wives.”

But the word vegan It was not formed until 1944, when six members of the Vegan Society met in England and derived its name from its first and last letters. vegetarianAccording to the Vegan Society, “The group felt a new word was needed to describe themselves; something more concise than ‘dairy-free vegetarians’. Words rejected included ‘dairyban’, ‘vitan’ and ‘benevore’.”

RELATING TO: 7 Health Benefits of Not Eating Meat, and 6 Plant-Based Proteins to Try Instead

Compassion for Animals

The Vegan Society’s definition of vegan is “a philosophy and way of life which aims to exclude, as far as possible and practicable, all exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and, by extension, encourages the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms, it refers to the practice of refraining from all products derived, in whole or in part, from animals.”

As this definition implies, veganism is not just a diet; in fact, for ethical vegans, it means not supporting veganism in any way. any products or businesses that exploit animals, from drugs tested on animals to zoos and aquariums that keep them in captivity. With such an ethos, many vegans feel it is their duty to speak up on behalf of animals by sharing information about how animals suffer for food, fashion, experiments, entertainment, and more with their friends, family, and the public.

But with the increasing popularity of veganism, a more holistic and compassionate approach to what it means to be vegan has emerged. There is a growing movement that believes that the unity of suffering ties species, races, genders, classes, and religions together in very tangible ways; that animal exploitation, in its many forms (such as racism, sexism, ableism, and sizeism), is intrinsically linked to human oppression. For those in this movement, being vegan means advocating for and amplifying the voices of marginalized people and animals.

What is the difference between vegan and vegetarian?

The main difference between vegans and vegetarians is that vegetarians don’t eat meat, and vegans don’t eat anything that comes from an animal: meat, dairy, eggs, and honey. Vegans also don’t wear or use other animal products like leather, wool, silk, feathers and down, and beeswax, and they avoid products that have been tested on animals, like cosmetics and medications (though the consensus is that you’re still vegan if you’re taking essential medications, including COVID vaccines, whether you’re vegan or not).

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Some vegetarians consume animal products: lacto-vegetarians exclude all meat and eggs from their diet but consume dairy products, ovo-vegetarians exclude all meat and dairy products from their diet but consume eggs, and lacto-ovo vegetarians exclude all meat from their diet but consume dairy products and eggs.

Veganism is clearly a stricter lifestyle choice than vegetarianism, and the vegan movement has given rise to a variety of subgroups that go beyond the basic principle of avoiding animal products.

• Fruitarianism: Obviously, the bulk of this diet, which excludes all animal products, is fruit. Raw vegetables are occasionally consumed.
• Raw veganism: Raw vegans eat fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that have not been heated above 45 degrees Celsius; they believe that eating foods in their natural state provides nutrients that would be destroyed when cooked.
• Whole foods, plant-based diet: Also known as WFPB, those who follow this diet exclude all animal products, but also focus on whole vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and legumes and avoid refined and processed foods, even oils.

What is the difference between plant-based and vegan?

“Plant-based” is increasingly used as a synonym for “vegan,” especially in food marketing. Are they really the same? No. A plant-based diet consists primarily of plant foods, while a vegan diet completely excludes anything that comes from animals. So, while “plant-based” might include ingredients like eggs, dairy, honey, or even some meat, “vegan” means that the food is completely free of animal products. What’s more, veganism is a lifestyle, and vegans tend to extend this to other aspects of their lives, such as not wearing anything that comes from animals or not using products that have been tested on them.

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What are the health benefits of being vegan?

Many people today say they are vegan for their health. In fact, both the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the British Dietetic Association agree that a well-planned vegan diet is suitable for all ages and life stages. More specifically, a vegan diet rich in whole foods provides the following benefits.

1It is good for your heart

According to the published research; Journal of the American Heart AssociationDiets focused on nutrient-rich plant foods may give young adults a healthier heart and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by 52%. The 34-year study found that even participants who switched to a plant-based diet as they aged gained heart-protective benefits, regardless of the quality of their original diet. Nutrients found in plant foods have been shown to reduce oxidation, lower inflammation, lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and improve other health outcomes associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

Explanation

2Linked to lower rates of cancer

A study by researchers at the University of Oxford has shown that vegans have a much lower risk of certain types of disease. The study followed 61,647 British adults, 18,298 of whom were vegetarians and 2,246 vegans, over a 15-year period. They found that the overall incidence of cancer was 11% lower in vegetarians and 19% lower in vegans (compared to meat eaters). These findings align with a number of other studies looking at how diet affects cancer risk, including a study from the University of Oxford that analyzed data from more than 470,000 Britons and found that meat-eaters had a 14% lower risk of cancer.

3Associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes

It seems like every day new research suggests some health benefit of a vegan diet. The latest bit of good news is that a healthy, whole-food, plant-based diet is linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which currently affects 450 million people worldwide. The study, led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, involved 10,684 participants and aimed to identify the benefits of different plant-based diets and explore possible links between this and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. “Consumption of polyphenol-rich plant foods, such as fruit, vegetables, coffee and legumes, is strongly linked to a healthy plant-based diet and a lower risk of diabetes,” said lead author of the study, Professor Frank Hu.

4Good for your blood pressure

A review of studies on the link between diet and hypertension found that a vegetarian diet lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 2.66 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.69 mmHg compared with meat eaters. Those on a vegan diet had an even greater decrease in systolic blood pressure of 3.12 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure of 1.92 mmHg. Interestingly, subjects on a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, which allowed dairy products and eggs, showed no change in diastolic blood pressure reduction.

Explanation

5Linked to dementia prevention

Studies show that a diet rich in plant-based foods in middle age is associated with a significantly lower risk of cognitive impairment (including Alzheimer’s disease) later in life. For example, studies on plant-based antioxidants have found that they reduce the damage done to central nervous system integrity by oxidative stress, thereby preserving cognitive ability. Meanwhile, phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and other plants have been found to reduce neuroinflammation, which can contribute to dementia.

6Beneficial for arthritis patients

A low-fat vegan diet improves joint pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune and inflammatory disease that causes joint pain, swelling, and eventually permanent joint damage. Certain foods, such as red meat and dairy, cause inflammation, which can worsen arthritis symptoms. However, a plant-based diet may reduce or even eliminate arthritis pain.

What are the environmental benefits of being vegan?

Going vegan isn’t just good for animals and your health, it’s good for the planet, too. “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on our planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use,” says Joseph Poore, of the University of Oxford and lead researcher on a 2018 report on food production. “It’s much bigger than cutting your flights or buying an electric car,” he says, because those alone reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

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A growing number of experts agree that adopting a plant-based diet is vital to combating climate change. A global shift towards plant-based diets rich in legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables could lead to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions compared to current dietary patterns in most industrialized countries, according to a report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Another report found that 57 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions from food production come from meat and dairy products — twice as much as plant-based foods.

Frankly, switching to a vegan diet may be the single most important step humanity can take to secure the future of our planet.

Resources for going vegan

Books

• The VegNews Guide to Being a Great Vegan By Jasmine Singer
• Eat for the planet By Nil Zacharias and Gene Stone
• Ethical Vegan By Jordi Casamitjana
• How to Become Vegan By Elizabeth Castoria
• It’s Never Too Late to Become Vegan By Carol J. Adams, Patti Breitman, and Virginia Messina, MPH, RD
• Nourish Yourself: The Definitive Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition for Families By Reshma Shah MD, MPH and Brenda Davis, RD
• Plant Based Athlete By Matt Fazier and Robert Cheeke
• The Ultimate Vegan Guide By Eric Marcus
• Vegan for him By Virginia Messina, MPH, RD and JL Fields

For additional resources, check out all of VegNews’ recipes and our guides to vegan beer, milk, cheese, and more.