Veganism-The Way of Life

Veganism -The Way of Life

Veganism

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of products which come from the animal kingdom, namely milk, eggs, honey and silk, especially in the consumption for diets and other purposes. It also follows the commodity status of the animals. Someone belonging to such group is called VEGAN.

Classification

One can broadly classify the vegan into three categories, Vegans, Lacto-Vegans and Lacto-Ova Vegan. Vegans, (strict vegetarians forbids the use of any animal products for consumption in any method. Lacto-Vegans include dairy products in their diets, e.g. milk, yogurt, cheese, butter and their further derivatives. This category has the largest followers in South East Asia, like China, India etc. And the third category is just go one step further and adds eggs (vegetarian eggs) in their diets. For the readers who don’t know about the vegetarian eggs, it is the variety of eggs which are unfertilized. Hens are fed a vegetarian diet rather than feed that contains animal byproducts. All eggs that are sold for consumption are simply harvested before the hens sit on them, the hens have also not been mated with roosters, so the eggs are not fertilized and the embryo will not develop into a chick even if it is set upon. So that’s pretty much about the classification. But the question is, ‘why veganism is better than the other diet culture?’ the reasons are numerous, enough to make you stop and think for a second.

Why Veganism?

Animal Rights

According to PETA, the famous organization working against the animal cruelty has this to say-
- Every year, 7 billion chickens are killed and their flesh consumed, and around 450 million hens are used for the eggs.

- More than 1 million pigs die every year from the transportation alone, according to an industrial report, 2006

- Meat and Dairy industry took lives of millions of cows every year.

- Fishes, in billion numbers, die every year, either for human consumption, or just tortured for sports and victimized because they were at the wrong place at wrong time.

"You ask people why they have deer heads on the wall. They always say, because it's such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother's attractive, but I have photographs of her."

-Ellen DeGeneres

Many people, who choose to be vegans, do these for environmental purposes, or ethical reasons. For example, vegan feels that if someone consumes meats, or eggs and the dairy products, they are promoting the meat industry, because when a hen is too old for laying eggs, or a cow too old for giving milks, they are often sold for meats, and since mal species don’t produce such things, they are usually raised for meat. Even the conditions associated with their production are the major reasons why many people avoid these products.

On the other hand, many vegans choose this lifestyle to promote a more compassionate world, even though knowing that they themselves are not perfect, but they still believe that they can make a difference, and may motivate others too.

Health Aspects

According to the studies, a person consuming animal fats and protein are at a higher risk of developing cancer, hypertension, and heart diseases and lots more. Vegans even argue that we are not made up for the consumption of cow’s milk.

According to the study, a man suffering from a disease as serious as a prostate cancer, if made an intensive change in his diet plans, can not only stop the disease, but is also capable of reversing its progression.

Red meat and processed meat eaters dies prematurely than the normal ones, a US study said, involving as many large number as half a million people in the sample survey.

Food Technology, article of October 2012 edition, stats that genetic based chronic disease, such as diabetes type-II,  cancer etc., can be reduced or completely eliminated by consuming plant based diets.

Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes contain no cholesterol and are low in fat, especially saturated fats. They are also high in fiber and other nutrients. Vegans say there are several plant based foods that are good sources of protein, such as beans, peanuts, and soya.

So, the way out is?

So, now that we have talked about how the dairy products and the meat is not good for both us, as well as for the environment, the general question is, ‘So what do we consume instead?’ Well lucky for you, the nature provides with lots and lots of substitutes.

The basic way for a nutritionally sound vegan diet is having a variety. Well of course, who won’t be bored be eating the same things again and again. We should include as much variety as possible. , including fruits, vegetables, and lots of green leafs, products containing whole grains and seeds, legume and nuts.

Still if you want to consume the same amount of nutrients an egg contains, without consuming it, here are some of the substitutes you can use

-         1 Mashed Banana

-         1/4 cup applesauce

-         Some commercial substitutes, e.g. Ener-G Egg

For the substitute for milk, try them out

-         Potato milk, soy milk or even water can be used

-         Buttermilk is the excellent replacement for rice milk.

-         Soy cheese for the normal cheese (beware of the contents)

So, it is now firmly established that the veganism way of life is a healthy life method, not only for us, but also for the environment and the nature. I think it will add some flavor to include some of the famous quotes by the people, who were followers of the veganism/ vegetarian

§  Abraham Lincoln 
"I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being."

§  Albert Einstein 
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

§  Mark Twain
"I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't...The pain which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity toward it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further."

§  Pythagoras 
"For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love."

Written by Priyank Jain