All about veganism

Often veganism is mistaken for vegetarianism. Though both these terms sound similar, veganism is to avoid/eliminate animal-based foods while a vegetarian diet tends to exclude all other animal-based products except for dairy.

Some people have grown to understand the importance of a vegan diet over some time, some are still to be made aware. Hence, dedicating an entire day (“World Vegan Day”, November 1) to celebrate Veganism should be worth the effort. Although the transition would be difficult initially, it will end up saving many lives that would have been sacrificed just for the sake of maintaining a lifestyle. Besides the diet being a sustainable one, it is also much kinder and cleaner than other diets, especially non-vegetarian ones.

Veganism is a way of life wherein people rule out any possibility of animal exploitation and cruelty through their actions and lifestyle. The term “vegan” was coined by bringing together the first three and last two letters of the word “vegetarian”. 

Those who classify themselves as vegans, refrain from not only animal-based foods and their by-products but also are specific about the clothes they wear, their choice of cosmetics, and all other activities they become involved in.

Types of Veganism
Prominent types of this lifestyle include:

• Dietary vegans: Dietary vegans are the ones that choose their diet to be plant-based exclusively. No other lifestyle changes are made for them to be called vegans.
• Whole-food vegans: People who mostly prefer to eat foods like whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
• Raw-food vegans: Raw foods vegans eat foods in the most natural way they are available. They refrain from even cooking their food.
• Environmental vegans: People in this group prefer to eat environmentally friendly diets.

Factors responsible for the rise of Veganism in India may include -

• Religion: Though people may not want to turn vegan by themselves they are driven to follow veganism for the sake of their religion. Thus, making it a prominent reason for the vegan revolution.
• Health benefits and availability of vegan alternatives: According to a few studies that were conducted, a vegan diet is said to reduce the risks of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer by 15%. This is possible because of the nutrients like fibres, vitamins, and phytochemicals (biologically active plant compounds) that are found in high quantities in a vegan diet.
• Ethics and Emotions: Understandably, people who love animals would have more of an emotional connection with them, which does not allow them to be involved in activities that tend to harm animals. All this while being ethically right because they are working towards saving the rights of animals to live a life of freedom as much as humans.
• Availability of vegan staples in the Indian kitchen: Eating a typical Indian meal consisting of pulses, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and pickles is one of the reasons why veganism could be seen quickly gaining popularity in India. The Indian diet has a plant-based substitute for almost every animal-based product in a typical non-vegetarian diet.

In times like these, when people do not even think about how their actions affect their close ones, people thinking about the lives of animals and their right to freedom comes as a rare quality. This comes along with nutritional benefits for them too, since eating a plant-based diet helps in preventing many ailments and diseases.