vegan essay introduction

Essays About Veganism: Top 5 Examples and 10 Prompts

Veganism is on the rise. See below for our great examples of essays about veganism and helpful writing prompts to get started. 

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from animal-based foods and products. The movement originated from the philosophies against using animals as commodities and for capitalist gains. Now a booming industry, veganism promises better health benefits, a more humane world for animals, and an effective solution to global warming. 

Here is our round-up of essays examples about veganism:

1. A Brief History of Veganism by Claire Suddath

2. animal testing on plant-based ingredients divides vegan community by jill ettinger, 3. as vegan activism grows, politicians aim to protect agri-business, restaurateurs by alexia renard, 4. bezos, gates back fake meat and dairy made from fungus as next big alt-protein by bob woods, 5. going vegan: can switching to a plant-based diet really save the planet by sarah marsh, 1. health pros and cons of veganism, 2. veganism vs. vegetarianism, 3. the vegan society, 4. making a vegan diet plan, 5. profitability of vegan restaurants, 6. public personalities who are vegan, 7. the rise of different vegan products, 8. is vegan better for athletes, 9. vegans in your community, 10. most popular vegan activists.

“Veganism is an extreme form of vegetarianism, and though the term was coined in 1944, the concept of flesh-avoidance can be traced back to ancient Indian and eastern Mediterranean societies.”

Suddath maps out the historical roots of veganism and the global routes of its influences. She also laid down its evolution in various countries where vegan food choices became more flexible in considering animal-derived products critical to health. 

“Along with eschewing animal products at mealtime, vegans don’t support other practices that harm animals, including animal testing. But it’s a process rampant in both the food and drug industries.”

Ettinger follows the case of two vegan-founded startups that ironically conducts animal testing to evaluate the safety of their vegan ingredients for human consumption. The essay brings to light the conflicts between the need to launch more vegan products and ensuring the safety of consumers through FDA-required animal tests. 

“Indeed, at a time when the supply of vegan products is increasing, activists sometimes fear the reduction of veganism to a depoliticized way of life that has been taken over by the food industry.”

The author reflects on a series of recent vegan and animal rights activist movements and implies disappointment over the government’s response to protect public safety rather than support the protests’ cause. The essay differentiates the many ways one promotes and fights for veganism and animal rights but emphasizes the effectiveness of collective action in shaping better societies. 

“Beyond fungus, Nature’s Fynd also is representative of the food sustainability movement, whose mission is to reduce the carbon footprint of global food systems, which generate 34% of greenhouse emissions linked to climate change.”

The essay features a company that produces alternative meat products and has the backing of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Al Gore. The essay divulges the company’s investments and plans to expand in the vegan market while providing a picture of the burgeoning alternative foods sector. 

“Experts say changing the way we eat is necessary for the future of the planet but that government policy is needed alongside this. If politicians are serious about wanting dietary changes, they also need to incentivise it, scientists and writers add.”

The article conveys the insights and recommendations of environmental and agriculture experts on how to turn more individuals into vegans. The experts emphasize the need for a whole-of-society approach in shifting more diets to vegan instead of putting the onus for change on an individual. 

10 Writing Prompts on Essays About Veganism

Here is our round-up of the best prompts to create interesting essays about veganism: 

While veganism has been a top choice for those desiring to lose weight and have a healthier lifestyle, some studies have also shown its detrimental effects on health due to deficiencies in specific vitamins. First, find out what existing research and experts say about this. Then, lay down the advantages and disadvantages of going vegan, explain each, and wrap up your essay with your insights.

Differentiate veganism from vegetarianism. Tackle the foods vegans and vegetarians consume and do not consume and cite the different effects they have on your health and the environment. You may also expand this prompt to discuss the other dietary choices that spawned from veganism. 

The Vegan Society is a UK-based non-profit organization aimed at educating the public on the ways of veganism and promoting this as a way of life to as many people. Expound on its history, key organizational pillars, and recent and future campaigns. You may also broaden this prompt by listing down vegan organizations around the world. Then discuss each one’s objectives and campaigns. 

Write down the healthiest foods you recommend your readers to include in a vegan diet plan. Contrary to myths, vegan foods can be very flavorful depending on how they are cooked and prepared. You may expand this prompt to add recommendations for the most flavorful spices and sauces to take any vegan recipe a notch higher. 

Vegan restaurants were originally a niche market. But with the rise of vegan food products and several multinational firms’ foray into the market, the momentum for vegan restaurants was launched into an upward trajectory—research on how profitable vegan restaurants are against restos offering meat on the menu. You may also recommend innovative business strategies for a starting vegan restaurant to thrive and stay competitive in the market. 

From J.Lo to Bill Gates, there is an increasing number of famous personalities who are riding the vegan trend with good reason. So first, list a few celebrities, influencers, and public figures who are known advocates of veganism. Then, research and write about stories that compelled them to change their dietary preference.

The market for vegan-based non-food products is rising, from makeup to leather bags and clothes. First, create a list of vegan brands that are growing in popularity. Then, research the materials they use and the processes they employ to preserve the vegan principles. This may prompt may also turn into a list of the best gift ideas for vegans.

Many believe that a high-protein diet is a must for athletes. However, several athletes have dispelled the myth that vegan diets lack the protein levels for rigorous training and demanding competition. First, delve deeper into the vegan foods that serve as meat alternatives regarding protein intake. Then, cite other health benefits a vegan diet can offer to athletes. You may also add research on what vegan athletes say about how a vegan diet gives them energy. 

Interview people in your community who are vegan. Write about how they made the decision and how they transitioned to this lifestyle. What were the initial challenges in their journey, and how did they overcome these? Also, ask them for tips they would recommend to those who are struggling to uphold their veganism.

Make a list of the most popular vegan activists. You may narrow your list to personalities in digital media who are speaking loud and proud about their lifestyle choice and trying to inspire others to convert. Narrate the ways they have made and are making an impact in their communities. 

To enhance your essay, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing . 

If you’d like to learn more, check out our guide on how to write an argumentative essay .

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Last updated May 29, 2023

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Blog > Common App , Essay Advice > How to Write a Great College Essay About Veganism

How to Write a Great College Essay About Veganism

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Kylie Kistner, MA Former Willamette University Admissions

Key Takeaway

People become vegan for a number of reasons. For some, it’s a deeply held personal choice, while for others it’s simply a matter of taste.

If you’re vegan, chances are that it’s a topic that’s important to you. You may even be wondering if veganism is something you should write about for your college essay.

Your college essay should be about something you are most passionate about, and veganism can allow you to talk about a core part of your values.

But veganism is also a fairly common topic that can at times be difficult to extract an original and meaningful message from.

Like any common topic, there are pros and cons to writing a personal statement about veganism. The topic isn’t off the table, but some approaches are more effective than others.

Where College Essays About Veganism Can Go Wrong

To achieve the goals of a personal statement, a college essay about veganism has to be about more than just your veganism.

After all, you are vegan for a reason. Something about the practice resonates with you at a deeper level. That significance is what you should focus on.

Two of the most common approaches to writing a college essay about veganism miss this mark because they rely too much on generalities instead of your deeply-held and identity-based reasons for being vegan.

“Why I became vegan”

The first ineffective approach is the surface-level “why I became vegan” or “how veganism changed my life” framework.

If veganism is something important to your lived experience, then it’s only logical that you’d want to write your college essay about what led you to be vegan or the specific ways being vegan has improved your life.

That is valuable. But too often essays that follow this approach give only common-knowledge reasons for being vegan. In doing so, they fail to address something truly meaningful about the writer.

A 2018 poll found that 3% of American adults identified as vegan, up from 2% in 2012. Your admissions officer is very likely familiar with the most common reasons behind veganism, so sharing this kind of surface-level answer is inadequate.

Unless you truly interrogate how veganism connects to a broader part of who you are, then your essay will leave an admissions committee wanting.

“Why you should be vegan”

The second common trope to avoid is the simple persuasive approach to “why you/everyone should be vegan.”

Maybe you do think everyone should be vegan. Maybe it’s even the belief that has sparked your interest in studying environmental science or food studies.

Because this topic carries a lot of weight, writing about why people should act a certain way takes a lot of time and care that is typically not possible in a personal statement.

A persuasive essay about veganism also says too much about others and not enough about who you are, so it’s best to find another approach.

Overall, college essays about veganism can go wrong when they make an admissions committee say, “That’s great! But now what?”

If you only write about your veganism, you leave the admissions committee with more questions than answers about who you are and why they should admit you.

Before you begin your college essay about veganism, you should consider asking yourself two questions:

How does my veganism relate to a larger part of who I am?

• And what do I want admissions officers to do with that information?

Using these questions as a guiding framework, let’s discuss two ways to go about writing your essay.

Effective ways to approach your college essay about veganism

Background and identity.

One way to make an essay about veganism stand out is by connecting your veganism to another significant part of your background or identity.

Instead of writing generally about why you became vegan, allow veganism to be only part of your more complex story.

Drawing these connections for the admissions committee will give them more genuine insight into who you are and what motivates you.

Consider the “how” and “why” behind your veganism to identify the value or motivation that is most central to you.

Did you go vegan after watching Food, Inc.?

Or maybe you grew up on a farm and your veganism is because of (or in spite of) your upbringing.

Or perhaps you simply have a dairy allergy and don’t like the taste of meat.

In all of these cases, the compelling story is not that you are vegan. Your veganism is compelling because it developed in a context that is specific to you.

Let’s plug the Food, Inc. example into our questions:

I went vegan after watching Food, Inc. > I watched Food, Inc. in health class. > I cried during the documentary because I felt bad for the animals that were being treated poorly. > I love my veganism because I can actively live out my compassion for animals.

And there it is! A compelling, motivating part of your identity: your compassion.

And what do I want admissions officers to do with this information?

I want admissions officers to know that I am deeply compassionate towards animals. > This compassion is a guiding principle for how I move throughout the world.

With these two questions answered, you have a seedling for your essay. If you find that your answers to the questions actually aren’t that compelling, then you might consider a different topic.

Related Interests

The second effective way to approach your essay about veganism is to relate it to a specific academic or co-curricular interest.

Your veganism can then be a vehicle through which you talk about another topic related to your goals and passions.

This approach is effective because it allows you to discuss something you’re personally passionate about (veganism) and connect it to another part of yourself (your interest or accomplishment) that gives the admissions officers more reason to admit you.

Probably the most popular connections are wanting to study environmental science or biology or being a climate or animal rights activist.

Let’s try the questions again:

I’m vegan. > I’ve joined and now lead an online community of vegans. > I’ve developed an academic interest in niche communities and am interested in learning more about them.

I have an extracurricular accomplishment managing an online community of 5,000+ members. > My veganism has led to a budding interest in the psychology and sociology of online groups.

Again, you’ve found the seed. You can use your newfound connections as the foundation of your college essay.

Key Takeaways

Veganism is deeply important to many people. If you’re one of them, it’s okay to write your college essay about it.

While some approaches are better than others, essays about veganism are still fairly common.

So if you choose to write one, make sure that you root your essay in genuine and specific examples that clearly illustrate how your veganism connects to a core part of you.

In the end, your college essay about veganism should showcase another value, belief, or interest that you hold deeply. Once you’ve determined what that looks like for you, check out our other resources for writing a college essay and creating a cohesive application narrative .

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Friday essay: on being an ethical vegan for 33 years

Professor of Literature and Environment, Curtin University

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John Kinsella receives funding from Curtin University under the auspices of a Curtin Research Fellowship.

Curtin University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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I live in a vegan family situation. I have been a vegan for over 33 years and my partner, poet and novelist Tracy Ryan, has been a vegan for over a quarter of a century; our 16-year-old son Tim was conceived and born a vegan, and remains one.

If you ever doubt it’s his choice, ask him — he’s eloquent on his veganism, and has angles on it we don’t, neither Tracy nor I having been born vegans. Tracy has always had a deep interest in nutrition, and raising children vegan has been a deeply informed life-act — done with respect for their rights as well as animal rights. We don’t use animal products in any way we are aware of. Rather than seeing our food, clothes, shoes, working materials, as animal-product “alternatives”, they are our norms.

Over the decades we have seen and heard it all when it comes to the arguments and attacks on veganism. Really, people find their own way through such things as they do if they hold any committed ethical position that is about principle and not style.

One of the first that vegans encounter is the specious argument about denying children before a certain age a choice in the matter, that veganism is forced on them.

It’s such an obvious reply: Aren’t you forcing your carnivorism (or more accurately, omnivorism) on your children? They are also not given a choice — people make decisions for their children before they are empowered (informed enough) to make decisions for themselves. It is possible to have a balanced vegan diet, and even back in the mid-80s, vegan sources of B12 and other more complex nutritional requirements were available.

But the point of this article is not for the fors and againsts, because these are well attested, and even the most slipshod research skills will reveal what is and isn’t the case. Rather, this is an account of long-term veganism in the context of the recent increase (last five or so years) in vegan consciousness, and availability of vegan foods.

Actually, vegan food has always been available, of course, just in raw and rudimentary and unrefined ways — what we are talking about in the “now” is the mass replacement of mass slaughterhouse products with non-slaughterhouse products that “equate” and move from being “faux” meat (protein), or ersatz, to food definitions and realities in their own terms. That’s what has industry scared and reactive.

Personally, I have a problem with all industrialisations and capital processes of market — the fetishisation of products that increase wealth rather than answer needs — but it is this “mass” that so upsets animal-exploitation, agri-industrialism. Little of it is cultural, outside profit-making. Arguments about what’s best for the planet are placed far down the list of priorities, as the fossil-fuel desire shows.

Casting aside the gun

There are exceptions, and cultural beliefs that do need to be respected. When I began being a vegan, I was outwardly proselytising; now I am only so in my writing and via how I live. I have learnt that respecting others’ journeys is the only way that long-term change comes.

That’s an argument for all ethical issues, and it could be argued that all killing must be stopped immediately or we simply appease our own consciences at the expense of being concerned about our own behaviours — many mass murders have taken place as people let their nation’s military go about its business outside their personal scrutiny, as that scrutiny is confronting to undertake.

Ethical positions are not “cults”; cults are the control of others to remove their capacity for personal choice – but it is a paradox to see veganism called a cult by meat-eaters who have been part of an industrial slaughter-cult all their lives.

Ironically, I come from a background of fishing and hunting (and became a vegan while living in a house on a dairy farm: witnessing). I was obsessed with guns when I was a child and a teenager — I wanted to become an army officer. My turning away from these values was conscious and specific — by my late teens and early 20s, I was a committed vegan, anarchist, and pacifist. I found my way there via the paradox of loving animals (I always have) and exploiting them (to my mind).

My poetry was tracking my concern, so my poetry helped in the decision-making — that old argument of poetic language expressing the inexpressible. When I wrote of casting aside the gun, of leaving animals be, it was because I had – but also to articulate and mark it. To give a sign in word as well as thought and action. A constant reminder of how and why I’d got to that point of change.

This was not easily the case — as an alcoholic in former days, I was aggressive, often in trouble, and confrontational. I got sober 24 years ago so I could better hold the values I believed in. It wasn’t an easy journey, but one in which I knew I had to reduce my own hypocrisies. And that’s it; that’s where a lot of misunderstanding manifests between vegans and non-vegans — it’s not a holier-than-thou situation, but a move towards being less impacting, less damaging, and more respectful of life.

I’ve actually known vegans quite violent (towards people), and I have rejected their positions because of this unresolved hypocrisy; but this has been rare.

And even in these cases, in time if they stayed vegan (they often didn’t), they moved away from their own anger and aggression and lived a life more in tune with their values. I say this because veganism is both an ethical position, and a position that eventually calls on a variety of consistencies with regard to how we treat people, who are, after all, animals too.

Nutmeat, palm oil and an ethics of commitment

A lot of older vegans will talk about the 80s as being a time of Nutmeat, avocados, and bananas, of boiling pulses to make protein patties to add to the steamed veggies, of reading labels carefully because there wasn’t the vegan certification process (or “market” for that to be insisted on) back then.

Sure, it is nice to be able to go out and eat more “cheffed” foods from supermarkets and in restaurants, but it’s not the be-all and end-all, and you still weigh up issues such as processing, origins and cultivation methods, and air-miles.

If we fall into dependence on mass food production processes, then ultimately we will damage animals in other ways. A classic example is that of palm oil — so essential to many processed vegan foods (as indeed non-vegan). The destruction of habitat to increase palm oil production eventually led to a call for palm oil that’s non-exploitative (of people and ecologies) — a regulation.

People survive the best way they can, and as with so many raw food materials, those containing palm oil are sourced in less wealthy zones to feed wealthier ones — capitalist exploitation works fast to adjust to new markets.

So any veganism not in tune with these issues quickly becomes an appeasement of one’s own conscience while hiding from the potential for damaging impacts. The response has to be holistic — vegan food producers need to work with non-vegans and different cultural realities to ensure transitions that don’t damage in other ways.

This is not wisdom from on high; it’s just decades of seeing faddism and change, of people calling themselves vegan when they don’t closely consider what’s in a “product”, or deploying the terms as a social definition while allowing themselves “exceptions to the rule”, or, say, eating honey (an animal product!).

Point is, “vegan” means something, and of course be whatever you are, but let’s let a term represent a value we can share and understand. Play with language by all means (that’s what writers do!), but not with the ethics of commitment.

Mobile phones, whose raw materials destroy whole communities and habitats in their extraction and manufacture, are an example of a contradiction with the new spreading of the message of veganism — we have to find a way to a common understanding of cause and effect. It’s a big and complex picture that tussles with the obvious fact that an animal hurt or killed is an animal hurt or killed.

Mutual respect

Veganism intersects with many cultural attitudes, and diverges from many others, across the globe, but mutual respect is, in my experience, an unassailable value.

I have never tried to force anyone to eat vegan, yet attempts have been made to shame me into not eating vegan, in order not to offend my hosts. I have never compromised my ethical position, but I have gone to great effort to explain my position and my desire not to offend a host.

That was early on — now I carefully have discussions before, say, sharing an eating space with those who have invited me about how and why I eat (and don’t eat) what I do. An intercultural conversation needs to be had. Confronting? Surely, in a pluralistic society we have these conversations to ensure respectful co-awareness all the time? If not, then we probably should. I have no problem in being forward about who and what I am — in fact, I see saying so as a sign of respect for my hosts.

The bottom line in all this, for me, for my family, is animal rights. We live among animals but keep none — they are part of the world around us and we wish to have no control over them.

We deal with “pests” in non-invasive and non-damaging ways, and we work towards a consistency of respectful interaction. That’s to do with seeing no hierarchies of control, no speciesist superiority. Then you get the unthought-out attack-mode on saying such a thing (seriously): Are you saying if a lion was attacking your baby, you’d do nothing? Well, of course I would… What do you expect? Would I be cruel and seek to hurt and exploit the lion? No. Anyway!

Giving a minority report on UK TV

Living in the UK in the late 90s, we were invited to appear on the television program Susan Brooks’s Family Recipes. We went up to Manchester from Cambridge, and the chefs, Susan and her daughter, prepared us a vegan meal on set, and we sampled it and discussed what it was like being a vegan family. It was a fascinating experience because of the warm attitude to how we lived, coming from a “regular” cooking program.

Britain has long been more in tune with vegan living (the term “vegan” was coined by UK Vegan Society co-founder Donald Watson in late 1944), but in the 90s it was still very “minority”. If we were not part of the dissenting opinion, we were still giving a minority report. At the same time I spoke to the Vegan magazine about being a poet and a vegan, and how it informed my writing practice. There was a context. And it was broad in its conception — if you wanted medical research without vivisection or abuse of animals, you could support the Dr Hadwen Trust !

Such contexts are still being created in Australia — the aggressive response from some people to veganism accords with a macho public culture that seeks to manipulate markets to defend old colonial land usage and the machinery of animal pastoralism. In this, I am not commenting on individuals nor even communities, but on the machine of capitalism and its empowered defenders.

A stunning (I use no words carelessly, I think) example is the case of vegan activist James Warden who said he was was provided with no vegan food options while in a Perth prison — this is control, this is oppression, and this is the state protecting its ongoing colonial interests. There is a disconnect between traditional hunter-gatherer societies and the mass consumer, export-import underpinnings of colonial capital. It is the latter that concerns me because I have been part of it.

The New Veganism

There’s a new generation of vegan activists in Australia who have quickly been turned into public enemies — they are targeted by media, police, and government , and seen as interfering with what amounts to an ongoing sell of Australian values. As a poet, I’ve tried to speak through poetry in support of these activists, while also recognising that I come from a very different space through being older and longer-term in my activism.

I live in rural Australia, and co-exist with farmers and people who eat and use animals. Not in the house I share, and not on the Noongar land where I live, and which I acknowledge is not “mine”. But nearby. They know who we are and how we live, and we offer an alternative. Animals find refuge if they look for it. It’s their place, too.

The conversation is ongoing, persistent, and there’s no compromise in our position, but it’s also respectful of other people’s humanity, their free will, and their journeys. They are not us and we are not them. I will stand in front of a bulldozer to save bush, and I will live next to a bulldozer driver.

Each of us can only offer one another examples of alternatives. That’s how real change comes; that’s how fewer and fewer animals will suffer. But in this crisis mode of biospheric collapse, the reason there are more and more vegans is that the time has come to act. And people are acting. Others will too, because they see a need and want to, not because they are told to. Bullying happens in many directions at once.

If I see a problem with the New Veganism it’s a possible connection with presentation and social monitoring. Social media try to direct, but also dilute the commitment of person to person, person to animal, person to real place where animals live.

Veganism doesn’t need “influencers” — though if anything stops animals being exploited, it’s a good thing. But as we — Tracy and I and Tim — see each animal as an individual with their own intact rights, as we see people, we also see the collective, the community, the herd, the hive, the loner, the gregarious… all these “types”… we also see the interconnected fate of the biosphere.

Technology that promotes veganism that consumes the planet is, for us, an irresolvable contradiction. A lot of thinking needs to be done around this — and modes of presentation and discussion need to be considered as well. The slaughterhouse is obvious and hidden; it is literal and a metaphor that can become real for all life in sudden ways.

Just a positive to finish with. I have crossed Australia many times (though not recently) by train, as I avoid flying here (to lessen eco-damage impact), and I have done so with much pre-prepared vegan food.

But the train caterers were always willing to make “bespoke” food for me, to supplement my food stash. The door to a broader veganism in “Western” societies has actually long been open — and if Western capitalism could learn from many non-capitalist, non-Western cultures, not only would they find much precedent sometimes on a very large scale, but also much communal goodwill around the choice of what we eat, and why we do or don’t eat it.

And to reiterate my support for the new generation of vegan activists looking to intervene in non-violent ways to stop the pastoral-factory exploitation of animals, I wrote this poem which appeared through PETA. I am not on social media, but they took it into that realm, the realm of style, influence, but also loss and consumer endgame if people are not wary.

I am here now for the young vegan activists saving animals from slaughter I am here now because a young human interrupted my journey to the slaughtering, hoisted me over their shoulders and carried me towards animation. I am here now my eyes dilating fast to take in this extension to life — and the blood of my kin is a river never divided. I am here now because an intervention drew out the length of my days; the things I have learnt we have taken — we breathe the same air as our dead. I am here now because the young humans are rising peacefully from their screens to step into the killing zones, to bend down and lift us back to the light.

This piece has been corrected. It initially read that the term “vegan” came from postwar UK. In fact, it was coined by UK Vegan Society co-founder Donald Watson in 1944.

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BEING VEGAN: A personal essay about veganism

I wear a necklace that spells out the word vegan. People peer at it and ask me, “Are you vegan?” It seems like an odd question, but people find vegans odd. When I respond that I indeed am a vegan, the comeback reply I dread most is when the person lists the animal products they eat, and how they couldn’t live without chicken or cheese.

In the cut and thrust of talk about food, I’ll then respond that the chicken is the body of an animal who wanted to live. That cheese is made from milk, a nutritious sustenance meant for a mother to give her newborn calf. If the baby cow was male, he was slaughtered for veal.

The slaughtering of baby animals is a good way to end what could escalate into an uncomfortable conversation neither of us really wanted to have.

Few of us are born vegan, and those who choose to become vegan usually do so following a personal epiphany, perhaps in the wake of a health crisis, or after meeting and befriending a farm animal whom one might formerly have considered food. That was my route. I was 40 before I understood that I was living a lie, claiming to love animals on the one hand, and eating them on the other. Today, veganism brings me peace of mind and a nice circle of friends.

I find it regrettable that vegans are so widely disliked in the mainstream media, but I’m not surprised. Our insistence that animals are neither objects nor ingredients is a perspective that people find challenging and even subversive. Our choice not to eat or wear animals challenges people to think about their own relationship to animals.  Most people love animals. Most people don’t want to think about animals being gruesomely treated and slaughtered. Faced with a vegan, the non-vegan has to think about that. Or else thrust such thinking into the depths of the psyche, and quick.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, on a weight-loss campaign to shed some of his 300 pounds, hurriedly dismissed two PETA-sponsored vegans who brought him a basket of vegan treats during one of his weekly weigh-ins. He wouldn’t even look them in the face. He abruptly dismissed a question from a reporter about veganism and retreated into his office.  He skipped a subsequent weigh-in.

His Honour could have relaxed a little. Veganism is a way of life that is not forced on anyone. We don’t come to your house with flyers or make robo-calls. We’re not funded by some giant corporation. We’re people who care deeply about animals, and about the people who have nothing to eat because so much of the corn and grain grown in North America goes to feed livestock, not hungry children.

Vegans mean it when they say they love all animals. A recent vegan advertising campaign showed a dog or cat facing a pig or chick, and underneath was the caption: “Why love one but eat the other?”

The questions we raise bother people. One commenter on a social media forum wrote:

“Those who don’t eat meat, I can empathize with you but you also need to get off your soapboxes.”

I relish the irony of being told to get off my soapbox from someone who is firmly planted on theirs. Non-vegans have been doing more than their fair share of “preaching” for centuries. In our day, McDonalds and Burger King push their beliefs and products on me dozens of times a day through TV and newspaper ads, and coupon flyers stuffed into my mailbox.

The Canadian government forces me to subsidize the meat and dairy industries through taxation. Non-vegans have preached and promoted their point of view on such a large scale that they have successfully hidden the cruelty of the meat and dairy industries from public view.

When I’m responding to an item in the newspaper about the subject of veganism, someone in the next comment box will inevitably ask me why I bother with animals when there is so much human suffering in the world. I love that question because it allows me to explain that I see animal liberation and human liberation as being intertwined.

The great physicist Albert Einstein famously said: “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” He also held the view that not eating animals would have a physical effect on the human temperament that would benefit the lot of humankind.

The vegans I know care about injustice, enslavement, and oppression, no matter what the race, ethnicity, or species of the victim. When someone argues with me that human problems take precedence, I have to turn the argument on its head and ask not only what that person is personally doing to alleviate the suffering of human beings, but why they feel the heartless exploitation of other animals should continue even so. Humans are hurting, so kindness to animals must therefore be abandoned?

The most ridiculous argument that I hear is that plants have feelings too. To which I quote the answer provided by vegan food writer Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, who asks, in an episode of her podcast devoted to what she calls excuse-itarians—“ Really? Really?”

Animals are sentient and plants are not. Sentient beings have minds; they have preferences and show a desire to live by running away from those who would harm them, or by crying out in pain. Plants respond to sunlight and other stimuli, and apparently they like it when Prince Charles talks to them, but they are not sentient; they don’t have a mind, they don’t think about or fear death, they aren’t aware and conscious.

Finally, there’s the argument of last resort: that eating flesh is a personal choice. If it were my personal choice to kick and beat you, would you say to me “that’s your personal choice”? Being slaughtered for food is not the personal choice of the billions of animals that just want to live their portion of time on Earth.

Being vegan has changed not only what I eat and wear, but how I cope with the anger, outrage, dismissal and verbal abuse of others.

I’m learning, as I go, to let it all go. I speak out where I feel my words will do the most good, and if all else fails, I’ll simply smile and say, “Don’t hate me because I’m vegan.”

[su_panel background=”#f2f2f2″ color=”#000000″ border=”0px none #ffffff” shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]Bonnie Shulman is a writer and editor working in Toronto. She earned her Master of Arts degree at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. You can follow her on Twitter at @veganbonnie .

image:  rian_bean (Creative Commons BY-NC-SA)

The biggest issue for me in the whole politics of eating is the divide that’s created among people solely based on their choice of diet. To be vegan or non-vegan shouldn’t matter. Like any labels I wish they didn’t even exist. But of all the unnecessary labels, to have to use the word vegan is pretty sad. What one chooses to eat is a personal choice that doesn’t hurt anyone else, yet some people blow it up into such a big issue.

I wish people didn’t get so annoyed at vegans because it just contributes even more discord to this world. The only upside I see is that when people single out vegans and get defensive it at least causes them to think and talk about veganism.

Hi Breathe:

I agree that discord between people isn’t pleasant. Yet that is the end result of being an advocate for animals. I want to put a stop to the wholesale torture of animals on factory farms. To do that, I have to take a stand. I have to stand up and declare myself for animals. I have to campaign about the abuse, so that more people know what goes on behind those walls where pigs and chickens never see the light of day their entire lives. Speaking up for animals makes some people uneasy, and they get angry. On the other hand, some people, meat eaters included!, appreciate the stance I take. I say meat eaters too because even good people who eat meat don’t want animals to suffer as they do in the current conditions on factory farms. Watch any video by Mercy For Animals and you’ll see what I mean. It’s horrifying.

Thanks for your response. Take care.

First, I appreciate that you’re willing to stand up for animals. It takes courage and it’s a thankless job, which is why so few do it.

As I mentioned, I see the benefit to standing up for animals and I don’t discourage that. What I was getting at is how can we advocate while maintaining peace? How can we raise our communication to a higher level?

Saying the V-word pisses people off. It always has… maybe always will because people just don’t like to think that they’re in the wrong. Defensiveness is one of the ego’s most potent tricks. It has the power to disprove even the most solid logic. And so, enemies are built. The point is not even to build “allies” because that too is separation. We’re all humans doing the best we can with the resources we have at work. So the question is how do we advocate for animals by overcoming this ego battle? For me, that just means loving them, being in nature, connecting to them and sharing my love for them. Now I don’t believe that this is making a world of difference or anything. The whole issue of animal rights is no easy situation to deal with and I’d just like to think of different ways of doing things.

Breathe, you ask the million dollar question. And you hit the nail on the head: advocacy can lead to icky feelings between people! I once passed by a demonstration against wind farms, and I asked someone with a picket sign why she was against wind farms, and she kind of spat in my face with disgust at my question. Naturally, I am ALL FOR windfarms now (haha – I actually was before the incident).

May I recommend a great book? It’s my advocacy bible and I have a review on Amazon.com about it. I think it really addresses what you talk about – we have to change the world for animals without alienating people. I am not perfect, I admit, but I hand out vegan food at work and leave easy vegan recipes in the servery. That helps! Food is good! I’ve even got some people to try out Meatless Mondays, without even asking them to do so. They just thought it was cool to give vegan food a try. They love it now.

Here’s the book:

The Animal Activist’s Handbook: Maximizing Our Positive Impact in Today’s World by Matt Ball and Bruce Friedrich. These are the top advocates that I know of, and I respect them so much. They are brilliant people who understand that we must not lose touch with people in our animal advocacy. Again, they are the masters. I bow to their wisdom!

Thanks for writing!

Breathe, When you are in a non vegan diet what one chooses to it hurt innocent animals. It took me a while to connect the dots. I was not always a vegan, but becoming a vegan was a moment of brilliance that it is one of the best things that has ever happen to me. I can not keep exploiting animals.

I don’t hate anyone because they are vegan. But the vegans hate me because I insist that eating meat is natural for humans. Being vegan is a choice. Eating meat is a choice.I respect yours but do you respect mine? Your article is again full of accusations. Up to today I never got an answer to the questions: How does a vegan think about a Lion eating a Zebra? How does a vegan think about a cat eating a mouse or a bird? And why do they think different about a human eating a cow or a chicken? Humans are omnivores since millions of years. And please spare me the – how did you cal it “The most ridiculous argument ” that our bodies, our teeth etc are not made for meat. We eat it since millions of years for heavens sake! When do people accept that eating meat is our natural food? Yes we can chose to not eat meat. Yes I do accept that. But it is a choice! And if you want to tell me that I hurt animals by killing them then you have to accuse a Lion as well. And by the way, dairy is not our natural food. I agree with you on this. Not because we steal it from the mothers but because it is not natural and that’s why so many people are dairy intolerant. It is natural to be weaned off dairy products. But we do not have a great number of people who are meat intolerant. Because it is part of our natural diet.

Dear Peter:

When a lion eats a zebra I am distressed at the images of the kill, but I let it go because that is the way of the lion world. They cannot grow plants and raise crops. I am not angry at the lion for having its dinner. I find it pretty ridiculous that you would even think that. Also, people are not lions, so why do you even bring that up as an argument?

What do I think about a cat eating a mouse or bird? if it is a domestic cat I’m infuriated, because there so many farm animals are being slaughtered already, the by-products of which go into animal food readily available at stores. The decrease in the number of North American songbirds has been attributed largely to household cats.

If meat is a natural part of our diet, why do so many people thrive the minute they give it up? Also, why are so many of our hospitals stuffed to the gills with people requiring heart surgery? Only a minor percentage were born with heart defects. Among the rest, many gorged on such meat products as steaks, bacon, sausages and chicken fingers, as well as high-fat dairy, until their bodies rebelled.

I see my article has made you very angry. If this doesn’t prove my point then I don’t know what does. Thank you for writing, PeterNZ.

Question for you – would you be able to go right now, pounce on a cow, pig, etc.’s back, chomp through their hide/skin with your teeth to their muscle and eat it without cooking it? If your answer is NO (which it should be if you are human), well then there is your answer. Next, just because something has been done for millions of years, does not mean that it is right. Humans have done MANY things for millions of years that have been considered atrocities (sadistic Roman gladiator games, slavery, etc.). Were those things okay? These are just excuses. Believe me, I understand, as I made excuses my whole life…Done with that!

Bella I am a completely normal human being and i would be more than happy to go to my local supermarket and eat food that they provide, as this is what is normal for our culture. let me just quote History.com, one of the most reliable sources possible “In a paper published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an international team announces the discovery of burned plants and bones from 1 million years ago. Their findings suggest that Homo erectus?not Homo sapiens or Neanderthals?became the first hominin to master flames, possibly in order to cook their food.” as my ancestors have done I would happily cook the meat so that the food becomes safe for my consumption, I agree with you in the concept that no human would go and pounce on a wild animal and sink their teeth into them as this is not what a normal human would do. I personally if it was down to survival would light a fire and cook the meat so that I could enjoy the delicacy that has been provided to me by nature. just this weekend i have enjoyed one of my favourite meals that does meat in it. i would suggest some of the recipes from this site as i have found them the best http://www.foodnetwork.ca/everyday-cooking/photos/most-popular-beef-recipes/

In your responses try to not be so aggressive as your way of life is far from the main stream and preferred way of living 🙂

also note to the author of this post, don’t try and act like your not trying to bring attention to your self, your twitter name is legitimately “veganbonnie”.

We vegans don?t hate u guys but we just wish non vegans to understand how the animals have to suffer and have to end their precious life just for the food u eat. and don?t compare humans with loins we humans can think rationally and we have can grow crops .. we have many options but the lions don?t have any options.. we respect your choice to eat meat but animals do not exist for humans and our uses. Animals also have moral rights to live in this world as much as human have.

Human beings have a variety of options when it comes to getting protein into their bodies – rice paired with lentils, chickpeas or any kind of bean forms a perfect protein. There is also tofu, and a lot of soy products are viable alternatives for those who are not allergic to soy. We cannot educate a wild animal such as a lion, to grow, harvest and ferment soybeans. Or chickpeas. This argument is silly. Lions hunt based on instinct. Human beings are more advanced (arguably) and therefore, we can use our more advanced brains to make food choices that do not cause harm to other living things. We have many instincts that we can overcome, and that we have overcome in order to be able to live in “civilized” societies.

Eating the flesh of a living thing is a personal choice that kills an innocent creature. There is nothing inherently wrong with your choice. But don’t get defensive when someone points out this fact.

Fact: You choose to place your tastebuds and your personal enjoyment over the life of another living creature, because you view yourself as more advanced and therefore entitled to consume flesh.

You do not need to feel guilty about your choice. Just be honest about it, and accept the moral consequences. That’s all. Meat may have been eaten by humans since the dawn of time… but historical precedent is not, in my mind, a valid excuse by which to continue justifying a behaviour.

In a similar vein, women have been treated as property since the dawn of time as well. Men are more powerful and indeed women did not always hold legal personhood status throughout history. So we should continue in the same vein, no? But this argument doesn’t fly today. Why? Because we know better, so we can act better. The same goes for the meat argument.

Your dietary implications may not be clean and pretty, but if you’re going to stand firm in your position, stick to it 100%. Do not waver, and do not speak about naturally being an omnivore. Just because you CAN eat it, enjoy it and thrive on it, doesn’t mean you SHOULD continue to do so. If we are enlightened beings, as we all like to claim to be, we should be held to a higher moral standard. If we do not want to hold ourselves up to that standard, that is fine.

P.S. Before you begin to assume things about me I will tell you that no, I am not a vegan. Why? Because I love eating fish, and cheese on occasion. But I don’t apologize for it. I know I can live without it, and I know that I am making a personal, selfish choice in the face of cruelty and suffering.

Laura, your reply is so beautifully heartfelt, and I read it with great interest. I love your honesty. Part of my animal advocacy is just asking people to be honest with themselves about the choices they make.

I also think you make a critically important statement that really hits the nail on the head. I’ll repeat it here:

Just because you CAN eat it, enjoy it and thrive on it, doesn’t mean you SHOULD continue to do so.

Thank you for contributing such wise words to the conversation, and all the best.

http://www.amif.org/blog/eating-meat-is-ethical/

This is so inspiring! I am a loyal vegetarian and have been for almost 9 years, I really feel deeply moved by it! I’ve thought about becoming Vegan but on a strict competitive national training programme it could be difficult, but you’ve definitely persuaded me to give it a go! Thank you for your thoughtful insight!

I just wanted to voice my support and appreciation for this article. With your stance and mine, putting the word “vegan” out in the world is going to make people angry. Anything different makes people angry. But if that anger ever leads to them making sure they understand the implications of their actions, it is worth it. It is worth it if they think.

I have had a close friend of mine tell me that he honestly believes in mind over matter. He also said he couldn’t ever stop eating meat. That self-limitation is stopping the human race from doing great things. WE must think through our actions, because we are the only species who can. Do what is right, because we are able.

Can people really be okay with eating a being that loved its mother? I always hypothesize a world were people could speak to animals and I ask the meat eater “Tell that animal to its face that it was born for the purpose of dying and feeding you, only for a single day, before you eat its children.”

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Introduction: Thinking Through Veganism

• First Online: 25 May 2018

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• Emelia Quinn 6 &
• Benjamin Westwood 7  

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Animals and Literature ((PSAAL))

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This introduction outlines the social, environmental, and intellectual contexts shaping the emergence of vegan theory. It establishes an understanding of veganism’s messy, contradictory aspects, which runs counter to contemporary conceptualizations of it as a faddish diet or punitive set of proscriptions. Quinn and Westwood argue that veganism is situated between two opposing, but necessary poles: utopianism and insufficiency, aligned respectively with the work of Carol J. Adams and Jacques Derrida. The importance of these coordinates derives from their opposition: veganism as a confluence of utopian impulses, and the acknowledgement of their inevitable insufficiency. This introduction shows how thinking through veganism—as a heuristic lens and topic in its own right—opens out onto a wide variety of issues and questions explored in the following essays.

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Food, Meaning, and the Law: Confessions of a Vegan Semiotician

The Unknown Herbert Marcuse

Introduction. Heirs: Bourdieu, Marx and Ourselves

Oxford English Dictionary , 3rd ed., s.v. “vegan, n.2 and adj.2. ”

See Robert McKay’s essay in this collection.

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, “Around the Performative: Periperformative Vicinities in Nineteenth-Century Narrative,” Touching Feeling: Affect, Pedagogy, Performativity (Durham, 2003), pp. 71–72.

See Richard Twine’s essay on the “intersectional disgust ” that he suggests has divorced the question of the animal from mainstream feminism (“Intersectional disgust ? Animals and (eco)feminism ,” Feminism & Psychology 20, no.3 (2010): 397–406). While we are reluctant to conflate homosexual oppression with the oppression of animals, we do not shy away from the recognition of important analogies that allow us to theorize human social and political structures in relation to the nonhuman. As Twine concludes “It would be a shame if disgust were to get in the way of conversation” (p. 402).

As made clear by Carol J. Adams in Sexual Politics of Meat  (London, 2015) and Annie Potts, “Exploring Vegansexuality: An Embodied Ethics of Intimacy” William Lynn: Ethics and Politics of Sustainability. 9 March 2008. http://www.williamlynn.net/exploring-vegansexuality-an-embodied-ethics-of-intimacy/

See, for example, José Esteban Muñoz , Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity (New York, 2009) and Judith Halberstam , The Queer Art of Failure (Durham, 2011).

See Sara Salih’s essay in this collection.

J. M. Coetzee, The Lives of Animals (Princeton, 2001), p. 67.

See, for example, Martha Nussbaum, Hiding from Humanity: Disgust, Shame, and the Law (Princeton, 2004). Nussbaum condemns disgust as reliant on fears that are “typically unreasonable, embodying magical ideas of contamination, and impossible aspirations to purity, immortality, and nonanimality, that are just not in line with human life as we know it” (p. 23).

Matthew Calarco, “Deconstruction is not vegetarianism: Humanism, subjectivity, and animal ethics,” Continental Philosophy Review 37, no. 2 (2004): 194.

Ibid., pp. 195, emphasis added.

United Nations, “World population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050” UN.org , 29 July 2015. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/2015-report.html

United Nations Environmental Programme, “Assessing the Environ-mental Impacts of Consumption and Production” UNEP.org , 2010. http://www.unep.fr/shared/publications/pdf/DTIx1262xPA-PriorityProductsAndMaterials_Report.pdf ; London Economic, “Vegan Food Sales up by 1500% in Past Year” The London Economic, November 2016. https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/food-drink/vegan-food-sales-up-by-1500-in-past-year/01/11/ ; Vegan Life, “Veganism Booms By 350%” VeganLife Magazine, 18 May 2016. http://www.veganlifemag.com/veganism-booms/

The UK National Health Service supports this, stating on its website that a well-planned vegan diet will provide all the nutrients the body needs. NHS, “The vegan diet,” nhs.uk. http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Vegetarianhealth/Pages/Vegandiets.aspx

Michael P. Branch and Scott Slovic, The ISLE Reader (Athens, 2003), p. xvi.

See, for example, Graham Huggan and Helen Tiffin , Postcolonial Ecocriticism (Abingdon, 2010), Carol J. Adams and Josephine Donovan, Animals and Women: Feminist Theoretical Explorations (Durham, 1995), and Val Plumwood , Feminism and the Mastery of Nature (London, 1993).

For more on Deep Ecology, see George Session, Deep Ecology for the Twenty-First Century (Boston, 1995).

Robert C. Jones, “Veganisms,” in Critical Perspectives on Veganism, eds. Jodey Castricano and Rasmus R. Simsonsen (London, 2016), pp. 15–39.

Kara Jesella, “Vegans exhibiting an ever wilder side for their cause,” nytimes.com , The New York Times, 27 March 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/arts/27iht-vegan.1.11463224.html

Best et al., “Introducing Critical Animal Studies,” Journal for Critical Animal Studies 5, no.1 (2007).

Taylor and Twine, “Introduction. Locating the ‘Critical’ in Critical Animal Studies,” in The Rise of Critical Animal Studies, eds. Nik Taylor and Richard Twine (Abingdon, 2014), p. 2.

Ibid., p. 6.

Ibid., p. 12.

Pederson and Stanescu, “Future Directions for Critical Animal Studies,” in Critical Animal Studies, p. 262.

Wright, The Vegan Studies Project: Food, Animals, and Gender in the Age of Terror (Athens and London, 2015), p. 7.

Joshua Schuster, “The Vegan and the Sovereign,” in Critical Perspectives, pp. 216, 210.

Anat Pick, “Turning to Animals Between Love and Law,” New Formations: A Journal of Culture/Theory/Politics 76 (2012): 65–85.

For more comprehensive surveys of the development of animal studies, see Linda Kalof (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Animal Studies (Oxford, 2017); Garry Marvin and Susan McHugh (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Human-Animal Studies (Abingdon, 2014); Derek Ryan, Animal Theory: A Critical Introduction (Edinburgh, 2015); and Kari Weil , Thinking Animals: Why Animal Studies Now? (New York, 2012).

The French edition was published in 1999, with an extended version released in 2006. The work itself is based largely on the text of a series of lectures given by Derrida at the 1997 Cerisy-la-Salle conference on “The Autobiographical Animal.”

Derrida, “‘Eating well’, or the Calculation of the Subject,” in Points… : Interviews, 1974–1994 , ed. Elisabeth Weber, trans. Peggy Kamuf (Stanford, 1995), p. 280.

Derrida, The Animal That Therefore I Am , ed. Marie-Louise Mallet, trans. David Wills (New York, 2008), p. 111.

Ibid., p. 28.

Adams, Sexual Politics of Meat , pp. xix; emphasis original.

Ibid., p. 63.

Ibid., p. 21.

Erica Fudge, Animal (London, 2002), p. 45.

Derrida, “Eating Well, ” p. 282.

Calarco, “Deconstruction is not vegetarianism,” p. 198.

Ibid., p. 194.

Gary Steiner, Animals and the Limits of Postmodernism (New York, 2013), p. 63.

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Quinn, E., Westwood, B. (2018). Introduction: Thinking Through Veganism. In: Quinn, E., Westwood, B. (eds) Thinking Veganism in Literature and Culture. Palgrave Studies in Animals and Literature. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73380-7_1

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Veganism - Essay Samples And Topic Ideas For Free

Veganism is a lifestyle and dietary choice that excludes all animal products and attempts to limit the exploitation of animals as much as possible. Essays could discuss the ethical, environmental, and health aspects of veganism, challenges faced by vegans, and the societal reaction to veganism. The impact of veganism on the food industry could also be explored. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Veganism you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Pros and Cons of Veganism

Veganism is a controversial topic among many people that often results in heated debates. Those who follow the vegan lifestyle, or at least advocate for it, argue that it is a clean and healthy way to live, a way that has positive effect on both a person's physical health and their impact on the environment. On the other hand, there are people who counter that veganism is a radical and impractical lifestyle that is almost impossible to maintain in today's […]

Positive Effect of Veganism on Environment

What is veganism, and why should people be for being vegan in the first place? Veganism is a specialized diet that ignores all animal products and is targeted around plant-based foods. The vegan and omnivorous diets both differ from one another on an ethical stand point, when referring to our health, the environment, as well as onto the animals themselves. If those things aren’t enough to change societies perspective. There are a couple of different opposing arguments that are going […]

Why we shouldn’t all be Vegan

A persuasive piece intended to present the findings and belief on how veganism is not the only way to stay healthy. This paper would be published in the New York Times health and fitness section and will be directed to those who believe that the only way to save the world, and your health is to be vegan. The New York Times has a wide audience as the range of ages are from millennial (ages 18-29) to generation X (ages […]

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A Look into Veganism and Plant Based Diets

In recent years the trend of converting to a vegan or plant based diet has been on the rise. As a result there has been rising debate among vegans and those who Maintain a western diet if veganism is a safe and healthy way to go about maintaining your health. It is to my understanding that converting to a vegan or plant based diet is completely possible to thrive on and encouraged. a vegan diet although completely devoid of animal […]

A Better Understanding of Veganism

Intro: Many people believe that humans are naturally supposed eat meat and dairy and that there is a humane way to produce meat and dairy products, when in reality, that is not the case. That idea stems from childhood. Diet is a learned behavior just as religion and culture is. Usually, a child may grow up in an omnivore household, eating the average diet of fruits, veggies, meat, dairy, and grains. In a vegetarian household, a child may be taught […]

Going Vegan for the Animals

For as long as I can remember, I always loved animals but I never asked myself as an animal lover if it was okay to eat other animals but now that I look back,I feel like a hypocrite, loving one animal and eating another. And I always ask myself why I didn’t think of it earlier but the reason I didn’t was because the people around me ate meat like it was okay and so it was normal for me […]

Why Veganism is not a Healthier Lifestyle

Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation, of and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or other purposes. Following a plant-based diet can have a lot of benefits for our body and our planet, but often happens that following a very strict vegan diet can lead to inadequate protein consumption. According to a study made by (Larson, Johansson 2002) in the Umea University in Sweden, about […]

The Benefits of Veganism on Animal Rights

Millennials are central drivers of this worldwide shift away from consuming animal products. But the plant-based movement is bigger than any one generation. Over recent years, veganism has turned from a fad into a healthy trend. While many people may think that the dietary limitations of a vegan lifestyle may not have many benefits, it does have a particular benefit in aiding animal rights. As animal activists seek to obtain a means to further their protest for animal rights, veganism […]

Might a Vegan Diet be Healthy, or Even Healthier?

While many people enjoy their steaks and burgers, a growing population of the world is turning to a plant based diet. Being vegan, otherwise known as people who have cut all animal products out of their diets, is one of the fastest growing trends in the world. Over 6% of the world is vegan, with almost 4% of them not using any animal products. With this growing trend, could any of it be bad? There are many things to look […]

Veganism and its Effects

The local coffee shop is always occupied with that one person who never fails to remind the baristas and surrounding customers that their extra soy non-dairy milk espresso with added hazelnut syrup is better for the environment than the usual black coffee with a splash of milk purely because it does not contain an animal byproduct. With the current situation of global warming, and the never-ending increase of Earth’s population, more and more people are turning to veganism. Trying to […]

Veganism in Modern World

The topic about veganism has received recognition not because of the adoption of its culture, but due to the controversies surrounding it. Veganism is the practice of people avoiding animal products and their byproducts. Instead, this group of people concentrates on healthier food, such as legumes, vegetables, fruits, and grains to name a few. Traditionally, people have relied on animal products such as meat and milk due to the belief that they enhance growing and developing strong bones. However, people […]

Is Veganism Detrimental to One’s Health

There are many reasons why people are inclined to practicing a vegan diet including, health conditions, ethical values, and to help the environment. Veganism has been said to reverse many conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and even aging ("Animal products | Health Topics | NutritionFacts.org," n.d.). Moral value also plays a big part in the movement to become vegan as many animals are slaughtered and abused due to high demand. Because of this, approximately 1.6 million Americans […]

Veganism Might Save Us: from One Meat Lover to Another

Does the word "vegan" ring a bell? Yes, exactly. That's the face. Eyes glare, mouths twist, sometimes laughter erupts— and not the good kind. We are all quick to shut down our hearing system when somebody happens to mention they are vegan; we put them on mute and kindly nod our heads just enough to be polite. Well, maybe we shouldn't. Veganism is not only a much healthier lifestyle for us, not to mention the great impact it has on […]

Is Veganism Beneficial or Detrimental to Society?

Veganism, a "strict vegetarian diet," is a very popular, yet controversial lifestyle to follow today. According to Alina Petre, a registered dietitian, the online search for the term vegan has risen by more than 250%. The word vegan has become more and more popular amongst society and many have gained more knowledge on the lifestyle itself. When researching the term veganism, according to The Vegan Society the word veganism can be defined as: A philosophy and way of living which […]

Veganism: do the Anecdotes Hold Answers?

Veganism, seen as an extreme form of vegetarianism, is a lifestyle based on complete flesh-avoidance that can be traced back to ancient Indian and eastern Mediterranean societies (Suddath, 2008). The terms was first coined in November 1944 by British woodworker named Donald Watson, announcing that because vegetarians ate dairy and eggs, he was going to create a new term called "vegan," to describe people who did not. Watson's cause was fueled by the emergence of tuberculosis, which had been found […]

Veganism Unfolded: Navigating the Nuances of Vegan Vs Vegetarian Diet

In recent times, there has been a growing international discourse regarding dietary preferences, with vegan and vegetarian diets gaining prominence. Both have garnered attention not only as dietary preferences but also as ways of life that promote animal welfare and environmental sustainability and healthier livelihoods. The purpose of this essay is to analyze the distinctions between vegan and vegetarian diets, focusing on their environmental and health implications, as well as the ethical considerations that frequently influence these decisions. The fundamental […]

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Veganism - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

What is veganism? When people hear the word “vegan”, the majority of the time they automatically think about people not wanting to harm animals. Protecting animal rights is a good thing because the way we kill them is inhumane, but there is more to veganism than just protecting animals. Our health and ecosystem are also involved when it comes to veganism. Veganism consists of not eating any meat, dairy, fish, or eggs. Going vegan can be very beneficial to our health because the typical vegan diet consists of many vegetables, fruits, and tofu. There are foods that can be sustainable for a vegan diet and can have a good protein source. Veganism is not only good for health, but also good for the environment. It can improve the environment by lowering process manufacturing and decrease pollution. Veganism is extremely beneficial to our lives because the diet is usually healthier, which will result in less risks of diseases and it can create a safer environment to live in.

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Improving Human Health

Veganism has been proven to help with many health-related issues such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, arthritis, and type 2 diabetes. America is known to be one the of most obese and unhealthy country in the world. Going vegan can reduce obesity because vegans tend to consume healthier foods than a non-vegan. The intake of vegetables, fruits, and nuts is usually higher than someone who is not vegan. Although many people would argue that it would be difficult to receive the all the nutrients a human body needs, vegans can still get the right amount of proteins if the consume the right things, such as beans, nuts, or tofu. Some vegan diets can actually be richer in certain nutrients. According to the nutritionist Alina Petre, “vegan diets tend to provide more fiber, antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds. They also appear to be richer in potassium, magnesium, folate and vitamins A, C and E” (Petre 1). A no meat diet can potentially be better and improve health issues. There are many health related benefits associated with a vegan diet such as longevity and reduced diseases. We should care about the advantages veganism has for our health because there is a high risk of dying from diseases and obesity due to our diet. A typical western diet consists of many fast foods which results in obesity and heart disease, meanwhile a typical vegan diet consists of healthier alternatives.

Dealing with Over-Population

In the future, the population will most likely rise and there will be more mouths to feed. Over-population will be one of our concerns in the future and we do not have unlimited resources for everything. Meat eaters use more water, land, and resources than a vegan because of the energy it takes to process or transport the animals. It is already difficult to feed the entire population as of right now and it will get a lot worse in the future if we do not fix the issue. A plant based diet can cut water usage and the crops can be fed to humans instead of livestock. It is sustainable to live without meat and a plant based diet can be the future when our sources runs out.

Micronutrients of Special Concern for Vegans

Although some vegan diets do not have all the nutrition we need, they can still have a healthy lifestyle. It is true that most vegans have vitamin B-12 deficiency because the vitamin is only found in meat. We need the B-12 vitamin because it helps with red blood cells to be healthy, but there are B-12 vegan supplements that can be taken as a replacement. As stated, “Micronutrients of special concern for the vegan include vitamins B-12 and D, calcium, and long-chain n–3 (omega-3) fatty acids. Unless vegans regularly consume foods that are fortified with these nutrients, appropriate supplements should be consumed” (Craig 5). Many vitamins that are needed for a person are not in a vegan diet but this can be easily taken care of with supplements. A vegan needs to make sure that the food they are intaking has enough nutrients and the diet should be fine.

Many people believe that a vegan diet is unsustainable and that protein only comes from meat but that is not true. Protein can be found in lots of other consumable foods, such as peanuts. As Dyatt stated, “Based on surveyed responses, important diet and health-related behaviors were commonly practiced; and a favorable profile of low chronic disease diagnoses was characteristic among the entire study group. We therefore conclude that in this group of vegans, except for inappropriate intakes of vitamin D and sodium, both health-motivated and non-health motivated vegans typically practice lifestyle behaviors that are conducive to positive health outcomes and general well being” (Dyatt 119). As long as the vegan diet stays consistent with a healthy diet, the outcome can become positive health wise.

Getting Proteins and Vitamins

Getting certain proteins and vitamins can be difficult because most of them are found in animals. We should find another alternative because the way we kill animals is very cruel and disturbing. As stated, “according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, approximately 45 billion animals were killed for food in 2000” (Tanner 818). Many people try to ignore the fact that a lot of our meat is produced in factory farms, which kill animals inhumanly. In some cases, animals have a difficult time functioning because they are typically drugged with steroids. Steroids are used on these animals to make them bigger and to get more meat out of them. According to Julia Tanner, “Drugs and technology make it possible to cause animals a great deal of pain and/or suffering without harming farmers’ interests.

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Essay Samples on Vegan

Veganism as a sociological challenge to dominant social norms.

Veganism is a hugely contested idea which began to gain recognition when the Vegan Society was founded in 1944. The Vegan Society may have been established 78 years ago, there is evidence suggesting it can be traced back much further. Early philosophies dating back to...

• Social Learning Theory
• Sociological Theory

The Turning Point Of Our Eating Habits

The turning point in our food culture and healthy lifestyle is veganism. This term has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years, there are now more than 320 million vegans in the world, and this is more than twice as much as the vegan...

A Lot of Conflicting Ideas About the Vegetarian Diet

Humans create inventions to solve a certain issue. where if an issue occurs then a person would start to think of solution to this issue and therefore this person called an inventor. An invention is something that would have influence in the living style to...

• Eating Habits
• Vegetarianism

The Impossible Burger as the Staple of Vegan Food

The growing popularity of vegan food has become an apparent currency in cultural exchange in the US. Los Angeles isn’t just all about Hollywood glitz and glamor, it’s also all about the healthy and plant-based lifestyle. Eating healthy and cleansing oneself from meat, fried food,...

The Access to Healthy Living as per Veganism

You just finished up your lab class and feel the hunger creeping up on you. Thinking about which small snack you can have before heading to your next class, you grab a Cliff bar to get you through to dinner. A Cliff bar looks healthy...

• Healthy Lifestyle

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The Benefits of Vegan Diet for the Environment

Can the human body benefit from eating vegan or are we meant to consume animal products? This has been a complex and sometimes controversial issue. Veganism is a diet that excludes all animal products and byproducts. People become vegan or a variety of reasons, sometimes...

• Environmental Protection

The Horrific Truth Behind the Veganism Guidelines

Is veganism a life you would want to live? Think about it; no turkey at Christmas dinner, no Sunday roast, no more dairy. These are values vegans nowadays demand and live by. According to the “Vegan Society”, in 2016 there were an estimated 540,000 vegans...

Going Vegan: The Best Substitutes for Meat and Dairy

Delicious Alternatives to Meat & Diary Most people would admit that they see the immense benefits of a vegan lifestyle in regard to how much it would improve their health, benefit the environment, and save the lives of countless animals; however the biggest concern for...

Analysis Of Gary Yourofsky's Speech About Veganism

The title of Gary Yourofsky’s speech carries a strong claim: “Best Speech You’ll Ever Hear”. This speech addresses every aspect and reason that would lead someone to veganism. It was delivered to a class at Georgia Institute of Technology in 2010. The speech goes on...

Harmless Space Travel - Vegans In Space

The vegan diet has been around for over 2, 000 years. However, being vegan is as convenient as it has ever been. Personally, it is a life changing decision that has many benefits to your body and the environment. There are hundreds of options to...

• Space Exploration

Vegan Gains Biography

It was on the 26th day of June 1991 that vegan bodybuilder was born in Canada. The Canadian launched his YouTube channel in December 2014 with a self-introduction in a video named Why a Bodybuilder Became Vegan after he went vegan in 2011. Since then,...

Best topics on Vegan

1. Veganism as a Sociological Challenge to Dominant Social Norms

2. The Turning Point Of Our Eating Habits

3. A Lot of Conflicting Ideas About the Vegetarian Diet

4. The Impossible Burger as the Staple of Vegan Food

5. The Access to Healthy Living as per Veganism

6. The Benefits of Vegan Diet for the Environment

7. The Horrific Truth Behind the Veganism Guidelines

8. Going Vegan: The Best Substitutes for Meat and Dairy

9. Analysis Of Gary Yourofsky’s Speech About Veganism

10. Harmless Space Travel – Vegans In Space

11. Vegan Gains Biography

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• 1 Veganism is a way of living.
• 2.1 Pythagoras (570 BCE–490 BCE)
• 2.2 Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
• 2.3 Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822)
• 2.4 Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910)
• 2.5 George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
• 2.6 Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948)
• 3 The case for veganism is strong.
• 4.1 Better health.
• 4.2 Environmental concerns.
• 4.3 Human social justice.
• 5 Animal rights philosophy strengthens the case for veganism.
• 6 The objections to veganism are weak.
• 7 Veganism is on the rise.
• 8 Getting started is an adventure.
• 9 You can be on the right side of history.
• 10 See Also
• 11 Footnotes

Veganism is a way of living.

The word vegan was coined in 1944 by Donald Watson, founder of The Vegan Society . Being vegan is a "way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose." [1]

More simply put, veganism is a way of living that minimizes harm to animals.

This way of living manifests itself in our choices for food, clothing, and entertainment and any item that may involve harm to animals.

Concern for animals has a rich history.

The word vegan may be relatively new, but the idea isn't. We can see veganism as part of a continuum in the history of thinking about our concern for animals and our belief that animals are worthy of ethical consideration.

Long before and long after the term vegan was coined, a long list of notables were vocal on the topic. Only a few are mentioned here.

Pythagoras (570 BCE–490 BCE) Pythagoras abstained from eating animals because he believed that humans have a special kinship with animals—not because of their intelligence, but because of their emotional capacity to feel pleasure and pain. [2] Extra: More on Pythagoras Pythagoras, an influential Greek philosopher and mathematician, invented the word philosophy , first applied the word cosmos to the universe, and first used the word theory in the way it's used today. He introduced the idea of a square and a cube and the whole idea of applying mathematical operations on geometric shapes. Perhaps he is best known for the Pythagorean theorem. [3] In his work "Life of Pythagoras," Porphyry, another ancient Greek philosopher, wrote that Pythagoras "not only abstained from animal food, but never in any way approached butchers or hunters." [4] Pythagoras had a band of followers known as Pythagoreans. Until the 19th century, when the word vegetarian came into usage, the Pythagorean diet meant what vegetarian meant then and vegan means now. [5] Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Leonardo da Vinci said he would not let his body become "a tomb for other animals, an inn of the dead." [6] He loved animals, refused to eat them, and abhorred the idea of causing pain to them. [7] Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) Shelley, called the first celebrity vegan by one biographer, [8] expressed regret that "beings capable of the gentlest and most admirable sympathies, should take delight in the death-pangs and last convulsions of dying animals." [9] He wrote a book, A Vindication of Natural Diet , which draws on comparative anatomy to show that a vegetable diet is best suited to humans. [10] Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Tolstoy also wrote a book pertinent to veganism, titled The First Step: An Essay on the Morals of Diet , calling for abstinence from animal food as the first step toward moral perfection. He says that the use of animal food "is simply immoral, as it involves the performance of an act which is contrary to the moral feeling—killing; and is called forth only by greediness and the desire for tasty food." [11] He addresses attempts to deny harm to animals by saying, "we are not ostriches, and cannot believe that if we refuse to look at what we do not wish to see it will not exist." [12] George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Shaw was one of the many people who connected our slaughter of animals to the lack of world peace, saying, "While we ourselves are the living graves of murdered beasts, how can we expect any ideal conditions on this earth?" He is also responsible for the often repeated but rarely attributed quote, "Animals are my friends…and I don't eat my friends." [13] Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) Gandhi believed that "the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man." [14] As a young law student in London, he made the spread of vegetarianism (which then meant what veganism means today) his stated mission, [15] and he carried out the mission by writing essays and giving speeches on the topic. [16] It seems he honed his activist's skills on being a voice for animals and then used those skills later to change the course of human history.

The case for veganism is strong.

To go vegan, one need not believe that animals and humans deserve equal moral consideration—or that animals have rights.

Veganism is based on the belief that we should not unnecessarily harm animals. The case for veganism is built on the simple belief that one should not unnecessarily harm animals—a belief that virtually everyone holds, except psychopaths.

What we differ on is what is meant by harm and whether any harm inflicted is necessary. So let's look a little deeper into the ideas of harm and necessity.

Here we focus on the question of necessity and the harms that come about from using animals for food, because this is by far the most prevalent. At least fifty billion land animals [17] and more than a trillion sea animals [18] are slaughtered or killed every year for food, dwarfing all other methods of animal exploitation combined.

Using animals for food is not necessary. The most common attempt to justify the harm resulting from eating animal products is to say that it's necessary to consume animal products to be healthy. Yet the evidence is overwhelming that plant-based diets are nutritionally complete and healthy. Mayo Clinic, [19] Harvard Public Health, [20] Kaiser Permanente, [21] NewYork-Presbyterian, [22] and others have all said that a totally plant-based diet is not only sufficient but advantageous. Cleveland Clinic adds that "there really are no disadvantages to a herbivorous diet!" [23]

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the largest nutrition-focused organization in the world, with over one hundred thousand credentialed professionals. [24] In an official position paper, they say that vegan diets "are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood and for athletes." [25]

The dietetic associations of other countries, including Canada, [26] England, [27] and Australia, [28] have also made pronouncements on the viability of a vegan diet.

When the major health organizations, the major research institutions, and the dietetic associations all say that there is no need to eat animals and animal products, that constitutes a scientific consensus on the topic.

We harm animals when we use them for food and other purposes.  Farmed animals are subjected to confinement, crowding, mutilation, deprivation of natural behaviors, debilitating selective breeding, cruel treatment, separation from their offspring, slaughter, and other injustices.

These abuses are well documented in animal agriculture websites, documentary movies, and videos of undercover investigations, some at "certified humane" facilities. That they occur, and that they occur at certified humane facilities, cannot be plausibly denied.

But even if we treated them well up until the time of slaughter, there is no way to humanely slaughter someone who does not want to die. And there is no way to humanely exploit the reproductive systems of birds for eggs or mammals for milk and cheese, whose lives are also taken when they are no longer profitable.

The central issue is that in using animals for our own purposes, we are depriving them of their freedom and their lives—the only lives they have, and lives that are valued by each of them. And we are doing this unnecessarily.

Whether we eat animal products, use them for entertainment, hunt them for sport, wear them for clothing, or do research on them, we are harming them. Vegans seek to eliminate their participation in all forms of animal exploitation and harm.

The benefits of veganism to humans are substantial.

Veganism is first and foremost a way of living that is fair and just to animals. That said, the bonus benefits of sustainability, social justice, and health are substantial and should not be ignored.

Some people become vegan, or at least adopt a vegan diet, for one of these other reasons. They often come to appreciate and embrace all of veganism's implications and benefits as they become more aware.

Better health. Research vetted by the major medical and nutrition-focused organizations mentioned earlier shows that adopting a vegan diet will reduce your risks of the chronic diseases that plague modern meat-eating societies, including heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cancer, high cholesterol, high blood-pressure levels, obesity, and poor bone health. [29] [30] [31] [32] Kaiser Permanente, a nonprofit insurer and medical provider with over eleven million members, [33] even asks their physicians to recommend a plant-based diet to their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity. They go on to say that research shows plant-based diets "may also reduce the number of medications needed to treat chronic diseases and lower ischemic heart disease mortality rates." [34] Environmental concerns. An article in Georgetown Environmental Law Review sums it up nicely, calling animal agriculture the "one industry that is destroying our planet and our ability to thrive on it." [35] Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 51 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, [36] accounts for 80 percent of deforestation rates in the Amazon, [37] and is a major contributor to species extinction, [38] ocean dead zones, [39] depletion of fish, [40] runoff and water pollution, [41] and water wastage. [42] [43] The extreme devastation of the planet caused by animal agriculture prompted Howard Lyman, a former cattle rancher, to say, "You can't be an environmentalist and eat animal products" [44] and that "to consider yourself an environmentalist and still eat meat is like saying you're a philanthropist who doesn't give to charity." [45] Human social justice. In developing countries, almost five million children under the age of five die of malnutrition-related causes every year, [46] and another eight hundred million are unable to lead a normal life because of chronic hunger. [47] It seems almost criminal that 80 percent of the world's starving children live in countries where food is given to livestock that will then be shipped to and eaten in more affluent countries. [48] Studies show we could feed many times more people if we grew human food instead of growing animal food and feeding animals. [49] [50] [51] This is because animals are very inefficient at converting animal feed into animal products. The inefficiency is because most of the calories fed to an animal go to basic metabolism for daily living and for producing body parts that are not eaten, such as bones, rather than for producing the flesh and secretions that we eat. According to a peer-reviewed study published by the World Resources Institute in 2014, titled "Creating a Sustainable Food Future," it takes on average 24 calories of plant feed to produce one calorie of food from animals. [52]

Animal rights philosophy strengthens the case for veganism.

As mentioned earlier, the validity of veganism does not depend on believing that animals have rights. Nevertheless, the philosophy of animal rights strengthens the rational foundation of veganism.

According to philosopher Tom Regan, author of The Case for Animal Rights , "the philosophy of animal rights stands for, not against, justice. We are not to violate the rights of the few so that the many might benefit. Slavery allows this, child labor allows this, all unjust social institutions allow this…but not the philosophy of animal rights, whose highest principle is justice.” [53]

Whether or not you identify as vegan, embodying the ideas behind veganism is to live in a way that exemplifies the fairness and justice for animals that Regan is addressing. The idea of animal rights may seem odd at first, but it's actually well grounded.

The objections to veganism are weak.

After reading some of this material, you may have questions and concerns about veganism and animal rights. The In Reply to articles on this site addresses your concerns, objections, doubts, questions, and, yes, sometimes excuses.

We agree with Donald Watson, who, at the age of 92, said that veganism is "meeting every reasonable criticism that anyone can level against it." [54] The case for veganism is strong, while the objections to veganism are weak.

Veganism is on the rise.

According to the high-dollar market research firm Global Data, the number of people who identify as vegan in the U.S. has grown five-fold, or 500%, in three recent years (2014 to 2017). [55]

This is reflected in the rapidly growing number of vegan choices in restaurants and grocery stores, as well as the proliferation of vegan celebrities, vegan public figures, and vegan professional athletes. [56] Veganism is going mainstream. [57]

Getting started is an adventure.

Many have found leaving animals off their plate to be an adventure, discovering new foods, recipes, and tastes they had never before experienced. Like many changes, being vegan will soon be second nature. See our Getting Started with Going Vegan article in the Basics Section of this website.

You can be on the right side of history.

There may be nothing else you could do that would have such positive consequences on so many fronts, to the benefit of both humans and animals, than going vegan and leaving animals and animal products off your plate.

Being vegan will prevent the suffering of many innocent lives who would have otherwise been born or hatched into a system of brutality, and being vegan will give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re no longer using your purchasing power for products made with violence.

In addition, the other benefits to humans are substantial. The science is clear that it will lower your risk of chronic disease, diminish your footprint on the planet, and promote a more efficient food system better capable of feeding the world’s starving, hungry, and impoverished.

Henry David Thoreau said he had no doubt that it’s the “destiny of the human race, in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals.” [58] This is your chance to be on the right side of history before it becomes the norm.

Getting Started with Going Vegan

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Replies Listing: Answers to common objections

• ↑ “History | Vegan Society.” The Vegan Society. Accessed October 13, 2017. https://www.vegansociety.com/about-us/history
• ↑ Huffman, Carl. “Pythagoras.” In The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta, Summer 2014. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2014. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2014/entries/pythagoras/
• ↑ Magee, Bryan. The Story of Philosophy. DK Pub., 1998. 15
• ↑ Porphyry, “Porphyry, Life of Pythagoras Translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie,” 1920, http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/porphyry_life_of_pythagoras_02_text.htm
• ↑ Zaraska, Marta. Meathooked: The History and Science of Our 2.5-Million-Year Obsession with Meat. 1 edition. New York: Basic Books, 2016. 119-120
• ↑ White, Michael. Leonardo: The First Scientist . 1st edition. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000, 131
• ↑ Horowitz, David. “History of Vegetarianism - Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519).” International Vegetarian Union, July 19, 2002. https://ivu.org/history/davinci/hurwitz.html
• ↑ Davis, John. “Shelley—The First Celebrity Vegan.” Vegsource.com, January 5, 2011. http://www.vegsource.com/john-davis/shelley---the-first-celebrity-vegan.html
• ↑ Shelley, Percy Bysshe. A Vindication of Natural Diet. Percy Bysshe Shelley. Kindle e-Book, A public domain book. Vegetarian Society, 1884. http://amzn.com/B0076QXQJIIbid ., location 271
• ↑ Tolstoy, Leo. 1900. The First Step: An Essay on the Morals of Diet , to Which Are Added Two Stories. Albert Broadbent. 61, 6
• ↑ Ibid., 58-59.
• ↑ Richards, Jennie. “George Bernard Shaw Poem, ‘We Are The Living Graves of Murdered Beasts.’” Humane Decisions, January 15, 2015. http://www.humanedecisions.com/george-bernard-shaw-poem-we-are-the-living-graves-of-murdered-beasts/
• ↑ Gandhi, Mahatma. Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Courier Corporation, 1948, 208
• ↑ Gandhi, Mahatma. “Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth.” Accessed February 3, 2018. https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Story-My-Experiments-Truth/dp/1481076043 , 52
• ↑ “Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948).” International Vegetarian Union. Accessed October 16, 2017. https://ivu.org/history/gandhi/index.html
• ↑ “Meat Production Continues to Rise.” Worldwatch Institute, September 29, 2017. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5443
• ↑ Mood, A, and P Brooke. “Estimate of Fish Numbers.” Fishcount.org, July 2010. http://www.fishcount.org.uk/published/std/fishcountstudy.pdf
• ↑ “Vegetarian Diet: How to Get the Best Nutrition.” Mayo Clinic. Accessed August 2, 2017. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/vegetarian-diet/art-20046446
• ↑ “Becoming a Vegetarian.” Harvard Health Publications Harvard Medical School, March 18, 2016. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian
• ↑ Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal - The Permanente Press - Kaiser Permanente - Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. http://www.thepermanentejournal.org/issues/2013/spring/5117-nutrition.html
• ↑ Ask A Nutritionist: Plant-Based Diets.” NewYork-Presbyterian, March 30, 2017. https://healthmatters.nyp.org/plant-based-diet/
• ↑ “Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health.” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/understanding-vegetarianism-heart-health
• ↑ “About Us.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Accessed August 2, 2017. http://www.eatrightpro.org/resources/about-us
• ↑ “Vegetarian Diets.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. December 2016. http://www.eatrightpro.org/resource/practice/position-and-practice-papers/position-papers/vegetarian-diets
• ↑ “Healthy Eating Guidelines for Vegans.” Dietitians of Canada, November 2017. https://www.dietitians.ca/Downloads/Factsheets/Guidlines-for-Vegans.aspx
• ↑ “British Dietetic Association.” The Vegan Society. Accessed August 3, 2017. https://www.vegansociety.com/society/whos-involved/partners/british-dietetic-association
• ↑ “Vegan Diets: Everything You Need to Know – Dietitians Association of Australia.” Dietitians Association of Australia. Accessed August 3, 2017. https://daa.asn.au/smart-eating-for-you/smart-eating-fast-facts/healthy-eating/vegan-diets-facts-tips-and-considerations/
• ↑ “Understanding Vegetarianism; Heart Health.” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/understanding-vegetarianism-heart-health
• ↑ “Fast Facts About Kaiser Permanente.” Kaiser Permanente Share, 2017. https://share.kaiserpermanente.org/article/fast-facts-about-kaiser-permanente/
• ↑ Christopher Hyner. “A Leading Cause of Everything: One Industry That Is Destroying Our Planet and Our Ability to Thrive on It.” Georgetown Environmental Law Review, October 23, 2015. https://gelr.org/2015/10/23/a-leading-cause-of-everything-one-industry-that-is-destroying-our-planet-and-our-ability-to-thrive-on-it-georgetown-environmental-law-review/
• ↑ Goodland, Robert, and Jeff Anhang. “Livestock and Climate Change.” Worldwatch Institute. Accessed April 4, 2018. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6294
• ↑ Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. “Cattle Ranching in the Amazon Region.” Global Forest Atlas, June 6, 2014. http://globalforestatlas.yale.edu/amazon/land-use/cattle-ranching
• ↑ “Evidence of Species Loss in Amazon Caused by Deforestation.” ScienceDaily. Accessed June 8, 2017. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150824064927.htm .
• ↑ Victor Paine. “What Causes Ocean ‘Dead Zones’?” Scientific American. Accessed June 8, 2017. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ocean-dead-zones/ .
• ↑ “FAO Statistical Yearbook 2012.” United Nations FAO. Accessed April 4, 2018. http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2490e/i2490e00.htm
• ↑ Bhanoo, Sindya N. “Amish Farming Draws Rare Government Scrutiny.” The New York Times, June 8, 2010, sec. Environment. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/09/science/earth/09amish.html
• ↑ “Water Footprint.” Waterfootprint.org. Accessed November 28, 2017. http://waterfootprint.org/en/resources/interactive-tools/product-gallery/
• ↑ “Water Footprint Assessment Manual - The Global Standard.” Accessed November 28, 2017. http://waterfootprint.org/en/resources/publications/water-footprint-assessment-manual-global-standard/
• ↑ Quotes from “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret.” Accessed May 25, 2018. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3302820/quotes
• ↑ “Cowspiracy – Encore | Animal Liberation Victoria.” Accessed May 25, 2018. https://www.alv.org.au/articles/cowspiracy/
• ↑ Richard Oppenlander. “The World Hunger-Food Choice Connection: A Summary.” Comfortably Unaware, 2012. http://comfortablyunaware.com/blog/the-world-hunger-food-choice-connection-a-summary/ .
• ↑ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “Hunger Facts,” 2014. http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/icn2/toolkit/hunger-facts/en/
• ↑ Cassidy, Emily S., Paul C. West, James S. Gerber, and Jonathan A. Foley. “Redefining Agricultural Yields: From Tonnes to People Nourished per Hectare.” Environmental Research Letters 8, no. 3 (2013): 034015. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/034015
• ↑ Jason Gavericy Matheny, “Least Harm: A Defense of Vegetarianism From Steven Davis’s Omnivorous Proposal,” January 30, 2003, http://fewd.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/inst_ethik_wiss_dialog/Matheny__G._2003_Defense_of_Veg__in_J._Agric_Ethics.pdf
• ↑ “U.S. Could Feed 800 Million People with Grain That Livestock Eat, Cornell Ecologist Advises Animal Scientists,” Cornell Chronicle, August 7, 1997, http://news.cornell.edu/stories/1997/08/us-could-feed-800-million-people-grain-livestock-eat
• ↑ An average of the figures for various farmed animals from this study: World Resources Institute. “Creating a Sustainable Food Future.” World Resources Institute, 2014. http://www.wri.org/sites/default/files/wri13_report_4c_wrr_online.pdf .
• ↑ “Archive:Tom Regan Speech at the Royal Institute of Great Britain in 1989.” The Justice for Animals (JFA) Wiki. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://justiceforanimals.org/?curid=267 .
• ↑ George D Rodger, “Donald Watson: In His Own Words: Part Two,” The Veggie Blog (blog), December 15, 2002, http://www.happycow.net/blog/donald-watson-2/
• ↑ “Top Trends in Prepared Foods 2017: Exploring Trends in Meat, Fish and Seafood; Pasta, Noodles and Rice; Prepared Meals; Savory Deli Food; Soup; and Meat Substitutes.” Accessed November 15, 2017. https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4959853/top-trends-in-prepared-foods-2017-exploring-trends-in-meat-fish-and-seafood-pasta-noodles-and-rice-prepared-meals-savory-deli-food-soup-and-meat-substitutes.html  
• ↑ VeganRevolution. It’s a New Era of Veganism— Game Changers First Trailer . Accessed May 27, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMQ1rzz9t5w
• ↑ “Vegan Is Going Mainstream, Trend Data Suggests.” Accessed November 15, 2017. https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2015/03/17/Vegan-is-going-mainstream-trend-data-suggests
• ↑ Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017. 118

This article was originally authored by Greg Fuller and copyedited by Isaac Nickerson. The contents may have been edited since that time by others.

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85 Vegetarianism Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

For a vegetarianism essay, research paper, or speech, check out the titles our team has provided for you below.

📍 Great Research Questions about Vegetarianism

🏆 best vegetarianism essay topics & examples, 📌 interesting topics for essays on vegetarianism, 👍 good vegetarian essay topics.

• What are the key types of vegetarians?
• How do you get animal proteins as a vegetarian?
• Why do some people hate vegetarians?
• What are the ecological benefits of vegetarianism?
• Is a vegan diet affordable for the middle class?
• What are the health benefits of eating meat?
• Are there any unsolvable issues regarding a vegan diet?
• What is the best vegetarian food?
• How do you deal with the risk factors of a vegetarian diet?
• What are some myths about veganism?
• Vegetarianism Health Benefits It is going to be argued that; Being a vegetarian is good for health since it leads to the prevention of obesity and overweight, developing strong bones, prevention of heart disease, having cancer protection, having […]
• Vegetarian vs. Meat-Eating While meat is a rich source of essential minerals and vitamins, it also results in many adverse effects to the human body.
• Vegetarian or carnivorous diet However, a diet rich in meat and animal products has been found to have severe detrimental effects to people’s health. A well balanced diet that incorporates both meat and vegetables is essential.
• Why You Should Not Be a Vegetarian To conclude the above, it is important to note that vegetarianism refers to a form of food culture in which the individual eschews animal products.
• Vegetarianism and Its Causes The first cause to discuss is connected with economic reasons or the inability to include meat in everyday diet. Many vegetarians share the opinion that a meat-based diet is a sign of inhumanity.
• Consumer Behavior Theory: Vegetarianism If this philosophy is extrapolated to the vegetarianism trend analysis, the theory of reasoned action suggests that the rise in the number of vegetarians stems from people’s tendency to associate vegetarianism with good health.
• Benefits of Vegetarianism Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and in spite of enormous research efforts and many treatment options, there is still no guaranteed cure for the disease.anou and Svenson assert that in […]
• Worldwide Vegan Dairies: Digital Marketing Of particular importance is the promotion of vegan cheese in Australia, where information technology is also developed and the culture of a vegetarian lifestyle is flourishing.
• The Impact of Vegan and Vegetarian Diets on Diabetes Vegetarian diets are popular for a variety of reasons; according to the National Health Interview Survey in the United States, about 2% of the population reported following a vegetarian dietary pattern for health reasons in […]
• Harmfulness of Vegetarianism: The False Health Claim According to the article “How vegetarianism is bad for you and the environment”, “Plant-based sources tend to be low in saturated fat, a component of the brain and a macronutrient vital for human health”..
• Health 2 Go: Vegan Waffles for Everyone All fruits and berries are purchased daily from local suppliers and stored in a contaminant-free unit of the Health 2 Go.
• City’s Finest as a Vegan Ethical Shoe Brand The brand is focused on authenticity and transparency, producing the shoes locally and sourcing recycled and reclaimed materials that combine the principles of veganism and sustainability.
• Vegetarian Consumer Behaviour Raphaely states that the advances in agriculture created a threat to the environment, and it is important to study this situation in an in-depth manner.
• Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian Healthier Diet The first and foremost is that a vegetarian diet is one of the best weapons that can be used against overweight and obesity.
• Vegetarian Women and Prevention of Iron Depletion and Anemia Most of the body’s iron exists in hemoglobin, a quarter of the rest exists as metabolized iron-ferritin in the liver and the rest is found in the muscle tissue and selected enzymes.
• Vegetarian or Meat Eaters Contrary to the belief that meat is a great source of proteins, the quality of the protein in meat products is considered to be very poor since there is lack of proper combination of amino […]
• The Vegetarian Burger – A Product Review The burger also comes with significant nutrient components of Sodium and potassium.The total carbohydrate of the burger amounts to 6g which is 2% of the whole production unit.
• Vegetarian Diet and Proper Amount of Vitamins Issue This difference was accounted for by 14% lower zinc levels in the vegetarian diet and 21% less efficient absorption of zinc while eating it.
• Vegan Hot Dogs: Product Marketing The market for vegan hot dogs is a constantly growing market because the younger layer of the population is becoming more adherent to non-meat or vegan food sources.
• The Vegan Dog Kit Company’s Business Plan According to statistics, the number of vegetarianism in the United States is on the rise: as of 2018, five percent of the population adheres to a meatless diet, with half of them practicing veganism. Evidently, […]
• Pro-Vegetarianism to Save the Earth While most people agree that population growth is closely connected to the emission of greenhouse gases, which are harmful to the environment, as they lead to global warming, a rare individual believes that he or […]
• Can Vegetarian Diets Be Healthy? The analysis of the effectiveness of such a nutritional principle for the body can confirm, or, on the contrary, refute the theory about the advantages of vegetarianism and its beneficial effect on body functions.
• Moral Status of Animals: Vegetarianism and Veganism The significance of acknowledging the concept of sentience in this context is the fact that vegetarians and vegans accept the idea that animals are like humans when they feel something.
• “Quit Meat” Vegetarian Diet: Pros and Cons Although many dieticians think that meat is an essential nutrient, the reality is that it is inappropriate to eat animals because it is unhealthy and unethical.
• Vegan Parents’ Influence on Their Children’s Diet The first reason why a vegan diet should not be imposed on children is that every parent should pay close attention to the needs of their toddlers.
• Vegetarian Diet: Pros and Cons On the contrary, the study A Comparison of Some of the Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Vegetarian and Omnivorous Turkish Females by Karabudak, Kiziltan, and Cigerim portrayed that vegetarians had higher risks of hyperhomocysteinaemia and lower […]
• Positive Reasons and Outcomes of Becoming Vegan Being vegan signifies a philosophy and manner of living that aims at excluding, as much as achievable, any kind of exploitation of, and cruelty against, animals for meat, clothing and other uses while promoting and […]
• Herb’aVors Vegan Drive-Thru Product Business Model As a result, the wide public will be able to receive the brand-new service with the excellent health promotion characteristics and traditional cultural implications of fast-food. The breakthrough of the offered concept is the vegan-based […]
• Vegan vs. Vegetarian Diets: Impacts on Health However, vegetarians have the option of consuming animal products like eggs and milk, but this option is not available to vegans; vegetarians tend to avoid the intake of all the animal proteins.
• Vegetarianism Relation with Health and Religion These are the vegans, the lacto vegetarians, and the Lacto-ovo vegetarians. Apart from the explained contributions to health, vegetarian diets are also instrumental in checking blood pressure, aiding digestion, removal of body toxins and betterment […]
• Vegetarian Diet as a Health-Conscious Lifestyle Making a transition from omnivore to vegetarian lifestyle, besides the impact on the person’s health, people consider the public opinion and the community’s reaction on their decision.
• Target Market for the “Be Fine Vegan Skin Care” To be competitive in the market and realize profits from the sale of the product “Be Fine Vegan Skin Care” in a competitive market, marketing executives analyze and design a market plan that is strategically […]
• Today’s Society Should Move toward Adopting Vegetarian Diet: Arguments For While it is hard for many people to reduce the necessity of eat meat-based products and to increase the use of vegetables and other vegetarian products, however, there is a necessity “to reconsider the increasing […]
• Vegetarianism Is Good For Many Reasons For Health, Ethics, And Religious
• Understanding What Vegetarianism Is and Its Dietary Limitations
• A History of Vegetarianism: Moral and Philosophy
• Vegetarianism and the Other Weight Problem
• The Environmental Necessity of Vegetarianism
• The Misusage Of The Vegetarianism In Teenage Females With Eating Disorders
• Determinants of Vegetarianism and Meat Consumption Frequency in Ireland
• The Dietary Concept of Vegetarianism and the Nutritional Intake
• Vegetarianism Is The Human Conception For Man ‘s Own Advantage
• Why Vegetarianism Is Good For You And The Planet
• Vegetarianism: The Key to a Health-Conscious, Ecological America
• The Significance of Cow Protection and Vegetarianism in Hinduism
• Relative Moral Superiority And Proselytizing Vegetarianism
• Determinants of Vegetarianism and Partial Vegetarianism in the United Kingdom
• An Analysis of the Three Important Aspects of Vegetarianism
• Negative Stereotypes of Vegetarianism
• Vegetarianism Versus Eating Meat
• The Effects Of Vegetarianism On Health And Environment
• A Description of Vegetarianism as a Way of Life For Many People For Centuries
• History And Philosophy Of Vegetarianism
• Vegetarianism – To Meat Or Not To Meat
• Arguments in Favor and Against Vegetarianism
• American Vegetarianism How It Became a Subculture
• The Benefits of Vegetarianism and Its Main Features
• The Health and Economic Benefits of Vegetarianism
• The Main Benefits of Vegetarianism and Its Importance
• Some Economic Benefits and Costs of Vegetarianism
• Why Vegetarianism Is Good For Many Reasons For Life
• The Hidden Politics of Vegetarianism Caste and the Hindu Canteen
• An Analysis of Vegetarianism as the Best Way To Save Animals Lives and Help the Environment
• Vegetarianism: Fighting the Addiction to Meat
• The Earliest Record of Vegetarianism in Ancient History
• Vegetarianism Is The Modern Diet Plan
• An Analysis of the Moral and Religious Reasons of Vegetarianism and Its Health Benefits
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"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals ."

There are many ways to embrace vegan living. Yet one thing all vegans have in common is  a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs and honey - as well as avoiding animal-derived materials, products tested on animals and places that use animals for entertainment.

Some people may choose to go vegan, for some it may be because they do not believe in farmed animal practices and animal exploitation, for others it may be due to environmental concerns. Whatever the reason The Vegan Society is here to support everyone on their vegan journey.

Although the vegan diet was defined early on in The Vegan Society's beginnings in 1944, by Donald Watson and our founding members.It was as late as 1949 before Leslie J Cross pointed out that the society lacked a definition of veganism. He suggested “[t]he principle of the emancipation of animals from exploitation by man”. This is later clarified as “to seek an end to the use of animals by man for food, commodities, work, hunting, vivisection, and by all other uses involving exploitation of animal life by man”.

The society was first registered as a charity in August 1964 but its assets were later transferred to a new charity when it also became a limited company in December 1979. The definition of veganism and the charitable objects of the society were amended and refined over the years. By winter 1988 the current definition was in use - although the phrasing has changed slightly over the years.

Read more on the history of veganism .

So what do vegans eat?

A great deal - you'll soon find a whole new world of exciting foods and flavours opening up to you. A vegan diet is richly diverse and comprises all kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, beans and pulses - all of which can be prepared in endless combinations that will ensure you're never bored. From curry to cake, pasties to pizzas, all your favourite things can be suitable for a vegan diet if they're made with plant-based ingredients. Check out our vegan recipes for ideas.

It's not just about diet

Vegans avoid exploiting animals for any purpose, with compassion being a key reason many choose a vegan lifestyle. From accessories and clothing to makeup and bathroom items, animal products and products tested on animals are found in more places than you might expect. Fortunately nowadays there are affordable and easily-sourced alternatives to just about everything. With over 65,000 products and services registered with our Vegan Trademark alone, living a vegan lifestyle has never been easier. Browse our online shop  today.

Start your vegan journey today by downloading our VeGuide app . You can also join The Vegan Society  by completing our quick and simple online form. As a registered charity we rely on our members, and we are so grateful to everyone who supports us. For just £2 a month, your membership will go towards helping us to spread the word of veganism and create a world where animals are free to exist in their own right. In return you’ll receive access to over one hundred vegan discounts, our quarterly magazine, exclusive competitions and more!

Other aspects of vegan living

Currently all medicine in the UK must be tested on animals before it is deemed safe for human use, but please note: The Vegan Society DOES NOT recommend you avoid medication prescribed to you by your doctor - a vegan who is looking after themselves the best they can is an asset to the movement. What you can do is ask your GP or pharmacist to provide you, if possible, with medication that does not contain animal products such as gelatine or lactose. For more information visit the medicines website , which contains information on medicines prescribed in the UK, including ingredients lists.

Medical charities

If you're a medical charity supporter you may wish to check whether your chosen charity performs animal testing.  There are many charities that don't currently conduct animal tests and many vegans prefer donating to charities that actively seek alternative methods of testing.

Entertainment

Vegans choose not to support animal exploitation in any form and so avoid visiting zoos or aquariums, or taking part in dog or horse racing. A great alternative is visiting and supporting animal sanctuaries that provide safe and loving homes for rescued animals.

Want to find out more about the vegan lifestyle? Sign up to the free Vegan Pledge today. There are hundreds of thousands of vegans across the globe - with you, we're that much stronger.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Vegan — The Positive Effects of Being in a Vegan Diet

The Positive Effects of Being in a Vegan Diet

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Words: 1669 |

Published: Oct 22, 2018

Words: 1669 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Captivating opening statement or question designed to engage the reader and make them want to read further.

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Provides a foundational overview, outlining the historical context and introducing key information that will be further explored in the essay, setting the stage for the argument to follow.

Cornerstone of the essay, presenting the central argument that will be elaborated upon and supported with evidence and analysis throughout the rest of the paper.

The topic sentence serves as the main point or focus of a paragraph in an essay, summarizing the key idea that will be discussed in that paragraph.

The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.

After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad about the topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

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• The Strongest Argument for Veganism

This collection of articles was first published on the website of Sentience Politics .

Strong arguments derive their (surprising, counter-intuitive and far-reaching) conclusions from modest premises that everybody accepts. Here’s one such premise:

(1) We shouldn’t be cruel to animals, i.e. we shouldn’t harm animals unnecessarily.

(2) The consumption of animal products harms animals.

This is quite obvious for meat, but it’s also true for milk and eggs . Animals often suffer terribly as a result of overbreeding, from dreadful conditions on farms, during transportation and in the slaughterhouse. Studies show that stunning fails regularly . The egg industry painfully gasses all male chicks right after they hatch. In short: The production of animal foods generally leads to lots of acts of violence against animals and large amounts of suffering. – Here’s a further premise:

(3) The consumption of animal products is unnecessary.

One might ask how this third premise could be uncontroversial, given that food production is a pretty necessary practice. The question, however, is not “Is food necessary?”, but “Is animal food necessary (here and now)?” – Or in other words: “Are there viable nutritional alternatives to animal products?” For one cannot plausibly argue that something is necessary in the presence of viable alternatives. So let’s take a look at the scientific facts: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – the largest nutritional organisation in the world – has a position paper stating that “appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” Official health bodies around the globe support this view . And the existence of millions of healthy vegans and a growing number of vegan top athletes bears it out. Also, “appropriate planning” is very easy in today’s world – healthy and tasty vegan (or at least vegetarian) food is available everywhere.

To sum it up: If our own health depended on eating animals, then there could be an argument for violence against animals (serving nutritional purposes) being necessary. But that’s not the case. We’re not inflicting horrible suffering on animals in order to preserve our own health and thus prevent our own suffering. We’re inflicting suffering on billions of animals in order to get a little more culinary pleasure at most. And very likely not even that: In an experiment at the University of Bochum , 90% of the students didn’t notice that their “beef goulash” was vegan. The availability of vegan gourmet food is increasing rapidly too. Last but not least, it’s largely a matter of culinary socialization anyway: Nobody craves exotic foods (such as dog, dolphin or chimp meat) that don’t exist and are taboo in our society. The same would be true in a vegan society (providing plenty tasty cruelty-free meats) with regard to all meat that requires violence against any sentient animal.

The (rather trivial) premises (1) – (3) logically imply that the consumption of animal products harms animals unnecessarily and satisfies the definition of “cruelty to animals”, which leads to the conclusion:

To recap the Strongest Argument for Veganism:

(1) We shouldn’t be cruel to animals, i.e. we shouldn’t harm animals unnecessarily. (2) The consumption of animal products harms animals. (3) The consumption of animal products is unnecessary. (4) Therefore, we shouldn’t consume animal products.

At which point could one plausibly block this line of reasoning?

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• Verywell Fit - Pros and Cons of a Vegan Diet
• The Guardian - Is veganism as good for you as they say?
• Healthline - What is Veganism, and What Do Vegans Eat?
• Frontiers - Vegan diet: nutritional components, implementation, and effects on adults’ health
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - The Impact of a Vegan Diet on Many Aspects of Health: The Overlooked Side of Veganism
• WebMD - What is a Vegan Diet?
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veganism , the theory or practice of abstaining from the consumption and use of animal products. While some vegans avoid only animal-derived food, many others also exclude any items that use animals as ingredients or for testing. These prohibited products can range from clothing (e.g., leather) to makeup. Dietary veganism differs from vegetarianism in that vegetarians may choose to consume some animal-derived foods such as milk, eggs, and honey on the grounds that animals do not need to be slaughtered to obtain these products. Veganism is motivated by a variety of reasons, including personal health , animal rights , environmentalism, and ethics . It is generally practiced less as a dietary preference and more as a lifestyle choice and form of activism.

Records of individuals following a vegetarian, or mostly vegetarian, diet go back thousands of years and include such notable figures in history as Siddhartha Gautama , the founder of Buddhism , and the Greek philosopher Pythagoras . The 19th-century English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the first prominent Europeans to eschew dairy and eggs, in addition to meat, for ethical reasons. In Shelley’s time those who did not eat meat were referred to as “Pythagoreans.” Shelley wrote A Vindication of Natural Diet in 1813, in which he blamed societal problems on the consumption of meat. The term vegan , a derivative of vegetarian , was proposed in 1944 by British animal rights advocate Donald Watson. That year he and other vegetarians who abstained from dairy formed the Vegan Society and launched a nascent movement that sought to stop the exploitation of living creatures for human consumption and use (including hunting and medical experiments) and to find nonanimal alternatives for food, clothing, and other human uses.

Unlike most dietary choices, veganism is more often seen as a philosophical proposition, an ethical choice, and a form of individual activism that aims to have a global impact. Philosophers from Pythagoras to Peter Singer , the author of such books as Animal Liberation (1975), have argued that humans do not have the right to exploit or inflict suffering on animals and that such exploitation is unethical. Similarly, followers of Hinduism , Jainism , and Buddhism may become vegetarian or vegan on the basis of ahimsa , the ethical principle of not causing harm to any living being.

The modern vegan movement is tied to the formation of the Vegan Society in 1944. While initially focused mainly on animal rights, vegan activism more recently has also focused on the relationship between the consumption and use of animal products and climate change . On a global level, intensive animal farming has been shown to be a major contributor of the greenhouse gases causing global warming . On local levels, intensive animal farms and feedlots can pollute air and water in their immediate locations. The rise in livestock production for food has led to a dramatic increase in deforestation , especially in the Amazon region. Author Jonathan Safran Foer, who explored the ethics of meat consumption in his book Eating Animals (2009), wrote about the effects of animal consumption on climate change in his book We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast (2019). In addition, activists have accused factory farming of committing animal cruelty.

There is debate about the nutritional health of a strictly vegan diet. Some studies say vegans are at risk of being deficient in protein and certain vitamins and minerals, notably B 12 , iron , zinc , and calcium . Proponents of veganism say modern protein requirements are inflated and that nutrients usually found in meat, fish, and dairy can be replaced by nutrients in vegetables, legumes, and fruit and in the form of fortified foods, such as vitamin-enriched breakfast cereals and plant-derived supplements. In addition, they note that a vegan diet can provide a number of health benefits. According to some studies, veganism can lower one’s risk of heart disease , prevent type 2 diabetes , and decrease the occurrence of certain cancers. Other benefits may include weight loss and improved brain health.

Beginning in the early 21st century, there has been an increase in production and sales of vegetarian and vegan food products, especially those mimicking burgers, chicken, milk, and fish. The terms plant-based and plant-forward have been used to describe a way of eating that is mostly vegan but which has flexibility in terms of consumption of occasional meat, dairy, eggs, and fish.

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Vegan Information: Links to 200+ Resources

You’ve found it: the mother lode of vegan information. No matter what you want to learn about in regard to vegan lifestyles and plant-based eating, you’ll find links to the best coverage right here.

Essential Vegan Information

To begin exploring vegan topics, start with these six fundamental pieces:

• Discover all the sensational vegan foods available by reading our Introduction to Vegan Eating .
• Our Why Go Vegan? essay, written by Erik Marcus, is the most authoritative take available on the numerous reasons people choose a vegan diet.
• To begin moving toward a vegan diet, please read our How to Go Vegan piece. It offers step-by-step guidance for making an easy transition.
• Our guides to Vegan Cooking and Baking will speed your transition to a plant-based diet, and enable you to eat tastier and cheaper food than ever before.
• To dig deeper into the vegan concept, check out, “ What is a Vegan? “
• Finally, for answers to all the pesky unresolved questions that crop up, check out our Vegan FAQ .

Vegan Living Guides:

Once you’ve checked out the above links, it’s time to dig a little deeper. We’ve got detailed guides to help you with every aspect of transitioning to plant-based diets. On top of all that, we we even offer the complete text to The Ultimate Vegan Guide.

• Eating Vegan (A collection of our best vegan food coverage)
• Introduction to Vegan Nutrition , by Virginia Messina MPH, RD
• Try Being Vegan—Everything You Need to Succeed
• Ultimate Vegan Guide  (free online first edition)
• Coffee Creamer
• Cream Cheese
• Whipped Cream
• What’s Wrong with Eggs?
• Egg Replacer & Vegan Egg Substitutes
• Cheap Vegan Foods
• Vegan College Guide

More Vegan Information on Every Topic

To help you navigate the vast amount of information on this page, we have broken our offerings down by category:

Shopping | Food | World Cuisines | Holidays |  Health & Fitness | Animals  | Cookware |  Activism | Companies |  Animal Ingredients  |  Clothes & Apparel | Beauty | Celebrities  | Other

Whatever you’re looking to buy, we’ve got pages that feature the best vegan products.

• Beauty & Personal Care
• Vitamins and Supplements
• Books on Vegan-Related Topics
• Shoes and Boots

Vegan Foods

We’ve got links below to just about every vegan food you can think of. Start by checking out our easy vegan foods page. Then look into the world cuisines that most interest you. We maintain a handy online grocery that will give you more great ideas. And don’t miss our page on vegan alternatives to animal ingredients.

• Easy Vegan Foods
• Guide to the Best Vegan Foods
• Vegan Foods from A to Z (Detailed Coverage of Almost Every Vegan Food)
• World Cuisines
• Vegan.com Grocery
• Vegan Meals (See also: Breakfast , Brunch , Lunch , and Dinner )
• Vegan Snacks
• Vegan Restaurants and Fast Food
• Guides to Beans , Rice , Fruits , Vegetables & Nuts
• Almond Milk
• Alternatives to Meat, Dairy Products, & Eggs
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• Coconut Milk
• Culinary School
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Vegan-Friendly World Cuisines

Every one of the cuisines featured below contains loads of vegan possibilities. Not sure where to start? Consider reading our Vegan Mexican Foods page first, because it’s such an approachable cuisine filled with so many delicious and healthful options. Italian cuisine likewise has a wide assortment of incredible vegan options, even for novice cooks.

• Ethiopian Food
• Indian Food
• Italian Food
• Japanese Food
• Mexican Food
• Middle Eastern Food
• Vietnamese Food

Whether it’s a Fourth of July barbecue, vegan Halloween candy , or a fantastic Thanksgiving feast , we’ve got you covered with great options and ideas.

• Thanksgiving
• Fourth of July
• New Year’s Resolutions
• Rosh Hashanah

Vegan Health & Fitness

We offer extensive vegan-oriented health coverage . Our Vegan Nutrition Guide is the best place to start, in terms of getting a solid grounding on all the key nutrition information. Also, every vegan needs to read up on Vitamin B-12 , and we’ve got the definitive piece in terms of giving you a solid background on the topic. Also don’t miss our Vitamins Guide , which offers great deals on the supplements of special interest to vegans.

• Vitamin B-12
• Bodybuilding
• Gluten-Free
• Omega 3 Fats (ALA, DHA, & EPA)
• Organically Grown Foods
• Weight Loss

Here’s information about factory farming animals commonly eaten for food. One of the best recent books on the topic is Project Animal Farm , by Sonia Faruqi.

It doesn’t cost much to outfit your kitchen with all the essential pieces of equipment needed to make great vegan food.

• Cookware Guide
• Food Processors
• Pressure Cookers
• Slow-Cookers (Crock Pots)

A primary goal of this website is to keep as many animals from harm as possible. For that to happen, our readers need to get involved. Our 10,000 word Activism Guide is one of this website’s centerpiece offerings. It offers proven strategies that will enable you persuasively advocate for plant-based eating.

• Vegan & Animal Rights Activism Guide
• Local Vegan Activism
• Animal Millionaires
• Animal Rights & Animal Welfare—an Introduction
• Bumper Stickers
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Animal Ingredients

Thanks to slaughterhouses killing tens of billions of animals a year, there’s an endless stream of animal byproducts that can show up in our food, cosmetics, and other consumer items. You can become acquainted with the main substances to watch out for on our Animal Ingredients page.

Vegan Clothing & Apparel

Clothing, footwear, and accessories are often made from animal fibers or leather. The links below will help you to find vegan products that fit with your sense of style.

Vegan & Cruelty-Free Beauty Products

If there’s a cosmetic or personal care item you need, you can find one that’s vegan and formulated without animal testing. Key link:

• Beauty & Personal Care Products and Makeup
• Bubble Bath
• Conditioner
• Facial Moisturizer
• Makeup Brushes
• Nail Polish
• Nail Polish Remover
• Shaving Products
• Tanning Products

Celebrities

Famous people go vegan. Famous people also stop being vegan. Lots of people care about this, for reasons that are hard to understand. So here’s our begrudgingly assembled set of pages on celebrities who are either currently vegan or toyed with it in the past.

• Alicia Silverstone
• Bill Clinton
• Ellen Degeneres
• Jennifer Lopez
• Oprah Winfrey
• Pamela Anderson
• Paul McCartney

Other Vegan Topics

Here’s all the vegan information we offer that doesn’t fit elsewhere:

• Disaster Prepping
• Festivals & Events
• Level 5 Vegan
• Meatless Mondays
• Plant-Strong Diets
• Vegan Police
• Veggie Grill

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Best-selling vegan products:.

Vitamin B-12 Supplement 1,000 mcg

But I Could Never Go Vegan! by Kristy Turner

Vegan Vitamin D3 Supplement 2500 IU

Vegan Comfort Cooking by Melanie

Learn More About Veganism

Recommended Vegan Cookbooks

Why Go Vegan? The Top Reasons Explained

How to Go Vegan Easily and Healthily

Vegan Cooking Guide: Learn the Basics in Under an Hour

Vegan Fast Food: Top Menu Items (USA)

Vegan Vitamins & Supplements Buying Guide

Easy Vegan Foods: The Definitive Gigantic List

Vegan Cuisine Guide: Plant-Based Foods Worldwide

Vegan Alternatives to Meat, Dairy, and Egg Products

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Essential Tips For Composing An Introduction Paragraph For An Informative Essay

The intro to any write-up is perhaps the most important aspect of an essay. Regardless of the topic or the approach in handling the topic provided, it is only a captivating intro that can either вЂmake’ or вЂbreak’ the entire pursuit of the research study. Expected to give substantial contextual and background information to the subject matter, any good introduction addresses the 5W’s and 1H related to the study.

A lot of pre-thinking and arranging of thoughts are required prior to the creation of the introductory paragraph in an informative essay. Only then will an engaging intro be formed that will spark the reader’s interest level and the need to continue reading the rest of the content be felt.

The following are few tips collected by English essay helpers to give students an idea on how they must frame their introduction in the essay:

• Beginning with an attention-getter

A wise thing to get started with the introduction to any informative essay would be to include a question, a context-based quote or someone’s saying or a statistical finding. One common mistake that students make is beginning with clichГ©d and convoluted phrases as вЂfrom time immemorial’ and the like. Even a drab topic can turn interesting in no time if the first few sentences connect the reader to the scope of the paper.

• Include background information

When framing the intro, the writer must include some information about the background of the study. There will be little spice in the introduction if it fails to offer some additional data about how and why the study originated in the first place. Find assistance on it on this website

• Decide on a thesis

This comes at the end of the introductory paragraph. On the basis o the thesis established, the arguments will start following. An informative essay is not expected to be opinionated in tone, but there must be some clear points to help the reader know where exactly the arguments are leading to.

• Be concise and avoid superfluous stuffs

There must be a proper idea of the student to include only valid points that are essential to the development of the essay. The idea is to see that all the points are presented in a factual, impersonal, precise and compact form, with no scope of superfluous add-ons.

Students can expect to be assisted when browsing sites that offer them the best of tips to compose introductory paragraphs, followed by the rest.

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