Veganism- a diet fad or a lifestyle?
What do Miley Cyrus, Natalie Portman, and Ariana Grande have in common? Apart from being known for their impeccable talents, they all follow a trending lifestyle i.e. Veganism. Back in 1944, a small group of people decided to break away from a prevailing vegetarian society in England to convert their vegetarianism to veganism. The term itself is derived from the word vegetarian. Veganism refers to people who choose not to include any form of animal cruelty into their lifestyle this includes everything from their diet to clothing. Unlike vegetarians, vegans refrain from consuming dairy products and eggs. The basic agenda behind adapting to a vegan lifestyle is to avoid any sort of animal exploitation. Apart from that people also decide to go vegan for health benefits. As there have been various studies conducted mentioning the adverse effects of consuming dairy products especially for the lactose intolerant group. Studies claim dairy products that contain saturated fats lead to lifestyle disorders like Alzheimer’s, heart disease. Avoiding dairy can be beneficial for some people given that there are other alternatives available largely in the market to replace the good old milk. While health factors are one of the major reasons why people go vegan others include ethics and the environment. Most of the vegans not only give up on the kind of food they eat but also keep in check the kind of materials used for their clothes, accessories, etc to ensure there’s no harm made to animals in any manner. However certain people do opt to become just “dietary vegans” that do not require them to give up on any other product apart from the type of food they consume.
Going vegan is not as easy as it sounds if the goal of doing it is not clear. When it comes to dietary vegans the end goal can be weight loss or simply avoiding dairy when it comes to ethics the end goal can be contributing to the welfare of animals and the environment and doing their bit. As good as it sounds just like anything else veganism also has its side effects. Studies have shown that vegans are more at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies and are advised to take supplements to avoid the same. However these days there is a healthy alternative for almost everything. Cottage cheese is being replaced with tofu giving a high amount of protein. Milk is being replaced by almond, cashew, coconut milk that have benefits of their own. Lentils, legumes allow one to have a protein-rich diet without including animal-based meat. Veganism focuses on including a large number of fresh fruits and green leafy salads which again enhances one’s overall health. A lot of books have been written and a lot of websites have been published all giving options for a vegan breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks even desserts. With extensive research and good accessibility to the internet following this trend has certainly become easier than it would have been in the 20th century. Opting for veganism sure has its own physical and even mental benefits we just have to make sure we do it for the right reason and not under the influence of modern trends. It is a lifestyle change and one should make it consciously.
