Veganism

Some people choose to be vegan. This means they do not eat animal food. They do not eat meat, eggs, or milk. They also do not use animal products for clothes.

This includes things like leather or wool. People do this to help animals. Some do it to help the earth.

They might also do it for their health. It is a way to live without using animals.

Veganism is a way of living. Vegans do not use animal products. This means they do not eat meat, fish, or eggs. They also do not eat dairy like milk or cheese. Many vegans avoid honey too.

Some people follow a vegan diet for their health. Others do it to help the planet. Some do it for religious reasons.

Ethical vegans go even further. They do not use animals for clothes like leather or wool. They also avoid animal products in soaps or makeup.

They do not visit places like zoos or circuses. They want to live without using animals for any purpose.

People have lived this way since ancient times. An Arab poet once wrote about it. In 1944, Donald and Dorothy Watson created the word "vegan." They wanted a name for people who do not eat dairy. This helped separate them from vegetarians. Vegetarians might still eat eggs or milk. The Vegan Society was formed in London in 1944. They celebrate World Vegan Day every year on November 1.

Veganism is a way of living that avoids using animals. People who follow this path are called vegans. Some vegans choose this lifestyle for their health. Others do it to help the environment. Some people follow it for religious reasons. Ethical vegans want to avoid using animals for any purpose. This includes food like meat, fish, eggs, and honey. It also means avoiding dairy like milk or cheese.

Living as a vegan affects many daily choices. Ethical vegans avoid animal products in their clothing. They do not wear leather, wool, or fur. They also avoid some cosmetics that use animal ingredients.

Some vegans avoid entertainment that uses animals. This includes zoos, circuses, and horse racing. They also avoid services like animal testing. Even some medicines are avoided by those practicing ethical veganism. This is because they want to live without exploiting animals. They believe animals have feelings similar to our own.

People have avoided animal products since ancient times. In the Indus Valley, people lived this way between 3300 and 1300 BCE. Famous Indian leaders like Ashoka were known to be vegetarians. An Arab poet named al-Ma'arri also wrote about it. In the 1600s, an Irish farmer named Robert Cook avoided wool and leather.

In 1813, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote about a natural diet. Later, in the 1830s, Sylvester Graham made a meatless diet popular in the United States. These people all shared a desire to live differently.

The specific word "veganism" is not very old. Donald and Dorothy Watson created the word in 1944. They wanted a name that was different from vegetarianism. They took the first three and last two letters of "vegetarian."

They started a newsletter called The Vegan News. This led to the founding of The Vegan Society in London. The society held its first meeting at the Attic Club. Members celebrated by sharing recipes and lists of animal-free products. They even listed things like shoe polish and glue.

Today, veganism is part of many different cultures. In 1948, the first vegan society in the U.S. started in California. In 1960, H. Jay Dinshah founded the American Vegan Society. He linked the practice to the idea of "ahimsa," which means non-harming.

Many people now use plant-based foods like soy milk.

Modern vegans might use mock meats to replace animal products.

This movement continues to grow as people look for new ways to live.

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from all animal products. It is also a philosophy that rejects the status of animals as commodities. A person who follows this way of life is called a vegan. The term can also describe foods or materials that are compatible with this lifestyle. People may choose veganism for many reasons. Some follow a vegan diet for health or religious beliefs. Others do so to protect the environment.

Ethical veganism is a specific category of this movement. Ethical vegans avoid using animals for any purpose when it is possible. This includes food like meat, fish, eggs, honey, and dairy products. It also extends to clothing like leather, wool, and fur. Ethical vegans avoid animal use in entertainment, such as zoos or circuses. They also avoid services like animal testing or mounted police. Even some medicines and cosmetics are avoided by those practicing ethical veganism. They believe animals have feelings similar to our own.

There are other ways to categorize vegan practices. Environmental veganism focuses on the impact of industrial farming. This group avoids animal products because they believe animal farming is unsustainable. Dietary veganism, often called strict vegetarianism, focuses primarily on food. These practitioners refrain from consuming meat, eggs, and dairy. While these categories overlap, they represent different motivations. A 2021 study found that most vegans ranked diet-only definitions last. However, non-vegans often picked those definitions more frequently.

History shows that people have avoided animal products since ancient times. The Indus Valley civilization practiced forms of this between 3300 and 1300 BCE. Many Indian philosophers and emperors, such as Ashoka, were known for vegetarianism. The Arab poet al-Ma'arri was one of the earliest known vegans. In the 1600s, an Irish farmer named Robert Cook avoided wool and leather. He did this because of his Protestant interpretation of the Bible. In the 1800s, the movement grew in Britain and the United States. The poet Percy Bysshe Shelley advocated for a natural diet in 1813.

In the 19th century, new health ideas shaped the movement. Physician William Lambe argued that a vegetable diet could cure many ailments. In the 1830s, Sylvester Graham's meatless diet became popular in America. This diet consisted mostly of fruit, vegetables, and homemade bread. The first vegan cookbook was published in 1849 by Asenath Nicholson. In the early 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi spoke about meat-free diets. He argued that eating meat was a matter of morality rather than just health.

The specific word "veganism" was created in 1944. Donald Watson and Dorothy Morgan invented the term to distinguish it from vegetarianism. They took the first three and last two letters of the word "vegetarian." This marked what Watson called the beginning and end of vegetarianism. They started a newsletter called The Vegan News in November 1944. This led to the founding of The Vegan Society in London. The society held its first meeting at the Attic Club. Members shared recipes and lists of animal-free goods like shoe polish and glue.

The movement spread globally throughout the 20th century. The first vegan society in the U.S. formed in California in 1948. In 1960, H. Jay Dinshah founded the American Vegan Society. He connected veganism to the Sanskrit concept of ahimsa, or non-harming. In the 1950s, the Plantmilk Society began producing soy milk. This was one of the first widely distributed soy milks in the West.

Today, veganism is more visible than ever. People use plant-based meats and various dairy alternatives.

Modern vegans continue to explore new ways to live without exploitation.