What
is a Vegan/Vegetarian?
A vegetarian is someone
living on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits
with or without the use of dairy products and eggs (preferably free-range).
A vegetarian does not
eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter
by-products such as gelatine or animal fats.
Types of Vegetarian
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian.
Eats both dairy products and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian
diet.
Lacto-vegetarian.
Eats dairy products but not eggs.
Vegan. Does not
eat dairy products, eggs, or any other animal product.
Fruitarian. A type
of vegan diet where very few processed or cooked foods are eaten. Consists
mainly of raw fruit, grains and nuts. Fruitarians believe only plant foods
that can be harvested without killing the plant should be eaten.
Macrobiotic. A
diet followed for spiritual and philosophical reasons. Aims to maintain
a balance between foods seen as ying (positive) or yang (negative). The
diet progresses through ten levels, becoming increasingly restrictive.
Not all levels are vegetarian, though each level gradually eliminates animal
products. The highest levels eliminate fruit and vegetables, eventually
reaching the level of a brown rice diet.
Other terms can be used
in describing various vegetarian diets, though their exact meaning can
differ. The term strict vegetarian may refer to a vegan diet, though in
other cases it may simply mean a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. The terms common
or broad vegetarian may be used to refer to lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Demi-vegetarian
is a term sometimes used to describe persons who eat no or little meat
but may eat fish. Persons consuming fish but no meat are sometimes called
pescetarians.
"The term 'Vegetarian'
was coined in 1847. It was first formally used on September 30th of that
year by Joseph Brotherton and others, at Northwood Villa in Kent, England.
The occasion being the innaugural meeting of the Vegetarian Society of
the United Kingdom. The word was derived from the Latin 'vegetus', meaning
whole, sound, fresh, lively; (it should not be confused with 'vegetable-arian'
- a mythical human whom some imagine subsisting entirely on vegetables
but no nuts, fruits, grains etc!) Prior to 1847, non-meat eaters were generally
known as 'Pythagoreans' or adherents of the 'Pythagorean System', after
the ancient Greek 'vegetarian' Pythagoras. The original definition of 'vegetarian'
was "with or without eggs or dairy products" and that definition is still
used by the Vegetarian Society today. However, most vegetarians in India
exclude eggs from their diet as did those in the classical Mediterranean
lands, such as Pythagoras."
Vegetarians do not
eat meat, fish, and poultry. Vegans are vegetarians who abstain from eating
or using all animal products, including milk, cheese, other dairy items,
eggs, wool, silk, and leather. Among the many reasons for being a vegetarian
are health, ecological, and religious concerns, dislike of meat, compassion
for animals, belief in non-violence, and economics. The American Dietetic
Association has affirmed that a vegetarian diet can meet all known nutrient
needs. The key to a healthy vegetarian diet, as with any other diet, is
to eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, plenty of
leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Limit your
intake of sweets and fatty foods.
People go vegetarian
for many reasons. The main reasons are for animals, the environment, and
health. Some vegetarians eat eggs and milk products. Those who do sometimes
refer to themselves as ovo-lacto vegetarians. Veganism may be defined as
a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practical,
all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing
or any other purpose. In dietary terms it refers to the practice of dispensing
with *all* animal produce - including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, animal
milks, honey, and their derivatives. Abhorrence of the cruel practices
inherent in dairy, livestock and poultry farming is probably the single
most common reason for the adoption of veganism, but many people are drawn
to it for health, ecological, spiritual and other reasons.
Why Vegan?
VEGANISM may be defined
as a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practical,
all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing
or any other purpose.
In dietary terms it
refers to the practice of dispensing with *all* animal produce - including
meat, fish, poultry, eggs, animal milks, honey, and their derivatives.
Abhorrence of the cruel
practices inherent in dairy, livestock and poultry farming is probably
the single most common reason for the adoption of veganism, but many people
are drawn to it for health, ecological, spiritual and other reasons.
"Land, energy and water
resources for livestock agriculture range anywhere from 10 to 1000 times
greater than those necessary to produce an equivalent amount of plant foods.
And livestock agriculture does not merely *use* these resources, it *depletes*
them.
This is a matter of
historical record. Most of the world's soil, erosion, groundwater depletion,
and deforestation -- factors now threatening the very basis of our food
system -- are the result of this particularly destructive form of food
production" (Keith Akers, p. 81, "A Vegetarian Sourcebook", 1989).
Making
the Change to a Vegetarian Diet
Many people become
vegetarian instantly. They totally give up meat, fish and poultry overnight.
Others make the change gradually. Do what works best for you.
Being a vegetarian
is as hard or as easy as you choose to make it. Some people enjoy planning
and preparing elaborate meals, while others opt for quick and easy vegetarian
dishes.
Articles:
Vegetarian
FAQ
What
About Protein?
Tips
for Making the Switch to a Vegetarian Diet
The
Diet of Vegans: Food for Body and Spirit
How
to Win an Argument with a Meat Eater
Websites:
Grassroots
Veganism
The
Australian Vegetarian Society
The
Vegetarian Resource Group
International
Vegetarian Union
The
Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom