5 facts about vegans - people who don't eat meat, milk and eggs

There are more and more vegans on our planet

According to the news magazine The Economist, today there are about 5% of vegetarians on our planet. This is the name of people who do not eat meat and prefer only plant food. Unusual for many of us diet they choose because they do not support cruelty to animals and want to keep a slim figure. But there are also vegans in the world - people who, in addition to meat, do not consume milk, honey and other animal products. In some cases, it comes to the fact that people refuse even the use of wooden items. In general, the phenomenon is very interesting and, to some extent, very commendable. Veganism is supported by many celebrities, including even boxing champion Mike Tyson and actor Tobey Maguire. As part of this article, I suggest you look at the brief history of veganism and some aspects of this worldview that are usually kept quiet.

What is the difference between veganism and vegetarianism?

There were always plenty of people who refused to eat animal food. As a rule, the reluctance to harm animals was expressed by residents of Asian countries. Many of them prefer plant-based food even now. One of the first people who seriously talked about the benefits of giving up meat and so on was the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. In his essay he wrote:

Ten years fed the cow you and your children, dressed and warmed you sheep with his hair. What's their reward? Slit your throat and eat?

Leo Tolstoy was respected all over the world and his views began to be supported by people from all over our planet. In 1944, public figure Donald Watson founded the Vegan Society and coined the term "veganism." This was necessary in order to create a visible difference with vegetarians. After all, ordinary vegetarians simply do not eat meat, and vegans refuse even milk, honey and other products that were produced by animals.

Leo Tolstoy and Donald Watson are important faces in vegan culture

The true vegans are the followers of Pythagoras who lived in ancient Greece. The so-called "Pythagoreans" massively refused meat and everything else, which has at least the slightest relation to animals. The Roman poet Ovid wrote about their worldview as such:

What a terrible abomination: guts - gut absorption! Is it possible to fatten the meat and blood of creatures like our greedy body and the murder of another creature- the death of someone else - to support life?

Also, the refusal of meat, eggs, honey and even the wool of animals were traded by residents of ancient India and representatives of other nations.

Actor Joaquin Phoenix (played by the Joker in the 2020 film of the same name) stopped eating meat at the age of 3 when he saw his father brutally stun the caught fish

As you have already understood, vegans are people who have completely excluded animal food from their diet. In addition to meat, they do not eat eggs, honey and do not drink milk. And vegetarians just don't eat meat.

The benefits of veganism

Many vegans claim that they have given up meat and a number of other products because they do not support animal cruelty. Many people become vegans after visiting the slaughterhouse, because everything that happens there is a terrible sight. And it can be more than just people mistreating animals for food. After all, the world also has a demand for "beautiful" fur coats and leather bags. And the higher the demand, the more offers arise. Vegans believe that the higher the percentage of people who refused to use the things in which animals were killed, the more living creatures will remain alive. And this is quite commendable, because today many animals are already on the verge of extinction.

There are fewer and fewer people who turn a blind eye to animal cruelty

At the same time, some vegans think more about themselves than about animals. For example, a survey by research company Mintel found that 49% of PEOPLE in the UK gave up meat to become healthier. Numerous scientific papers have found that excessive consumption of red meat can lead to the development of dangerous diseases. In addition, if it is not good enough to fry meat, you can get infected with dangerous worms, which I told.

Vegans get nutrients exclusively from plant food

With all this, there is still no scientific evidence that switching to plant-based food leads to longevity. Vegan Society founder Donald Watson has lived to be 95, but his longevity may not be entirely tied to the vegan lifestyle. The fact that a person became interested in veganism and devoted his life to it proves that he generally treats his health with a very high responsibility. This means that he sleeps well and. Finding longevity is a very big work, and in this case heredity also plays a big role.

Vegan Day

Every year, on October 1, proponents of plant food celebrate the dayVegetarianism. It was established by the North American Vegetarian Society in 1977. As part of this worldwide holiday, people promote the idea of vegetarianism to the masses. This is done through various fairs and educational events, in which vegetarians talk about the benefits of quitging meat. There are also screenings of films on the theme of a healthy lifestyle. One of the most popular films on the theme of vegetarianism is 2018. In it, special forces coach and martial arts master James Wilks (James Wilks) travels to different countries and wants to learn about the most useful diet for a person.

The film "Breaking Point" is on YouTube

Immediately after this holiday, the "month of vegetarian awareness" begins. In fact, it is a continuation of the aforementioned celebration. Animal rights activists and adherents of healthy eating, as on the first day, tell other people about the benefits of plant products. In Russia, all these events are also held. For example, in 2012, residents of St. Petersburg were offered to try vegetarian dishes and handed out brochures about their useful properties.

Picture to vegan day

Vegetarian Month ends on November 1, the international vegan day. This holiday is timed to the day of the creation of the "Vegan Society" and is celebrated since 1994. As in the holiday of vegetarianism, opponents of animal food talk about their ideology. In 2004, the tenth anniversary of vegan Day coincided with the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Vegan Society.

Vegan products

It may seem like switching to a vegan diet is a great way to save money. After all, the diet will not include expensive meat, eggs, honey and other products. However, vegans sometimes spend much more money on food than ordinary people. After all, it is very difficult to find products in the production of which no animal was killed. It is necessary to travel around a few shops and spend a lot of time on the choice of food. And then all this must be cooked, and tasty, which can also take at least one hour. But time is money. And vegetables and plant-based products themselves are not cheap pleasure.

Being a vegan isn't cheap

In 2017, the demand for vegan products in the world increased tenfold. Due to the high demand, even such a large company as Nestle took up the production of products without the use of animal raw materials. This Swiss corporation in Russia is better known as the manufacturer of chocolates "KitKat," "Nuts" and many other foods. In 2019, she released a fully vegan cheeseburger under the Sweet Earth brand. It includes vegan cheese and artificial bacon. You can read about how this alternative to real meat is created.

Sweet Earth Vegan Burger

It turns out that veganism is definitely not a diet for the poor. This way of life requires not only money investments, but also temporary ones.

The dangers of veganism

There are a lot of stereotypes around veganism. For example, some consider them pale wimps who lack meat. Also, vegans in the eyes of other people are good-natured people who are in close connection with nature. The first stereotype is terribly not true - you just look at the muscular vegan Mike Tyson! And there is nothing wrong with the fact that vegans are distinguished by their kindness and concern for the world around them.

At 54, Mike Tyson has great musculature

Only among them there are inadequate individuals who are engaged in real extremism. In the U.S. and Europe every now and then there are situations when vegans and other conservationists break the windows of butcher shops and clothing stores made of natural materials. For example, in 2019, several radical vegan activists staged pogroms of butcher shops and restaurants. They smashed windows, painted political slogans on the walls and even set fire to some buildings. In total, they caused damage of 15,000 euros. All this took place in the French city of Lille. The offenders were detained and detained for 10 months.

Vandals are among vegans

As you can see, among vegans, too, there are inadequate personalities. However, they exist in any other community and this should not even be surprised.