Here is a generalized list of some questions vegans get asked most often.
If there’s any particular question that is not answered here, feel free to send an email my way!
I am more than happy to answer any inquiry you have. 🙂
1. What is veganism?
Veganism is a lifestyle based on cruelty-free living in which one seeks to avoid any form of exploitation or violence. As Merriam-Webster puts it, a vegan is “a strict vegetarian who consumes no food (such as meat, eggs, or dairy products) that comes from animals; also : one who abstains from using animal products (such as leather)”. Veganism is expansive beyond that definition to denote not using any products (whether for cleaning, beauty, et cetera) that are even tested on animals, even if they do not explicitly contain animal byproducts. No wool, no fur, no leather, no fish oil, no gelatin capsules in pills, no animal-hair brushes, NOTHING that comes from an animal that is otherwise obtained through a cruelty-free version or substitute.
2. What do vegans eat?
Everything non-vegans eat! Except better, because it’s a cruelty-free alternative and plant-derived/plant-based so it most often offers a much larger health benefit. The more popular veganism is becoming, the more companies are creating vegan options to keep up with the consumer demand. As might be expected, eating single-name raw foods is the healthiest for your body, but there is a wide variety of options available at most grocery stores. Check back on my recipe posts and eating-out posts for some of my favorite options. And as always, if you have a question or need a recommendation, feel free to ask, or just search options on the internet!
3. Where do vegans get protein?
Half the battle of transitioning to a cruelty-free lifestyle is simply rewiring your habits of comfort and convenience and educating yourself to what you can and can’t have– after that it’s all repetition. After a while, it becomes habit and second nature where it becomes easier to know what’s what. To name a few quick sources, protein can be found in soy, seitan, lentils, quinoa, various legumes (beans), and more. Education is key! The sooner you learn, the easier it gets. Besides… have you ever personally known a single person who was protein deficient? Neither have I.
4. What are the benefits of a vegan lifestyle?
This answer could be a lengthy post in and of itself. The short way is to say that veganism encompasses the entire “circle of life” by catering to our balance of resources and inhabitants in a way that all can benefit, animals and humans alike and our environment itself. There are many documentaries offered for free which can give more in-depth information to the positive impact veganism has, and I would always recommend an individual who is already vegan, choosing to transition to veganism, or even just considering a vegan lifestyle to watch the documentary “Earthlings” (offered for free) which does a wonderfully thorough job at explaining the many nuances of living a cruelty-free life, and the impact it has on our lives and that of future generations.
5. Is honey a vegan product?
By strict definition, the answer is no. This can be a point of great debate amongst the vegan community because it can call into question the interactive and symbiotic role we play with bees as we need them and the job they do for our survival via the pollinating of many crops and plants. When debating the many points of bees and their importance in our world, the main issue comes in the divide between commercial beekeepers and “backyard beekeepers”. I’ve actually written two posts, one about how I got into backyard beekeeping, and a secondary follow-up post regarding the nuances of personal care. Please check those out for a more comprehensive answer.
(Subject to update depending on feedback or further inquiries)