Veganism is the word on everybody’s lips, and with more people than ever adopting a vegan diet, there are tons of intriguing questions about veganism being asked.
Whether you’re already following a vegan diet, considering making the transition, or are a current meat eater with some burning questions, we’re here to take a look at the most common queries and questions about veganism, and their answers!
Let’s quick it off with one of the biggest questions about being vegan…
1. What does it mean to be vegan?
Being vegan isn’t just about the diet, it’s a whole lifestyle that in short, celebrates and protects life!
Vegans don’t eat anything that comes from animals, but they also don’t wear or use any animal products or byproducts.
Being vegan therefore affects the foods you eat, the clothes you wear, the cosmetics you put on your face and the products you choose to purchase and use on a daily basis.
2. Why go vegan?
There are three key motivations that lie behind the vegan lifestyle. To prevent harm to:
The planet
- One of the most effective things an individual can do to lower their carbon footprint and be kinder to our planet, is to avoid the consumption of animal products.
To animals
- Preventing the exploitation of, and cruelty towards animals that occurs within the meat and dairy industries is a key factor in choosing not to eat meat and other animal products.
To your health
- Adopting a balanced, healthy vegan diet is an amazing way to start thinking more about what we’re putting into our bodies. Done the right way, a vegan diet allows you to say goodbye to any nasty unknown ingredients in your foods, and say hello to top quality, all natural foods that are full of only the good stuff.
3. What is the difference between a vegan and vegetarian diet?
Vegans and vegetarians both choose not to eat meat, however, if you’re a vegetarian, you still eat eggs, honey and dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheese .
Starting off with trialing a vegetarian diet is a fantastic way to begin the transition into a vegan one and to begin reducing your meat intake.
There are also different variations of the vegetarian diet that you can try out that aren’t as big of a leap as going vegan overnight:
Flexitarian
- The flexitarian diet is a fantastic way to begin your journey to eating less meat. As the name suggests, this diet is seen as more flexible than veganism and vegetarianism as it encourages mostly plant based eating, whilst also allowing meat and other animal products to be eaten in moderation. It can be a great option for families who have lots of picky eaters to think about, or for anyone just wanting to dip their toe into vegan and plant based eating. Slow and steady wins the race!
Pescatarian
- The pescatarian diet is very similar to a vegetarian one in that they do eat dairy products, eggs and honey, and they also avoid meats, however, it differs as they do eat fish and other kinds of seafood.
Ovo-vegetarian
- People following this diet do not eat any meat, fish, or dairy products, they do however eat eggs.
Lacto-vegetarian
- If you’re a lacto-vegetarian, you do not eat any meat, fish, or eggs but do eat dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and eggs.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian
- Lastly, the lacto-ovo-vegetarian does not eat and type of meat and fish but does eat dairy products and eggs.
At Gosh! everyone is welcome at our dinner table. We believe in making products that satisfy everyone’s taste buds, whilst being kind on the planet, so no matter the dietary requirement, our food can be enjoyed by everyone.
4. Do vegans get enough protein?
Vegan sources of protein are a hot topic, and one of the biggest assumptions surrounding veganism is that you can’t sufficiently get your protein when eating a plant based diet.
This is, however, a myth.
There are some incredibly rich protein sources available to vegans. Foods like pulses, grains, nuts, seeds, soya, and tofu can give vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters alike a more than adequate daily source of protein.
See Gosh!’s Guide to the Best Vegan Protein Sources for more information on the best vegan options when it comes to protein.
5. What about other nutrients and vitamins?
Much like with protein, there are lots of commonly asked questions about important nutrients and vitamins such as calcium, B12, zinc, iron and vitamin D and whether vegans get enough of them.
It’s worth noting that vitamin deficiencies can occur with any eating habits if the individual isn’t receiving a well balanced diet. So, just like with any diet, vegans need to ensure they’re eating a variety of healthy foods that provide them with a well rounded diet.
Important vitamins like A, B, C, E and K, alongside potassium, magnesium and calcium can come from vegetables.
Calcium can also be found in soy foods, lentils, nuts, seeds, grains and beans as well as in fortified food and drink such as plant milks and yoghurts.
Plant milks are also a great place to get B12, however not all plant milks are fortified so it’s important to check the label before purchasing.
6. Do vegan foods taste good?
Maybe we’re biased, but we believe that there’s no reason eating vegan can’t be blooming delicious, and we think our products are proof of that.
We make sure that every ingredient that goes into our products is all natural and completely free from nasties such as palm oil and chemicals.
Our products are bursting with colour and flavour, none of which is artificial and simply uses the best of what nature gives us, proving that cutting out meat and dairy doesn’t mean compromising on the tastiness of your food.
Why not check out how you can use our delicious range of Gosh! products with these incredibly tasty and easy to make recipes.
7. What’s wrong with dairy and eggs?
Some people question why the vegan diet eliminates dairy and egg products.
The milk industry has been highly criticised for its treatment of dairy cows during the milk production process.
In order for female cows to produce milk, they must be pregnant, therefore they are usually artificially inseminated. Once the female cows give birth, within hours their babies are taken away.
Male cows are unable to produce milk, therefore male calves are considered useless in the dairy industry, and as a result, are killed shortly after being born.
The egg industry paints a similar picture, with broiler chickens being killed at roughly 10 months old after their optimum egg production has come to an end.
It is due to this treatment that vegans choose to eliminate dairy and eggs products from their diet.
8. Okay but what about free range eggs?
Free range eggs are certainly a better, more ethical option than those produced in mass egg laying factory farms.
However there has still been criticism over the conditions of free range farms, and vegans still see the most ethical option to be completely eliminating animal products from their diet.
9. Isn’t it more expensive to be vegan?
Eating a vegan diet absolutely does not have to be expensive.
It’s true that some specially produced vegan meats can be a bit more costly, however, you could argue no more so than many animal products purchased on a meat based diet.
The key to keeping your food shop bill inexpensive when buying vegan food is to buy unprocessed, natural foods, and where you can, buy it in bulk.
10. What would happen if everyone went vegan?
With veganism rapidly gaining in popularity, some people are asking whether veganism will be the future, and if every human were to go vegan and stop eating meat, what would happen?
There has been lots of speculation over what impact the whole world going vegan would have.
There is no short or even concrete answer, but one of the largest impacts has been suggested to be the slowing down of climate change.
Animal agriculture has been reported to be the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the IPCC has described plant based diets as a huge opportunity in the mitigation of climate change.
11. Do plants feel pain?
One of the more surprising questions that sometimes get asked is whether plants can feel pain.
It’s actually been reported that plants are able to feel sensations, however, it is believed that due to the fact they don’t have a nervous system, nor a brain, that they are very unlikely to be able to feel pain in the way humans and animals can.
12. How can I go vegan?
For those that are keen to kick start their vegan lifestyle, check out Gosh’s Going Vegan for Beginners guide, where we give you our trusty tips for transitioning into the vegan way of living.
Whether you’re worried about eating out, getting the whole family on board or knowing exactly what you can and can’t eat, Gosh! has got you covered.
