What is Veganism?

Veganism is a way of living that seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. By definition, vegans do not consume meat, dairy products, eggs, honey, or any product derived from an animal. A vegan diet can be full of a wide variety of delicious foods—including vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, seeds, and fruits. In addition to abstaining from consuming animal products, vegans also avoid wearing leather, fur, silk, or wool. Furthermore, many vegans choose not to associate any products that are made with animal ingredients, have been tested on animals, or exploit animals.

The main principle behind veganism is respecting the rights of all animals—including those that are not food animals. Animals used for food are arguably the most abused creatures on the planet. They are routinely subjected to horrific conditions and mercilessly killed. Dairy cows and egg-laying hens are kept in tiny cages barely larger than their own bodies; mother pigs are confined to gestation crates so small they can’t turn around; fish often suffer slow suffocation when they are pulled from the ocean depths, and male chicks born into the egg industry are tossed into grinding machines because they will never lay eggs themselves.

Living a vegan lifestyle has many benefits—for your health, for animals, and for the environment. If you’re thinking about making the switch to a plant-based diet but aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry! Just take things one step at a time and before you know it, you’ll be living the vegan life!