Vegans: They survive on more than just air, sunshine

Like so many of us, I grew up eating meat. My favorite foods were steak and sushi. I almost always had a glass of milk with dinner, and my pizzas were loaded with cheese. Despite having a vegetarian best friend and an eccentric vegan roommate during my first year of college, I held on tightly to my carnivorous ways. My two favorite herbivores never questioned me or made me feel bad for eating meat, and I didn't question their diets either. Although I was always willing to try what they ate and even liked tofu, I swore I could never make the change. Like so many people, I gave the standard excuse … I couldn't give up eating meat because I liked it too much. After one fateful night of conversation with a vegan friend, I began seeing my choice to consume animal products in a different light. Afterward, I researched the slaughter industry, watched videos I had refused to watch before and re-evaluated how important meat was to my diet. It took two days for me to have a change of heart and mind. I stopped eating meat ... along with dairy and eggs ... and became a vegan. Since this change, I've met many people unsure of what veganism is and what vegans eat. As defined by the nonprofit organization, Vegan Action, a vegan is someone who chooses not to consume any animal products. Unlike vegetarians, who only eliminate flesh products, vegans also remove all dairy and egg products from their diets. Vegans have a wide variety of foods to choose from. We can eat fruits and vegetables, tofu, breads and pastas that don't contain egg, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Junk foods are not necessarily off limits either. Bags of french fries regularly take up freezer space, and chips, salsa, cereals and Oreos fill the cupboards. Instead of milk, we drink soy milk. Cooking often turns into an experiment, even with recipes, but in the end the things we eat are quite similar to anyone else's diet, just with a lot of substitutions. People aren't aware of how many products are made strictly for vegans. Look in any organic section of a grocery store and you will not only find tofu but vegan veggie burgers, fake cheese, Tofutti cream cheese and even vegan ice cream. Veganism is in no way a sacrifice of tastes. It is different, but in the end the things we eat are guilt-free, made without any type of animal suffering. The reason veganism rejects animal bi-products is the most misunderstood part of the diet. Vegans reject bi-products because the cows and chickens of the dairy and egg industries are subjected to horrible living conditions on mass factory farms. Vegans choose to remove themselves from consuming anything that is a product of unethical practices, including this sector of the industry. I am just one vegan with my own reasons for adopting the lifestyle, but there are many other reasons for choosing veganism, such as for health or environmental reasons. According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarian and vegan diets are proven to lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, lower body mass index and meet all of the current nutritional requirements for people of all ages. Anyone can realize these benefits by at least reducing the amount of animal products they consume. This does not apply if people only eat the over-processed junk that is technically vegan but still bad for you. Veganism aims to reduce demand and consumption. Vegan Action's Web site said current levels of resources, such as food and water, go to the billions of animals raised for slaughter when they could have been used to feed the numerous people who go hungry. By not eating meat, or eating less of these products, we can reduce the number of animals taking up resources and damaging the environment. In 2006, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization concluded greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming accounts for 18 percent of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Veganism is not just giving up meat, dairy and eggs. It is an attempt to help reduce the amount of suffering inflicted on animals, reduce the number of cattle who take up land and resources only to be killed, and is an attempt to help the environment. It's not surprising when people react to veganism with confusion and debate. In America, grilling out is a national past-time. Hopefully my own story will help people reconsider their attachment to animal products, or at least take interest in finding out more about veganism. For more information, stories and vegan recipes go to our Web-site, www.fourthestatenewspaper.com.