Veganism
What is a Vegan?
Vegans, like vegetarians, do not eat the flesh of animals or fish. However, vegans also avoid eating food that contains eggs, milk and honey. A vegan diet is 100% plant-based and free from all animal products.
Ethical Vegan
An ethical vegan is one who embraces the principle that animals have as much right to life as we do, and have the right not to be used, exploited or killed for the purposes of feeding, clothing, entertaining or testing products for people. It is not only morally wrong to treat other sentient beings in these ways, but also completely unnecessary when we can live a normal, healthy life without using animals. Now that there is a wide variety of animal-free food, clothing, footwear, household goods, toiletries and make-up available on the high street, it couldn’t be easier to live with compassion.
So What Can I Eat?
Pretty much the same as everyone else. Just replace the animal products with the many vegan alternatives that are widely available in supermarkets and high street shops. They include vegan sausages, burgers, mince, bacon, ham/chicken/turkey sandwich slices and fishless fingers, as well as vegan cheeses, milk, custard, ice-creams, yoghurts, cream, margarine and mayonnaise.
Reasons to go Vegan
Animal Slaughter
Most people understand that, to produce meat and fish products, animals have to be killed. However, very few are aware that the egg and dairy industries (whether the process used is described as intensive, free-range or organic) also kill millions of animals. Because only females can produce milk or eggs, males are surplus to the requirements of these industries. Every year, millions of male chicks are gassed to death or tossed alive into giant industrial shredders. Why? Because they can’t lay eggs and are too scrawny for meat. In order to produce commercial quantities of milk, dairy cows are made pregnant. The resulting calf is a by-product of that process and the industry struggles to make use of the youngsters. Some males go for veal, while others are reared on for beef. A significant proportion of females join the dairy herd, but hundreds of thousands of calves, especially males are shot soon after birth. In any case the newborns are typically removed from their mothers within 24 hours and fed on milk replacer so that their mothers’ milk can be diverted for human consumption. When production – and, therefore, their economic value to the industry – starts to decline, dairy cows and laying hens are sent to slaughter. They will have lived for only a fraction of their natural lifespan. Slaughterhouses are places of fear and suffering. Killing another sentient being for food can never be regarded as humane. The only way to prevent the suffering and killing of farmed animals is to go vegan.
The Suffering of Farmed Animals
We are brought up to believe that it is acceptable to exploit some species, while others are treated as companions. And yet, animals bred for their flesh, milk and eggs experience pain, fear and distress in the same way as any dog or cat. Farmed animals have as much right to a life without exploitation and human interference as any man, woman or child. All animal farming, whether it is called intensive, free-range or organic, involves treating sentient beings as mere commodities or machines to be mass-produced, mutilated, transported, exploited and killed for food products. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can be respectful and shop with compassion next time we’re in the supermarket. We can do this by picking up products that do not contain any body parts or by-products of animals.
Health
Animal products are not essential for a healthy diet. In fact, a large number of studies show that a balanced and varied vegan diet is ideal for optimum health. Reputable scientific research has linked animal products to a large number of human ailments, including, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, asthma, eczema, bowel disease, arthritis, gallstones, Alzheimer’s, kidney disease and Crohn’s disease. The World Health Organisation estimates that a third of all cancers are diet-related. These include breast, prostate, ovarian, pancreatic, colorectal, bladder, bowel, stomach, blood and intestinal.
Those consuming a balanced vegan diet face little risk of calcium, iron or protein deficiency. In fact, consuming dairy products can actually lead to osteoporosis and weak bones. This is because dairy products, as well as eggs, are rich in animal protein, which makes the blood more acidic. The body tries to neutralise the acid by drawing calcium from the bones, weakening them and making them more likely to fracture. Scientific studies show that a vegan diet lowers the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and some cancers, as well as increasing life expectancy.
The Planet
With growing concern about climate change, water shortages, food availability and damage to the planet’s ecosystems, there couldn’t be a better time to switch to a vegan diet, which is not only compassionate and healthy, but sustainable too. Animal farming uses much more land, energy and water and has a far bigger effect on climate change than plant-based agriculture.
Climate Change
The United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organisation has estimated that animals bred and killed for food generate roughly 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide – more than the entire transport sector combined. In the words of Caroline Lucas MP: ‘A vegan driving a 4x4 does less damage to the planet than a meat-eater on a bicycle! Cattle farming is the biggest threat to the remaining Amazon rainforest and the single biggest cause of deforestation in the world. Carbon dioxide is released when huge areas of forest are destroyed to provide grazing for cows or to grow crops to feed billions of farmed animals. Animal farming is the number one source of methane – a greenhouse gas that is 21 times more powerful at trapping heat than CO2. It is produced during the digestive processes of sheep, cattle and other ruminants and is released from their untreated manure. A vegan diet has a far smaller impact on climate change than a non-vegan one.
Global Water CrisisWater supplies are running low in many parts of the world, yet farmed animals (both grain-fed and grazed) need far more water than grain crops. The Stockholm International Water Institute quotes the following figures:
Feeding the World
Glossary of animal substances Below is a list of substances used in food, clothing, cosmetics and other products which are or can be taken from animals. Not all the substances listed below will always be animal-derived, the * symbol indicates that non-animal (synthetic, vegetable or plant/mineral-derived) versions/sources by the same name are known to exist. If you are unsure whether or not an ingredient in a particular product is suitable for vegans, do contact the manufacturer to ask or check their website for information. Some manufacturers specify which of their products are suitable for vegans on their website, and if they don't, they can often provide a list of vegan products or advise you on whether a specific product is suitable if you get in touch with them. Animal-derived or possibly animal-derived substances * = possibly animal-derived, non-animal versions also exist
• albumen/albumin egg white Use/s: food binder • alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)* naturally occurring chemicals derived from fruit or milk Use/s: cosmetics •ambergris morbid concretion obtained from the intestine of the sperm whale used in perfumes and cigarettes • amino acids* 'building blocks' of proteins • amniotic fluid fluid surrounding the foetus within the placenta Use/s: cosmetics • amylase* enzyme in saliva and pancreatic juice • anchovy small fish of the herring family, often an ingredient of Worcester sauce and pizza toppings Use/s: flavour enhancer • angora fibre obtained from rabbits or goats Use/s: clothing • aspic savoury jelly derived from meat and fish Use/s: glazing agent • astrakhan skin of stillborn or very young lambs from a breed originating in Astrakhan, Russia Use/s: clothing • beeswax* (E901)secreted by bees to produce combs Use/s: furniture- and floor-polishes, candles, cosmetics • bone/bonemeal animal bone Use/s: horticultural fertiliser, bone-china ornaments, crockery, supplements • brawn boiled meat, ears and tongue of pig Use/s: foodstuff • bristle* stiff animal hair, usually from pigs Use/s: brushes • calcium mesoinositol hexaphosphate Use/s: baked goods, soft drinks, processed vegetables • capiz shell Use/s: lampshades • carmine/carminic acid (E120) red pigment obtained from cochineal Use/s: food and drink dyes • casein milk protein Use/s: cheese • cashmere fine wool from the cashmere goat and wild goat of Tibet Use/s: clothing • castoreum obtained from the anal sex gland of the beaver Use/s: fixative in perfumes • catgut dried and twisted intestines of the sheep or horse Use/s: stringed musical instruments, surgical stitching • caviar(e) roe of the sturgeon and other fish Use/s: a relish • charcoal* charred bone or wood Uses: clarifying agent • chitinorganic base of the hard parts of insects and crustaceans e.g. shrimps, crabs Use/s: conditioners and skin-care products, thickener and moisturiser in shampoos • chamois soft leather from the skin of the chamois antelope, sheep, goats, deer etc. Use/s: cleaning cloth • cholecalciferol see vitamin D3 • cholic acid (E1000) extracted from the bile of cows Use/s: emulsifier • civet substance scraped from glands in the anal pouch of the civet cat Use/s: fixative in perfumes • cochineal (E120) dye-stuff consisting of the dried bodies of scale insects, used for making carmine Use/s: red food and drink colouring • cod-liver oil oil extracted from the liver of cod and related fish Use/s: food supplement • collagen constituent of connective tissue which yields gelatin(e) on boiling Use/s: cosmetics, sausage skins, supplements • coral hard calcareous substance consisting of the continuous skeleton secreted by coelenterate polyps for their support and habitation Use/s: jewellery, ornaments • deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)* controls protein synthesis/stores genetic information. Found in all animal and plant cells Use/s: cosmetics, genetically modified organisms, shampoos • down underplumage of fowls (especially duck and goose) Use/s: filling quilts, pillows, sleeping bags, padded clothing • dripping melted animal fat Use/s: frying • eider down small, soft feathers from the breast of the eider duck Use/s: filling quilts • elastin protein uniting muscle fibres in meat Use/s: moisturiser in cosmetics • fatty acids*organic compounds: saturated, polyunsaturated and unsaturated • feather epidermal appendage of a bird Uses: fashion accessory, feather dusters • felt*cloth made of wool, or of wool and fur or hair Use/s: clothing • gelatin(e) jelly obtained by boiling animal tissues (skin, tendons, ligaments etc.) or bones Use/s: confectionery, biscuits, capsules, jellies, photographic film, match heads • glycerin(e)/glycerol (E422)* clear, colourless liquid which may be derived from animal fats, synthesised from propylene or from fermentation of sugars Use/s: solvent for flavours, texture improver, humectant • hide animal skin (raw or tanned) Use/s: clothing and footwear, clothing accessories, upholstery • insulin* pancreas of cattle, sheep or pigs Uses: managing diabetes • isinglass very pure form of gelatin(e) obtained from the air bladders of some freshwater fish, especially the sturgeon Use/s: clarifying alcoholic drinks, jellies • keratin protein found in hair, horns, hooves and feathers Use/s: shampoos and conditioners, fertiliser • L'cysteine hydrochloride (E920)* manufactured from animal hair and poultry feathers or synthetically from coal tar Use/s: shampoo, improving agent for white flour • lactitol (E966) produced from milk sugar Use/s: sweetener • lactose milk sugar Use/s: tablet filler, sweetener, carrier for flavouring agents, especially in crisps • lanolin(e)* fat extracted from sheep's wool and hide Use/s: cleaning products, an emollient and emulsifier used in cosmetics, especially lipsticks • lard fat surrounding the stomach and kidneys of pigs, sheep and cattle Use/s: culinary • leather tanned hide (mostly from cattle but also sheep, pigs, goats etc.) Use/s: clothing and footwear, clothing accessories, upholstery • lecithin (E322)* fatty substance found in nerve tissues, egg yolk, blood and other tissues, mainly obtained commercially from soya bean, peanut and corn Use/s: emulsifier in baked goods and confectionery • lutein (E161(b))*deep-yellow substance found in egg yolk, obtained commercially from marigold Use/s: food colouring • lysozyme (E1105)* enzyme which may be derived from eggs Use/s: preservative • mohair cloth or yarn made from the hair of the angora goat Use/s: clothing • musk* substance secreted by glands of the male musk deer Use/s: perfume • oleic acid* fatty acid occurring in animal and vegetable fats Use/s: soaps, cosmetics, ointments • oleoic oil liquid obtained from pressed tallow Use/s: margarines • oleostearin solid obtained from pressed tallow Use/s: soap and candles • oestrogen* female sex hormone from cow ovaries or pregnant mares' urine Use/s: cosmetics, body-building supplements, hormone creams • parchment*skin of the calf, sheep or goat, dressed and prepared for writing etc. • pearl ('Mother of', or 'cultured') concretion of layers of pain-dulling nacre formed around a foreign particle within the shell of various bivalve molluscs, principally the oyster Use/s: jewellery and decorative • pepsin enzyme found in gastric juices Use/s: cheese making • placenta organ by which the foetus is attached to the umbilical cord Use/s: cosmetics • progesterone* sex hormone Use/s: hormone creams • propolis bee glue, used by bees to stop up crevices and fix combs to the hive Use/s: toiletries and cosmetics • rennet*extract of calf stomach containing the enzyme rennin which clots milk Use/s: cheese, junkets • reticulin one of the structural elements (together with elastin and collagen) of skeletal muscle • ribonucleic acid (RNA) * see deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) • roe eggs obtained from the abdomen of female fish Use/s: a relish • royal jelly food on which bee larvae are fed and which causes them to develop into queen bees Use/s: food supplement • sable fur from the sable marten, a small carnivorous mammal Use/s: clothing, artists' brushes • shellac (E904)insect secretion Use/s: hair spray, lip sealer, polishes, glazing agent • silk cloth made from the fibre produced by the larvae (silk worm) of certain bombycine moths, the harvesting of which entails killing the insect Use/s: clothing, cosmetics • sodium 5'-inosinate occurs naturally in muscle, prepared from fish waste Use/s: flavour enhancer • sperm oil oil found in the head of various species of whale Use/s: candles • spermaceti wax fatty substance found mainly in the head of whales and dolphins Use/s: medicines, candles, cosmetics • sponge*aquatic animal or colony of animals, characterised by a tough elastic skeleton of interlaced fibres Use/s: bathing aid • squalene/squalane*found in the liver of the shark (and rats) Use/s: toiletries and cosmetics • stearate* salt of stearic acid Use/s: body-building supplements • stearic acid (E570)*organic acid prepared from stearin • stearin(e)*general name for the three glycerides (monostearin, distearin, tristearin), formed by the combination of stearic acid and glycerin; chiefly applied to tristearin, which is the main constituent of tallow and suet Use/s: medicines, skin softener in toiletries and cosmetics • suede*kid-, pig- or calf-skin, tanned Use/s: clothing and footwear • suet*solid fat prepared from the kidneys of cattle and sheep Use/s: cooking • tallow hard animal fat, especially that obtained from the parts around the kidneys of ruminants Use/s: soap, candles • taurine* amino acid • testosterone* male hormone Use/s: body-building supplements • urea*nitrogenous waste formed in the liver and excreted by the kidneys Use/s: toiletries and cosmetics • vellum* fine parchment prepared from the skins of calves, lambs or kids Use/s: writing material • vitamin A* (retinol) derived from fish-liver oil or egg yolk Use/s: cosmetics, food supplement • vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)*(D3 is usually animal-derived) vitamin usually derived from lanolin or fish oil Use/s: vitamin and food supplements • velvet* fabric made of silk, cotton, rayon or nylon Use/s: clothing • volaise ostrich meat • whey residue from milk after the removal of the casein and most of the fat, by-product of cheese making Use/s: margarines, biscuits, crisps, cleaning products • wool hair forming the fleecy coat of the domesticated sheep and similar animals Use/s: clothing including felt, mattresses. Additives Animal-derived additives • E120 (CI75470) carmine/cochineal • E542 edible bone phosphate • E901 beeswax • E904 shellac • E913 Lanolin • E966 Lactitol • E1000 Cholic Acid • E1105 Lysozyme • calcium mesoinositol hexaphosphate • lactose • sperm oil • spermaceti Possibly animal-derived • E101 riboflavin, lactoflavin, vitamin B2 • E101a riboflavin 5'-phosphate • E153 (believed animal-free version only may be used in food) carbon black, vegetable carbon • E161(b) lutein • E161(g) canthaxanthin • E236 formic acid • E237 sodium formate • E238 calcium formate • E304 Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate and ascorbyl stearate • E322 lecithin • E325 sodium lactate • E326 potassium lactate • E327 calcium lactate • E304 fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate and ascorbyl stearate • E422 glycerol (glycerine)
• E430 polyoxyethylene (8) stearate, polyoxyl (8) stearate • E431 polyoxyethylene (40) stearate, polyoxyl (40) stearate • E432 polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polysorbate 20, tween 20 • E433 polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate, polysorbate 80, tween 80 • E434 polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate, polysorbate 40, tween 40 • E435 polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, polysorbate 60, tween 60 • E436 polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate, polysorbate 65, tween 65 • E442 glycerol • E470(a) sodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids • E470(b) magnesium salts of fatty acids • E471 glycerides of fatty acids, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl distearate • E472(a) acetic acid esters of glycerides of fatty acids, acetoglycerides, glycerol esters • E472(b) lactic acid esters of glycerides of fatty acids, lactylated glycerides, lactoglycerides • E472(c) citric acid esters of glycerides of fatty acids • E472(d) tartaric acid esters of glycerides of fatty acids • E472(e) mono and diacetyltartaric acid esters of glycerides of fatty acids • E472(f) mixed acetic and tartaric acid esters of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids • E473 sucrose esters of fatty acids • E474 sucroglycerides • E475 polyglycerol esters of fatty acids • E476 polyglycerol esters of polycondensed fatty acids of castor oil, polyglycerol polyricinoleate; polyglycerol esters of dimerised fatty acids of soya bean oil • E477 propylene glycol esters of fatty acids; propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids • E478 lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propane-1,2-diol • E479(b) thermally oxidised soya bean oil interacted with mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids • E481 sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate • E482 calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate • E483 stearyl tartrate • E491 sorbitan monostearate • E492 sorbitan tristearate, span 65 • E493 sorbitan monolaurate, span 20 • E494 sorbitan mono-oleate, span 80 • E495 sorbitan monopalmitate, span 40 • E570 fatty acids (including myristic, stearic, palmitic and oleic), butyl stearate • E572 magnesium salts of fatty acids (including magnesium stearate); calcium stearate • E585 ferrous lactate • E626 guanylic acid • E627 guanosine 5'-disodium phosphate, sodium guanylate, disodium guanylate • E628 dipotassium guanylate • E628 calcium guanylate • E631 inosine 5’-disodium phosphate, sodium 5'-inosinate • E632 dipotassium inosinate • E633 calcium inosinate • E634 calcium 5’-ribonucleotides • E635 disodium 5’-ribonucleotides • E635 sodium 5'-ribonucleotide • E640 glycine and its sodium salt • E631 disodium 5’-inosinate (IMP) • E920 L-cysteine hydrochloride • E921 L-cystine • E1518 glyceryl mono-, di- and tri-acetate (triacetin) • calcium heptonate • calcium phytate • diacetin • glyceryl • leucine • monoacetin • oxystearin • and any unspecified flavourings. Lactic acid as an additive is highly unlikely to be derived from dairy (in general commercial terms, 100% of the commercial market is from vegan sources) but if you want to be positive, you should contact the manufacturer. Animal-derived carriers Some additives that are not animal derived may involve the use of gelatine as a carrier. These include E104 quinoline yellow, E160a(i) mixed carotenes and E160a(ii) β-carotene. Hidden ingredients: what to watch out for Shopping for vegan food products is easy once you know how, but sometimes it can be challenging at first if you’re not sure what to look for. Here is a list of common non-vegan ingredients and potentially non-vegan products to be aware of when food shopping. Ingredients Beeswax (E901) Butterfat/buttermilk: commonly used in chocolate (including dark chocolate) Carmine/cochineal (E120): a red dye made from crushed beetles Casein: milk-derived Fish oil: beware anything ‘omega-3 enriched’ (such as margarine, olive oil and bread) as these sometimes contain fish rather than plant sources of omega-3. If the product contains fish it will say so on the packaging. Gelatine: made from animal bones and connective tissues. Often used in marshmallows and chewy sweets and in some jelly desserts Ghee: clarified butter, used in some Indian products such as naan bread, curries or dhals Honey Lanolin: a grease secreted from sheep’s skin and extracted from their wool, in some cases from the wool of slaughtered sheep Lactose: milk-derived. Often used as an additive in products which might not be expected to contain milk, such as crisps and dips L-Cysteine (E920): this additive can be vegan or non-vegan and is sometimes made from hair or feathers Shellac (E904): insect secretions, sometimes used as a glazing agent on sweets and fruit Vitamin D3, or unspecified “Vitamin D”: Vitamin D3 used in fortified foods is not suitable for vegans (vitamin D2 is suitable). Products which contain 'Vitamin D' and don’t specify which form it is could contain the non-vegan vitamin D3 Whey: milk-derived Food products Some products to watch out for which are sometimes unsuitable for vegans: Breakfast cereals: can contain milk, vitamin D3 or honey Cereal bars: many contain honey Thai curry paste: often contains fish, although some brands don’t Margarines and spreads: most margarines and spreads contain milk products and/or vitamin D3; however there are some vegan brands available, such as the Pure dairy-free spreads which are available from most supermarkets. Jelly: check it isn’t made with gelatine Sweets and marshmallows: often made with gelatine Stock powders: can contain milk products ‘Veggie’ burgers or sausages: many contain milk or eggs, including Quorn which is never suitable for vegans Worcestershire sauce: contains fish. Vegan versions are available in the ‘free from’ section at the supermarket or from wholefoods shops Alcoholic drinks: some are filtered using animal products, particularly beers, wines and ciders Orange-coloured soft drinks: some (but not all) contain gelatine as a carrier for the colour beta-carotene, but are not required to state on the packaging that they contain gelatine as it is not considered an ingredient Fresh pasta: often made with eggs. Dried pasta is usually suitable for vegans Noodles: can be made with eggs. Look for (non-egg) wheat noodles or rice noodles instead Dark chocolate: often contains milk ingredients in the UK |
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