Topic Research - Veganism

Definition of Veganism:

"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as

is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals
for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the
development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals,
humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of
dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.” (The
Vegan Society, 2021)

There are many variations of veganism and multiple ways that it can be adhered to, however
all vegans a plant-based diet avoiding all foods derived from animals such as meat, fish,
shellfish, insects, dairy, eggs and honey.

HISTORY
Veganism allegedly finds its earliest roots in ancient and antique forms of vegetarianism,
with some of the oldest known recordings of vegetarianism dating back further than 2500
years ago. Pythagoras promoted harmony between humans and animals and abstained from
eating meats as early as 500 BCE, although the concept of entire societies avoiding flesh
eating can be traced to ancient Mesopotamian societies thousands of years earlier.
Throughout most of western history (in Europe and what is now the USA)
vegetarianism and other diets that excluded meat were often tied to religion. For example, in
1850, Reverend Sylvester Graham (inventor of the Graham Crackers and a presbyterian
minister) founded the first American Vegetarian Society. This collective adhered to beliefs of
not only vegetarianism but also temperance, sexual abstinence and frequent bathing routines.
The term ‘Vegan’ was coined in 1944 by a woodworker in Britain named Donald
Watson. This article was published in May 1884:

By Miles Pidgeon
 Topic Research - Veganism

Veganism is more than simply a dietary movement but an entire dedicated way of life. It
must be determined whether or not Josh will adhere to only the dietary restrictions of
veganism or the whole shebang. If we go down the route of only the dietary part, do we
acknowledge this in the documentary? Or do we fake it until we make it and pretend that josh
is abstaining from leather and things like that?

POPULAR MEAT ALTERNATIVES

Tempeh: Containing more protein than an egg, this Indonesian product is dense versatile and
nut-flavoured.

Seitan: Seitan, made from dehydrated wheat gluten and textured surprisingly similarly to
chicken, is easy to prepare and season. It is also widely available and cheap to procure.

Tofu: A low-calorie, soy-based protein source that soaks up any sauce or juices, made from a
curdled liquid of soybean paste. It is available in many forms and degrees of firmness.

Soya Protein: Dehydrated soya mixed with water can produce a cheap and effective meat
substitute, and the lack of flavour allows for a mixture of marinades and spices to do the
heavy lifting.

Jackfruit: Jackfruit is a tropical fruit product that allegedly mimics the texture and flavour of
barbeque pulled pork.

Lupin: Lupin, said to be the ‘meat alternative of the future’, its growth is easily sustainable in
Europe and the United Kingdom, and it is already included in many common staple dishes
such as doner kebabs.

- All of these are no more difficult to procure and make something nice out of than any
other kind of real met, however, the debilitating factor lies in the cost of each. The
more common ones such as tofu are obviously readily available as it has been a staple

By Miles Pidgeon
 Topic Research - Veganism
of Asian cuisine in the UK for decades, however, some of the others such as Seitan
are much more costly and therefore this would need to be considered when planning
our shoot and whether or not we choose to use these products.
- The products are also all healthy by virtue of being low in calories, fat and sugar.

BENEFITS TO GOING VEGAN

There are many of these.
In terms of how the body can be affected:
- Vegan food is often low in calories.
- Vegan diets are high in certain nutrients that our body needs (it should be noted that
vitamins B12 and D, zinc and calcium are all lacking in vegan diets and supplements
may be necessary).
- The ingredients within many vegan products or dishes actively reduce risks of cancer
and heart disease when consumed regularly.
- A vegan diet can lower AC1 levels, which means you are far less likely to get
diabetes.
These benefits do not come immediately or without effort, however. Diets must be planned
according to the needs and wants of the person living by it and unfortunately no two bodies
are the same.

WHY DO PEOPLE GO VEGAN?

There are many reasons that might make people go vegan.

Adella Demou said:

‘Most my life I was vegetarian because my parents
were and it seemed cool to me. One day in year 10
summer going into year 11 I saw a vedio on YouTube
titled something like “why vegetarians are as bad
as meat eaters” it was created by the vegan
activist. I was skeptical at first but gave it a
chance. After watching the vedio I kept watching
more and more, then decided to try it because of
the animals, health and environmental impact. When
I told my mum this idea she said “no your not.” So

By Miles Pidgeon
 Topic Research - Veganism
I said “fine, I’m going vegan forever now.” I kept
watching vedios and the decision turned from spite
to values. After educating yourself it’s very hard
to see such a destructive and harmful process to be
an option; not too long after I couldn’t view
animal products as edible food. I grew up cooking
and was the top in my catering classes so this
wasn’t an issue.’
Adella went vegan after watching videos about the impact that all animal products (including
vegetarian products) have on animals, and then confirmed her decision out of protest against
her mum.

By Miles Pidgeon