Four Misconceptions About Veganism

Why would anyone choose to become a vegan? Are all vegans animal activists? If I were to become a vegan would that make me one too?

With the rise of any cultural movement, there are bound to be questions and preconceived notions about the topic. Here are four common misconceptions about veganism and our attempt at debunking them.

Misconception 1: Vegan Diets are Nutrient DEficient

This is probably the most common misconception people have about veganism, and often times it can deter people from taking on the lifestyle. Sarah, a ballerina and practicing vegan since 2016, had these concerns before becoming a vegan, saying, “I had been considering going vegan for several years. The only thing that stopped me was that, as an athlete who was dancing over 15 hours a week, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to get the protein and nutrients I would need to perform at the same level as a non-vegan.” In truth, a healthy vegan diet can provide sufficient nutrition when done correctly— emphasis on “done correctly.” It does take some intentionality and research to ensure a balanced diet. In regards to whether or not a vegan diet is nutrient deficient, the three most commonly questioned nutrients are protein, calcium, and iron, so let’s take them one-by-one.  

It’s all about the greens, grains, and tofu!

and nuts and beans and more!

PROTEIN: It is of course true that meat is a good source of protein, so for those who are choosing to eliminate animal-based products from their diet it is important to supplement with other options that are equally protein-dense. It is important to be knowledgeable about recommended protein intakes and which foods can provide that nutrition. A resource like https://www.vegan.com/protein/ is a good tool for understanding different proteins such as soy milk, beans and legumes, tofu, and greens. Very serious athletes may want to supplement with protein shakes or vitamins, but the same can be said for non-vegan athletes who are looking to increase their protein intake.

CALCIUM: Dairy milk is an excellent source of calcium, but there are also non-animal products that are equally nutritious. For example, a half-cup of tofu has 430 mg of calcium, 1 cup of calcium-fortified soy milk has 300 mg of calcium, and your standard cup of cooked collard greens has 268 mg (Mocana Productions, Inc., 2018-2019a). There are some vegans who argue against the consumption of dairy milk altogether, claiming that it is not a good source of calcium and could actually be harmful to long-term health, but that argument has been debunked (Mocana Productions, Inc., 2018-2019a).

IRON: Iron is an important component of hemoglobin in the blood. With an insufficient iron intake, a person can develop anemia. It is possible to consume a sufficient amount of iron through foods such as lentils, beans, soybeans, oatmeal, green leafy vegetables, and fortified foods such as cereal or soy milk, and most vegans do not have to worry about insufficient iron intake, though some do. If confronted with anemic symptoms such as chronic fatigue or dizziness, it is recommended to take a blood test and adjust your diet accordingly (Mocana Productions, Inc., 2018-2019b). https://www.vegan.com/iron/ has some good suggestions on how to maintain a plant-based diet while increasing your iron intake.

Misconception 2: Vegan Diets are Extremely Limited

Another common fallacy is that the only things vegans eat are salads and beans. On the contrary, vegan recipes require a measure of creativity that non-vegan recipes don’t always require. Specifically in the past decade with the popularization of Pinterest and vegan social media influencers and bloggers, the concept of creating vegan versions of foods typically made with animal products has become more mainstream. Prominent YouTuber and longtime vegan Jenna Mourey, screen name JennaMarbles, says, “I know a lot of you are curious about what we eat. Same this as you do, just a version that I like” (2018). Mourey and her boyfriend, Julien Solomita, have made dozens of videos on their YouTube channels cooking everything from cauliflower buffalo “chicken wings,” to vegan and gluten-free funnel cakes, to an entire Thanksgiving meal. Similarly, Lauren Toyota’s popular blog, “Hot for Food” features recipes as stereotypical as an orange, kale, avocado salad, all the way to vegan pie cookie ice cream sandwiches and cornmeal blinis with vegan caviar.

Companies such as Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods (creators of the popular Impossible Burger), and JUST (creators of JUST Mayo and JUST Egg, to name a few products) have developed several varieties of plant-based substitutes for everything from sausage and ground beef to mayonnaise, eggs, cookie dough, and salad dressings. Restaurants are also catching up to the rise of veganism and many establishments have added vegan options to their menus; even some fast-food restaurants like Carl’s Junior have begun to sell Beyond Burgers. Countless vegan restaurants have also been established in the past decade.

A world of accommodation

In this day and age, there are a variety of brands, recipes, and restaurants that allow anyone who wishes to lead a vegan lifestyle to enjoy whatever kind of food they might like.

Misconception 3: All Vegans are Motivated by Animal Rights Activism

The idea that all veganism is motivated by animal rights activism is not necessarily true, though it is a significant driver for many. For those who have chosen to adopt a vegan lifestyle, there is typically a triangle of motivations of which any combination could be the primary motivation: ethics, health, and the environment.

ETHICS: The ethical side refers to animal agriculture, which boils down to how animals are raised and treated in order to produce meat and animal products that are sold and consumed. Generally, people who are motivated by animal rights are against the suffering, harm, and/or death of animals, however, there is a spectrum of moral stances on the topic. Not all vegans are morally against killing an animal to eat to survive, but rather against the way animals are raised in mass quantity under inhumane conditions to stock grocery stores. Other vegans are vehemently against the killing of animals period. Most vegans who are motivated by animal rights can agree on the belief that animals are sentient beings with the ability to feel pain and suffer, and that the mass production of meat and animal products to feed humanity is harmful to the wellbeing of animals.

HEALTH: Many vegans are motivated by the health benefits of veganism and value being conscientious of what goes into their bodies. Still, others may even have dietary restrictions due to allergies that cause them to eat vegan. According to Wilson J. Craig in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2009), “Vegan diets tend to contain less saturated fat and cholesterol and more dietary fiber. Vegans tend to be thinner, have lower serum cholesterol, and lower blood pressure, reducing their risk of heart disease” (para. 1). He does note that vegan diets run a higher risk of nutrient deficiency, but as previously stated, intentionality and education can help to combat that risk.

ENVIRONMENT: In Ray Monk’s (2017) article “Why I Became Vegan- And Why You Should Too,” published in NewStatesman America, he says, “I have given up eating animal products. What prompted this, however, was not concern for my health. Neither was it concern for animal welfare. It was, rather, something that I had not thought much about before: the devastating environmental effects of animal farming” (para. 4). The farming of animals and the production of animal products is a major contributor to climate change. Agriculture in the United States produces more greenhouse emissions and air pollution than transportation and vehicle production (Negin, 2018). The effects of animal farming on a global scale are so negative that the UN has called for a worldwide move away from the consumption of animals (Hertwich et al., 2010). It is becoming more and more common knowledge that moving towards a vegetarian or vegan diet is beneficial for the environment.

Misconception 4: Veganism is a fad with limited influence

According to one survey…

“In America in 2015, 3.4% of the population were vegetarian and just 0.4% were vegan. In 2019, a staggering 25% of people ages 25-34 identify as vegetarian or vegan.”

-The Economist

According to a survey conducted by the Economist, in 2015 in America, 3.4% of the population were vegetarian and just 0.4% were vegan. In 2019, a staggering 25% of people ages 25-34 identify as vegetarian or vegan.

Because veganism in the West has grown in popularity so quickly coupled with limited knowledge about the practice, it might be easy to think that veganism is a fad that will come and go like so many other health trends through the years. Conversely, as someone considering taking on a vegan lifestyle motivated by a desire to improve the environment or to protest the mistreatment of animals, you may be thinking, “I am just one person. Can I really make a difference?” To that, we would circle back around to the impressive statistics of veganism’s popularity growth and pose the question: how did veganism become so popular in such a short amount of time in the first place? And the answer can be summed up in one word: influence.

Influence is something that every person has. The reason that veganism has grown in popularity and produced such drastic statistical change is because those who have chosen to live a plant-based lifestyle have influenced others to consider doing the same. Ordinary people with convictions about animal rights, health, or the environment took to their platforms on large and small scales—blogging, Facebook, YouTube videos, books, or just talking to their friends and family—and they spread their knowledge and their views, which caused others to do the same. You may not be a blogger or a content creator and you may not choose to talk publicly about the choices that you make with your diet and lifestyle, but nonetheless, you have a sphere of people you can influence. The truth of the matter is that when one person chooses to make a change, it starts a conversation and opens the door for others to make a change as well. If veganism is a fad, it seems to be one that is continuing to trend upwards. With ethical and environmental propellers and social media on its side, it doesn’t look like veganism is going anywhere anytime soon.

REFERENCES:

Animal Equality. (n.d.). Veganism. Retrieved from https://www.animalequality.net/veganism

Craig, W. J. (2009, March 11).Health effects of vegan diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(5),1627S–1633S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736N

Forgrieve, J. (2018, November 2).The growing acceptance of veganism. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetforgrieve/2018/11/02/picturing-a-kindler-gentler-world-vegan-month/#5e442d2f2bbd

Hertwich, E., van der Voet, E., Suh, S., Tukker, A., Huijbregts M., Kazmierczyk, P.,…Moriguchi, Y. (2010). Assessing the environmental impacts of consumption and production: Priority products and materials. Retrieved from http://www.unep.fr/shared/publications/pdf/dtix1262xpa-priorityproductsandmaterials_report.pdf

JennaMarbles. (2018, November 21). Cooking Thanksgiving food [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c30s6OnCApw

Mocana Productions, Inc. (2018-2019a).Vegan calcium sources: An overview. Retrieved from https://www.vegan.com/calcium/

Mocana Productions, Inc. (2018-2019b).Vegan iron. Retrieved from https://www.vegan.com/iron/

Mocana Productions, Inc. (2018-2019c).Vegan protein sources: How to meet your requirements. Retrieved from https://www.vegan.com/protein/

Monk, Ray. (2017, November 1). Why I became a vegan – and why you should, too. Retrieved from https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/observations/2017/11/why-i-became-vegan-and-why-you-should-too

Negin, E. (2018, June 1). How does pollution from animal agriculture compare to vehicle pollution? Retrieved from https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/pollution-from-animal-agriculture-compared-to-vehicle-pollution

Parker, J. (2019). The year of the vegan:Where millennials lead, businesses and governments will follow. Retrieved from https://worldin2019.economist.com/theyearofthevegan?utm_source=412&utm_medium=COM

PETA. (2019).13 vegan sources of calcium better than cow’s milk. Retrieved from https://www.peta.org/living/food/vegan-sources-of-calcium-better-than-cows-milk/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2019, July 9). Iron: Fact sheet for health professionals. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/