VEGANISM, a lifestyle that respects animals

Are you vegan? Are you thinking about taking the leap? Or are you simply gathering information? Whatever your current situation may be, we want to talk to you about veganism. Understanding it will help you grasp what it is and why more and more people are choosing it as a lifestyle every day.

Are you interested in this topic? If the answer is yes, don't hesitate to keep reading!

What is veganism?

To understand veganism, the first step is to know its definition. It involves abstaining from the use and consumption of animal products in food, textiles, medicines, cosmetics, and transportation. People who follow this lifestyle are known as vegans. To summarize, it is about living with respect for other animals.

The history of both vegetarianism and its variants, including veganism, has its beginnings in ancient India. Later, it appeared in ancient Greek civilizations, where diet was closely linked to non-violence toward animals.

During the Renaissance, vegetarianism resurged and was practiced more widely during the 19th and 20th centuries. The first vegetarian society was born in 1847 in the United Kingdom, and gradually they appeared in other nations like Germany or the Netherlands. In 1906, the International Vegetarian Union was formed as a nexus for all the national societies that had emerged.

Which products are excluded in veganism?

As we have mentioned, in the practice of veganism—both for diet and ethics—the use and consumption of products of animal origin are excluded in food, clothing, medicine, cosmetics, and transportation. Below, we will look at this in much more detail:

1. Food: People who practice veganism exclude from their diet all types of meat (beef, pork, chicken, fish...) as well as the consumption of any product of animal origin such as eggs or dairy. They understand that animals are subjected to great suffering that leads to premature death, not to mention, in the case of eggs, the slaughter of male chicks, since they cannot produce and their maintenance is not profitable. In the case of dairy, cows are slaughtered after several production cycles.

There is great controversy within the vegan movement regarding products made by insects, such as honey and silk. A large part of the vegan community considers modern beekeeping methods cruel, as after harvesting, they add sugar or corn syrup to the hive to maintain the colony's cohesion. Both the Vegan Society of the United Kingdom (Vegetarian Society) and the American Vegan Society do NOT consider these products, nor others produced by insects, to be suitable for vegans. Vegan Action and Vegan Outreach prefer to let each person choose whether to consume them. As an alternative to common honey, agave syrup is very popular.

2. Clothing and accessories: Being vegan is not limited only to daily food; it also responds to ethical behavior regarding the use of clothing that is not of animal origin. What do we mean? That no fur, leather, wool, feathers, or any other material that comes from an animal is used. A good option is natural fibers such as cotton, linen, hemp, cork, or bamboo.

How can we identify vegan clothing? By paying attention to the labeling, which should reflect all components, including dyes and/or glues. Most vegan garments have the PETA approved seal, which means that the garment has the approval of the most important animal protection association in the world.

3. Medicines and/or dietary supplements: Ethically, vegans, as we have mentioned, try to avoid all products of animal origin and also those that have been tested on animals. In this sense, the Vegan Society recognizes that "it is not always possible to make a choice that avoids the use of animals" because medicines are tested on animals before hitting the market. Additionally, they may contain animal-derived ingredients such as lactose or gelatin, among others.

4. Cosmetics: As you already know, this point hits very close to home for us. Since 2016, we have been certified by PETA International as a cruelty-free and vegan brand because not only are we against animal testing, but we also do not use any ingredients of animal origin. Our brand is 100% VEGAN.

The most commonly used animal-derived ingredients in cosmetics are collagen, beeswax, keratin, whale spermaceti, lanolin, carmine, and lard, among others.

Which foods are suitable for vegans?

Many people believe that those who follow a vegan diet can only eat plants, but nothing could be further from the truth. They can eat:

Vegetables: That is, all garden produce. They are a very rich source of vitamins, calcium, fiber, and minerals.
Fruits: Choose whole fruits instead of juices, which lose their properties. The consumption of dried fruits such as raisins or dried apricots is also recommended.
Legumes: Such as chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas, soy, and derivatives like tofu, tempeh, or textured soy protein.
Cereals: Avoid refined ones and choose whole-grain options like rice, barley, quinoa, wheat, spelt, and rye.
Nuts and seeds: Such as walnuts, sesame, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, peanuts, or flax seeds.
Seaweed: They are a source of minerals, vitamins, folic acid, fiber, and antioxidants. We highlight wakame, nori, kombu, hiziki, and sea lettuce.
Healthy fats: Coming from extra virgin olive oil or avocado, among others.
Mushrooms: They provide vitamins and minerals; we highlight chanterelles, blewits, gray knights, trumpet mushrooms, porcini, and saffron milk caps among our favorites.

Just as in the case of an omnivorous lifestyle, a well-planned strict vegan or vegetarian diet will never lack any type of nutrient, except vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that we cannot find in plant foods. Therefore, it is recommended to take it as a supplement whether you are vegetarian or vegan. Cyanocobalamin is the most studied form as a B12 supplement; it has no toxic dose, is stable to heat, light, and pH, and is also the most economical. The most convenient way is to take 1 dose per week of 2000 micrograms.

And what about lacto-ovo vegetarians, should they also supplement with B12? Well, yes, since eggs and dairy do not contain enough B12. To give you an idea: to consume 4 micrograms of vitamin B12, you would have to eat 7 eggs, half a kg of cheese, and 4.5 glasses of milk. That's crazy!

In the case of vitamin D, calcium, and iron, we only need to supplement when there is a deficiency, just like people who eat fish and/or meat. To check this, we must go to a specialist and have them verify the deficiency through a blood test. In the case of calcium, green leafy vegetables like kale or broccoli are a great source, as well as legumes and nuts. We usually synthesize vitamin D with sun exposure of our arms and face for at least 15 minutes a day, without sunscreen.

Iron, for its part, is present in legumes, nuts, or vegetables, among others. Vegans have iron levels similar to those of the general population, so supplementation would only be necessary if a blood test revealed a deficiency. We remind you that a well-planned vegan diet should not have any nutritional deficiencies.

Our goal with this article is to introduce you to a lifestyle that promotes respect for animals in all areas of life, in which we at Herbera actively participate. If you want to share your own experience or provide us with any interesting information, leave us a comment; we'd love to hear from you!