Veganism is a more austere form of
vegetarianism. A vegetarian sticks to a plant-based diet and abstains from
eating meat. A vegan goes a step further and excludes all animal products from
his diet, including dairy products, honey, gelatin, lard etc.
Soybeans in the form of soy milk and
tofu constitute the staple diet of vegans--- they are considered a complete
protein. Cow’s milk is substituted by coconut or almond milk. Vegans also
consume nuts, grains and pulses.
The term vegan was coined in 1944 by
Donald Watson when he co-founded the Vegan Society of England. He intended the
word to represent “the beginning and end of vegetarian”.
Ethical vegans extend the philosophy
to their daily lives, avoiding any form of animal products for any other
purpose. Veganism became popular in the 2000s as vegan food became more easily
available in supermarkets.
