Growing veganism supports animal welfare, health and climate change

Veganism is the practice of staying away from the use of animal products particularly in diet – and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. Thus, a person who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. An ethical vegan is someone who not only excludes animal products from their diet but also tries to avoid using animals. animal products, and animal-tested products when practical. 

The word vegan was coined by Donald Watson and his wife Dorothy Morgan in 1944. Interest in veganism increased significantly in the 2010s and onwards.

Distinctions may be made between several categories of veganism. Dietary vegans, also known as “strict vegetarians”, refrain from consuming meat, eggs, dairy products, and any other animal-derived substances.

Vegan diets tend to be higher in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and phytochemicals, and lower in dietary energy, saturated fat, cholesterol, omega-3 fatty acid, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12. 

However, result of the elimination of all animal products, a poorly planned vegan diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies that counteract its beneficial effects and cause serious health issues, some of which can only be prevented with fortified foods or dietary supplements.

Vegetarianism can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilization in 3300–1300 BCE in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in northern and western ancient India. Early vegetarians included Indian philosophers such Buddha, Ashok, Chandra Gupta Maurya and so many sadhus and rishis as well. Similarly, there were a number of renowned personalities in the west also practiced vegetarianism.

A way to look at the increase in veganism is to measure the sales of plant-based food products. Plant-based foods are often marketed as alternatives or substitutes for traditional meats and animal-based products. According to the Good Food Institute, the sales of plant based foods grew three times faster than overall food sales in 2021.

Studies conducted and available for reading in websites highlight that nearly 1 in 10 people in India are vegan (9 percent), as well as about 3 percent of German consumers, 2 percent of U.S. consumers, 1 percent of Chinese consumers, 1 percent of Mexican consumers, and 1 percent of consumers in Brazil.

More to note, there are approximately 88 million vegans in the World, three quarters of that number covered by females.

India tops the vegan population as 13% of vegan are in India. Likewise, almost 2 million people in the UK are vegans. In the US, there are more than 13.4 million vegans.

Regarding vegan food market worldwide, it grew from $14.44 billion in 2020 to $15.77billion in 2021 and is forecast to continue growing for the next several years. The expected growth in the vegan food industry is due to an increasing number of people seeking to reduce how much meat they eat. Vegans and non-vegans alike are seeking to replace animal-based foods with vegan ones. 

Growth in veganism can be attributed to several factors, though it is unclear which ones are the most powerful. Popular reasons people support veganism include health, weight management, animal welfare, the environment, and the overuse of antibiotics. 

In the U.S., Americans concerned with health and genetically modified foods are more likely to be vegan or vegetarian. Veganism is one of several diet-based movements. People have been finding community with like-minded people as they connect the food they eat to their personal health and wellness.

While there are vegan proponents of using restrictive diets for weight loss, it may not be the best method. Experts say that diets eliminating food types for weight loss “have more in common with fad diet approaches than with a lifestyle approach that focuses on health and enjoyment.”

Instead of focusing on losing weight, they recommend that people focus on healthful eating. They also write that weight management can be achieved by reducing one’s overall caloric intake, along with activities such as weight training “to build muscle mass,” and aerobic exercises like walking, running, intensive dance, and biking. 

People who identify as vegan typically care about the respectful treatment of nonhuman animals, whether the animals are used in food, fashion, sports, or science. The idea of abstaining from meat and rejecting animal products has been around for thousands of years in the Global South, but the term “veganism” as it is known today was coined and popularized in 20th-century Europe and Western countries like the United States. 

Climate scientists around the world have informed the United Nations that reducing meat consumption in wealthy countries is one of the best things that individuals can do to help curb climate change. One initiative seeking to address this is the Carbon Pricing Food Coalition—companies and organizations in the animal and climate justice space that have called for meat tax in countries where people are eating too much meat.

Veganism has gained traction as a purportedly powerful tool to combat climate change. Experts say that reducing or eliminating animal agriculture could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and other environmental impacts associated with livestock production. However, while the potential benefits of adopting a vegan lifestyle are widely discussed, the complexity of climate change and the global food system requires a nuanced examination of whether veganism is indeed the panacea to halt climate change.

Veganism’s rise as a climate solution stems from the assertion that animal agriculture is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock, particularly ruminants like cattle and sheep, release methane during digestion, a potent greenhouse gas with warming potential many times that of carbon dioxide over a short time frame. Additionally, the production and transportation of feed for livestock contribute to deforestation, further exacerbating the climate crisis. Proponents argue that transitioning to plant-based diets can curb these emissions and reduce the environmental toll of agriculture on the planet.

Many Nepalis eat meat, but not in a regular basis while some take meat in festivals and celebrations only. Thus vegetarianism has long been a familiar concept given Nepal’s large Hindu population and cross-cultural culinary influence from India and Tibet.

Nepal is blessed with fertile soil and a conducive climate for agriculture. More than 60 percent of the total population is engaged in farming and agriculture. The forest cover in the hills and the tropical lowlands are rich storehouses of rare vegetation. The Himalayan herbs found in the high-altitude mountains have wondrous health-giving properties and are widely sought out.

As vegetables are quite popular in Nepalese cuisine, one can find many plant-based food items in the country. While veganism is just gaining ground in the west, in Nepal, a section of the Hindu and Buddhist population has been following a vegan diet for ages.

As a result of veganism campaigns and benefits of it, the number of veganism practitioners are growing faster. (By Purna N. Ranjitkar)