Vegan FAQ

What is a vegan?

A vegan is someone who tries to avoid - as far as is possible and practical - all forms of exploitation of animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. Vegans eat a plant-based diet free from all animal products including animal milks, eggs, honey and gelatine. They also avoid animal products like leather, wool and silk for clothing or other purposes.

What's the difference between vegan and vegetarian?

A vegan does not consume any products from animals, including milk, fish, eggs, honey, etc. Most vegans will not wear clothing from animals (wool, silk, etc) either.

Can't I just switch to organic dairy produce?

Yes you could, of course you could. I’m not going to tell you what to eat one way or the other.

All I’m gonna do is give you MY reasons. Those who oppose traditional dairy farming because of the cruelty involved often think that organic farming is the answer. However, the fundamental principles of dairying still apply within the organic industry: continual pregnancies, unwanted offspring, problems of disease, together with the distress of transport and slaughter.

Not to mention the fact that in order to comply with the strict regulations the organic farming industry demand – many animals are not treated with medication when they are ill.

What's wrong with free range eggs?

'Free Range' eggs conjure up idyllic images of hens scratching in the farmyard. The reality is often very different. They are often kept in 'Barn'-type houses in flocks of up to 16,000 in large sheds. They are often debeaked. The birds must have access to the outdoor range area, which can be stocked at a maximum of 2,500 birds per hectare of land available to the hens. However, in large-scale free range units, often less than 50% of the birds regularly go outside. As with all commercial laying hens, after usually a year of egg production they are slaughtered.


If everyone went vegan, how would that affect the environment?

Contrary to popular belief, rumours and heresy, often started by meat industries, much more land is required to produce animal foods such as meat & milk than to produce the equivalent amount of plant foods. So, when everyone goes vegan, the same population can be fed on less farm land, and there will be no more need to destroy areas of natural environment to make new farm land. Indeed, the farm land that is already under cultivation could support a much larger human population, and some of it could be returned to nature, and recreational use. Plant foods also require less water and energy to produce, providing further benefits.

How do I identify animal free foods?

It is easy to avoid meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, honey and foods listing these as ingredients. But you also need to be aware of animal products often contained in the ingredients of food, such as gelatine - made from animal bones - whey and casein, which are milk derivatives, and carmine which is a red colorant made from crushed beetles.

There are plenty of excellent books out there for the conscious shopper and many that cover the subjects of veganism.

The Vegan Society produce a pocket-sized book entitled Animal Free Shopper which explains these names and lists many common products that have been confirmed so far as practicable as being animal free.