5 facts about vegans that you might not know

Vegans are people who deny absolutely any products that have an animal origin. They reject everything that has to do with any exploitation of representatives of the fauna. If vegetarians are already a familiar phenomenon for everyone, then vegans still cause rejection and even outright aggression. What do you need to know about veganism to treat its supporters with understanding?

Veganism is not a way of eating, but a whole worldview, because it penetrates into all spheres of human activity. Especially radical adherents deny not only animal products, leather and furs, but also pearls, and sometimes wood!

Veganism requires a very serious return from its supporters, but at the same time their ranks are constantly replenished with new adherents in various countries of the world. Of course, a special, vegan industry has also appeared, offering clothing, food, furniture and even entertainment in a special format.

October 2018 has become the Month of Vegetarian Awareness, and on November 1, Vegan Day is celebrated all over the world. On this occasion, we present you the five most interesting facts about veganism that help you accept these people for who they are.

The world's first vegan community was registered in the British capital in 1944 by Donald Watson. It was this person who coined the term "veganism" to distinguish among vegetarians those who do not consume milk, eggs and honey.

The" father " of modern veganism, Donald Watson

But Watson was far from the discoverer of such a way of life. Rejection of animal products to one degree or another has been practiced in different countries since ancient times. Most often, of course, they refused only meat — in ancient Greece, such a diet was practiced by the followers of Pythagoras, for which it was later called "Pythagorean".

"What a terrible abomination: guts-guts absorption! Is it possible to fatten your greedy body with meat and blood of creatures like us, and to maintain life by killing another creature-by the death of someone else?"

In these lines, the Roman poet Ovid described the attitude of the Pythagoreans to meat-eating. Also, many prohibitions on meat, milk, wool and other animal products were in effect in ancient India among different peoples and representatives of various religious movements.

Studies conducted among British vegans by Mintel have shown that 49% of supporters of this philosophy have become its followers, caring not about our smaller brothers, but about their health. Since it became known that red meat, as well as sausages and sausages can cause cancer, the popularity of veganism is growing especially fast.

By the way, until now, science has not proven that a complete transition to eating fruits and vegetables prolongs life. The founder of veganism died at the age of 95, but for many opponents this is not an indicator. The fact is that this path in life is chosen by those who already take special care of their health, and this alone already helps to live to deep gray hair, even without refusing anything.

Despite the fact that veganism is striding across the planet with leaps and bounds, attracting tens of thousands of supporters every day, the consumption of animal products in the world is increasing from year to year. Experts believe that if by 2050 humanity does not eat 70% less or does not increase food production by this amount, then it will face hunger.

The increase in the consumption of animal proteins is associated with an increase in the population and its well — being in India and China-countries where vegetarianism was in high esteem 2-3 thousand years ago. By 2050, the world's population will reach 9.2 billion, and the number of vegans in the future is impossible to determine. Now it is practiced by various estimates from 500 to 900 million people.

The last 3 years have brought the US an increase in the number of vegans by 600%, which is an absolute world record. The birthplace of this phenomenon, the United Kingdom, is somewhat more restrained and has shown only 400% in a decade. The demand for special food and other products related to veganism in one way or another increased 10-fold in 2017 alone.

Multinational corporations such as Nestle have already joined the game. The food giant invites investors promising that it will be able to provide any volumes of high-quality products. Does this mean that veganism is no longer a niche diet?

There are restaurants, shops and whole markets for supporters of plant-based food. According to the most modest forecasts, only the turnover of companies producing cheese for vegans will reach 4 billion US dollars by 2020!

Many stereotypes have been created around veganism and vegetarianism. The most common is the myth of the harmlessness of vegans and their love for everyone around them. Unfortunately, recently, supporters of this philosophy of life, defending the rights of animals and their right to live as they want, are increasingly immersed in extremism.

The broken windows of fur boutiques and butcher shops and signs damaged by aerosol paints in the United States and Europe no longer surprise anyone. Many people are annoyed by vegans for this very reason — what does it feel like for a farmer who works tirelessly on his farm to hear from youngsters that he is a murderer and a rapist?