Vegans are not vegetarian snobs. Veganism, which has been described as “a natural extension of vegetarianism,” is actually a much more restrictive diet.
So what is a “continuation”?
Vegans avoid any animal products.
It may seem easy to avoid animal products, but when you think about it, vegans avoid any food that contains milk, cheese, eggs, and (obviously) any type of meat. This means you can’t eat bacon cheeseburgers. Some of us are sad about it. Some vegans are sad about bacon cheeseburgers.
A huge number of people become vegans because they choose food without cruelty. “I can’t accept the idea of eating someone with a beating heart,” says freshman Kara Burgert, who has been a vegan for six years.
Third-year student Megan Constantinides says: “I decided to become a vegan mainly for moral and ethical reasons.”
Ryan Scott, a fourth-year student, worked at home as a veterinary assistant. “After caring for and helping animals for a long time, ethical issues have spurred my transition to veganism.”
Vegetarian freshman Samantha Morrison understands compassion for animals, but sees no point in going vegan. “I love cheese,” she says. — I love dairy products, I cannot imagine my life without dairy products. I’m comfortable being a vegetarian.”
Another reason to go vegan is that it’s good for your health. Studies show that the typical American diet (I’m looking at you, bacon cheeseburger!) is full of cholesterol and fat, in amounts too high to be beneficial. As it turned out, out of three servings of milk a day, all three may be superfluous. “Veganism is a huge health benefit,” Burgert says.
“You have a lot of energy, you feel better, you never get sick,” Constantinides adds. “I’ve been a vegan for about a year and a half, and it surprises me how good I feel physically. I have much more energy now.”
Scott says: “Going vegan was very hard on my body at first… but after about a week I felt amazing! I have more energy, this is exactly what a student needs. Mentally, I also felt great, as if my mind had cleared.”
As good as vegans feel, there are people who don’t treat them very well. “I think the general feeling about vegans is that we are arrogant conservationists who can’t even think of sitting at the same table with someone who eats meat,” Scott says.
Burgert admits: “They called me hippies; I was laughed at in the hostel, but it seems to me that people who do not consume dairy products are no different from people who do not eat gluten (vegetable protein). You wouldn’t make fun of someone with gluten-sensitive celiac disease, so why make fun of someone who doesn’t drink milk?”
Morrison thinks some vegans are going too far. “I think they’re just health freaks. Sometimes they go too far, but if they’re that passionate…” Constantinides has a rather interesting take on other vegans: “I think some of the stereotypes about vegans are well deserved. Many vegans are very assertive, they say what you eat is bad and make you feel bad. Any radical group causes a lot of controversy.”
Speaking of controversy, there is a debate among vegans about eating at the university cafeteria. Constantinides and Scott have access to a kitchen, making their vegan diet easier, but Burgert doesn’t mind not cooking for himself. “The dining rooms here are great. This was a key factor in getting into Christopher Newport University. The salad bar is amazing and there are always a few vegan options. Vegan burger and cheese? I am for it!” says Burgert.
Having been given the opportunity to cook on his own, Konstantinides says: “The dining room menu is quite limited. It’s sad when you eat a pile of vegetables and find melted butter at the bottom of the plate.” True, she admits, “They always have (at least) one vegan snack.”
“I haven’t come across a vegan dish here that I didn’t like at all,” Scott says. “But sometimes I don’t feel like eating salad in the morning.”
Veganism may seem like a separate culture, but veganism is actually a (literally) harmless choice. “I am an ordinary guy who does not eat animals and animal products. That’s all. If you want to eat meat, that’s all right. I’m not here to prove anything to you,” Scott says.