Veganism is something that is very popular with millions of people throughout the world, including a number of sports stars and celebrities, such as Lewis Hamilton, Bryan Adams, and Beyonce Knowles.
With the lifestyle being endorsed by so many famous names nowadays, it provides a chance to have a real impact on the amount of harm that is being done to the planet and to the animals on it.
Whilst for the vast majority of vegans, going plant based both starts and ends at the dinner table, for some, it goes way beyond this and is more a way of life.
The act of going vegan is seen by an increasing number of people as a social justice movement, where one has to commit to putting animals first and making their lives better through how they live their life on a daily basis.
This means that not only do they not eat animal products, but they also do not wear clothes that are made using animal products, nor do they use any products that have been made or tested on animals, like cosmetics.
One example of this is high end vegan leather handbags that still have all of the styles but none of the cruelty.
Difference between veganism and being plant-based
It is important to distinguish between what it means to be vegan and what it means to follow a plant based diet.
For anyone that calls themselves a vegan, they should be aware of the fact that they are making a statement about not only their diet, but also about how you live your life in general.
In that respect, someone cannot be somewhat vegan or only vegan at the weekend, as they should be doing whatever they can to stop using and eating animal products at all times.
However, for those people that do not eat eggs, dairy, or meat in order to benefit their own health, but do not care less about using everyday products that either come from animals or have been tested on animals, they should state that they are living a lifestyle that is plant-based.
Whilst the diets of these two groups of people may be very similar, the ethos behind what they do are actually completely different.
Both may benefit from improved health as a byproduct of not eating animal products, but for one of them, this is the end goal and for the other it is not.
A transition tool
For some people, the process of adopting a plant based diet can act as a great transition tool towards going completely vegan.
However, for many, it is simply the endpoint, and their journey into stopping using animal-based products goes no further.
Regardless of the reasons why or the ideals of the individual eating no eggs, dairy, or meat, the outcome for the animals that would have ended up on the plant is still the same.
So whilst going vegan takes things to the next step, maintaining a plant based diet still has its merits.