Veganism and Vegetarianism: Health, Identity, and Diet

Introduction

Many people associate vegetarianism or veganism with being healthy. Indeed, many of those who engage in either lifestyle cite better health as a primary reason for their choice. However, there is an open question as to whether a vegan or vegetarian diet is better than other diets that include one or more types of meat. This report aims to explore that question by studying people who actively live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle and examining whether there is a genuine incentive to avoid meat in favor of a diet that excludes some or all animal products. While there are some obvious health benefits that commonly accompany a meatless diet, it is far from conclusive that doing so is clearly superior to diets that include meat.

There are also a variety of reasons why people choose to be vegetarian or vegan. These reasons include religion, concerns about animal cruelty, environmental concerns, and more. For some, the motivation may be a combination of two or more factors. These high-level reasons can be broken down into more specific topics. For example, concerns about animal cruelty can manifest as a belief that animals have the same or similar rights as humans, or that killing an animal unnecessarily is immoral. Environmental concerns can include issues such as methane emissions from cattle herds or the documented health downsides of consuming red meat in large quantities.

Even with all of the negative aspects that many people associate with eating meat, there are those who argue that avoiding meat can lead to shortfalls in important nutrients such as protein and others. While natural alternatives exist in many cases, some argue that these solutions are impractical or that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with eating meat. The primary and secondary research in this report will cover all of those angles and more.

Literature Review

One fact that should be noted at the outset is that the number of vegans and vegetarians is not particularly large. Vegetarian Times states that "3.2% of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 0.5%, or 1 million, of those are vegans, who consume no animal products at all. In addition, 10% of U.S. adults, or 22.8 million people, say they largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet" (Vegetarianism in America, 2016). Although vegetarians represent a relatively small portion of the United States population, some countries have much higher rates. For example, India has a vegan or vegetarian population of nearly a third, approximately thirty-one percent (Yadav, 2006).

It is also important to note that veganism and vegetarianism are not the same thing. Vegetarians do not eat meat of any kind — including poultry, beef, lamb, and pork. Vegans go further by also avoiding any food that comes from an animal, even if the animal is not harmed or killed in its production. In addition to not eating animals themselves, vegans do not consume dairy products (such as milk and cheese) or eggs. Vegans also typically refrain from wearing leather, fur, wool, and other animal-sourced materials due to the perceived or verifiable killing or cruelty involved. While harvesting wool typically involves only shearing a sheep rather than killing it, vegans generally take a firm stance on the matter. Some approach the pro-vegan or pro-vegetarian lifestyle as a social "movement," while others focus primarily on the health effects of eating meat and the principle that "we are what we eat" (Bisogni, Connors, Devine, & Sobal, 2002).

Of course, the majority of people can broadly be described as omnivores — they eat from all food groups at one time or another, including meat, dairy, and fruits and vegetables. However, there are intermediate and hybrid approaches. Pescatarians, for instance, avoid all meat except fish and other seafood such as crab, lobster, and shrimp. There are also "flexitarians," who eat largely as vegetarians but consume meat occasionally. In other words, they generally avoid meat but do not object to eating it from time to time ("Move over vegetarians," 2012).

There is an ongoing debate as to whether food preference even matters significantly for health outcomes. According to Harvard Medical School, "studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating. Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses" (HWHW, 2009). However, other sources point out that red meat and other foods commonly labeled as "bad" are actually acceptable so long as they are consumed in moderation. Excess consumption of almost anything can cause problems — this applies to meat, alcohol, salt, and other substances. Even oxygen and water can be harmful to humans in extreme quantities. Many health professionals instead emphasize balanced diets that do not include excessive amounts of any harmful foods. Generally speaking, avoiding high amounts of salt, sugar, and saturated fat is sufficient to maintain good health, as these substances are harmful primarily when consumed in excess. To put it plainly, a vegetarian diet may lend itself more readily to being healthy, but there are other ways to achieve the same or similar outcomes (Wyness, 2015).

Methodology

The primary research in this report — that is, the interviews conducted by the author — focuses on vegetarianism at a broad level rather than on specific subsets such as pescatarianism or strict veganism. The central research question this study aims to answer is whether a meatless diet is healthier than one that includes meat to any degree. A total of two people were interviewed for this report, and their responses, combined with the literature review, form the basis of the conclusions and findings presented here.

The first interview was conducted with a former co-worker of the author — a dedicated vegan who does not wear or consume any animal products. The second interview was with a person who was born and raised in India for much of her life. As noted elsewhere in this report, vegetarianism and its variants are very common in that country.

These interviews constitute the primary research component and were designed to capture first-hand perspectives from people who actively engage in some form of vegetarianism. The secondary research component is the literature review presented above. Only peer-reviewed articles or other scholarly and authoritative sources were used, including articles from peer-reviewed journals and reputable websites. This approach ensures that only credible and well-established data informs the conclusions. It also supports the validity and reliability of the research — two essential qualities without which the conclusions would not withstand scrutiny from peers or future researchers working on the same or similar topics.