Being vegan is a really challenging thing to do. It cuts out most of if not everyday food. It’s not just a way to eat but it’s a lifestyle choice. It affects what you wear, how you think, and what you buy. A lot of people have questions about this choice and why thousands of people all over the world are starting to become vegans. A new Oxford University study states that “Cutting your meat and dairy intake can improve your health—and quite possibly save your life.” People ask what the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan is. Vegetarian diets, which contain no meat (beef, pork, poultry, or fish and shellfish), are naturally low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and full of vitamins, minerals, and cancer-fighting compounds. A multitude of scientific studies have shown that vegetarian diets have remarkable health benefits and can help prevent certain diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. We encourage vegetarian diets as a way of improving general health and preventing diet-related illnesses. Vegan diets, contain no animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, or other animal products), are even healthier than vegetarian diets. Vegan diets contain no cholesterol and even less fat, saturated fat, and calories than vegetarian diets because they exclude dairy and eggs. Scientific research shows that health benefits increase as the amount of food from animal sources in the diet decreases, making vegan diets the healthiest overall. Another popular question is what do vegans eat? Vegan diets tend to be more colorful and varied than meat-based diets—vegans can enjoy just about every dish a meat-eater can by cooking with veggie burgers, "ham," "hot dogs," and "turkey" made out of soy and with less familiar staples such as tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (TVP), and seitan, or wheat gluten. These can be added to spaghetti, soups, salads, lasagna, stir-fries, and chili. Many vegans take advantage of delicious ethnic cuisine, such as Chinese,…
