It is amazing how the general opinion on veganism has not changed much over the past few years. With movies like "Food, Inc." and "Cowspiracy," there is a lot more information on why people make the choice to go vegan or vegetarian, and it's a pretty valid choice, too. Nevertheless, we are the butt of too many repetitive jokes and uninformed side comments. I'm sure nobody means it to aggravate us, but there are some things that are just the worst to hear over and over again. To avoid further grievances, I've compiled a list of things to avoid in general conversation with your average vegan Joe or Jane to keep the peace.

1. "But we were designed to eat meat, it's just natural."

Okay, yes, but also not at all. Sure, there was a time when the only way we could get the necessary nutrients for survival included eating meat, but that was a long, long time ago. Back then, we also had no toilets, no modern science, and no Snapchat. It was a different era! I'm sure everyone has heard this, but the way animals are mass-produced for consumption is not natural. There are a bunch of ways for us to get protein, amino acids and iron without compromising our ethical choices.

2. "Oh come on, just have a bite—I won't tell anyone!"

Believe it or not, most of us have made the choice to be vegan for either health reasons, ethical reasons or both. We didn't give up animal products to be hip or cool (well, most of us didn't)—it's a personal choice. So no, I won't try some of your delicious mac 'n' cheese, because this lifestyle is part of who I am and I don't really want to compromise a part of my identity for a few seconds of tasty gratification.

3. "I would totally love to go vegan, too! I just love cheese too much."

Unfortunately, this is one of those things that we just hear so often it becomes aggravating. Sure, cheese is fantastic, but it honestly doesn't make sense to me why this comes up so much. It's essentially just a commentary on your own willpower, which has nothing to do with us! Maybe instead, ask us how the alternatives to cheese and beyond hold up—I've never met a vegan who doesn't get excited about plant-based deliciousness!

4. "Wow, you must be so healthy."

Well yeah, there are some aspects of not eating animal products that are healthier, like more antioxidants and less saturated fat, as well as a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. However, the picture of this stick-thin vegan living on rabbit food is outdated—we come in all shapes, sizes and levels of nutritional awareness!

5. "I mean, you feed your dog (or cat) meat, so isn't that kind of cheating?"

Of all the things on the list, this is the only one that truly bothers me. Granted, there are some studies out there that prove that while cats are "true carnivores" and need meat, dogs can survive on a plant-based diet. Aside from the fact that this is pretty hard to maintain, there is also a difference between surviving and living healthily.

There's a lot of debate out there about whether or not it's ethical to adjust a pet's diet based on your own, but I think feeding your pet in the healthiest way is more important than how I feel about eating animals. It's just unfortunate when folks jump to the "cheating" or "not a real vegan" conclusion. I'm still learning every day and most of us are just trying to make the world a better place, which includes looking after our pets in the best way possible.

6. "But plants were living, too, so it's basically the same as eating animals!"

Alright, as soon as I see a corncob come up to me for snuggles or a blueberry roll away from a predator in fear and self-preservation, I'll look into a diet that consists of chemically-engineered nothingness. For now, I'll stick to the science-backed facts and continue to eat my avocado toast in peace!

There are a lot of things we like to talk about—and we definitely appreciate non-judgemental, genuine questions about our lifestyle and the ethics behind it. Hopefully, this list will steer you away from shutting down a conversation and instead lead you to healthy, wonderful conversations between friends!