The word vegan seems to have become more and more common in the vocabulary of today’s society. Especially among millennials whose population, according to mercyforanimals.org, is approximately 12 percent vegetarian. But, what exactly is a vegan? According to vegan.org, “A vegan is someone who, for various reasons, chooses to avoid using or consuming animals products.” Okay, so it is not hard to understand what a vegan is but, why? Why choose, not only to cut out meat, but all animal products like eggs, milk, butter, leather or fur products? Does this not make life more difficult? Why would someone put themselves through this? These are the questions I personally ponder, as a meat and animal product lover (aka chicken nugget addict and cheese connoisseur). I sat down with my long time friend and dedicated vegan, Celene Lampright to get real about veganism and hopefully, put to rest the common stereotypes that accompany this extreme lifestyle choice.

Celene, who hails from beautiful Beaufort, South Carolina, has been a vegan for about a year and a half and was a vegetarian for almost two years prior. She decided to go fully vegan to firstly, “take a stand against animal cruelty and help to make a difference in the treatment of animals,” but she says that being a vegan has many health benefits. According to vegan.org many foods that are common in a vegan diets such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans, “...are low in fat, contain no cholesteral, and are rich in fiber and nutrients.” These qualities in food have the ability to reduce the risks of heart disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and many other conditions that exist due to a poor diet. As a dancer, Celene feels that being vegan, which forces her to eat healthy, helps tremendously to keep her in shape.

In addition to being beneficial to human health, veganism can also be influential in the health of our planet. Mercyforanimals.org reports that in 2015, four-hundred million fewer animals were killed in slaughterhouses than in the previous year due to the fact that more people are avoiding the consumption of meat. According to vegan.organimal agriculture has a devastating effect on the enviroment. They claim, “The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has linked animal agriculture to a number of other environmental problems, including contamination of aquatic ecosystems, soil, and drinking water by manure, pesticides, and fertilizers; acid rain from ammonia emissions; greenhouse gas production; and depletion of aquifers for irrigation.” These appalling environmental travesties can be reduced by increasing the number of vegans/vegetarians in the population. The website also claims that the reported food supply in 1992 could have fed 6.3 billion people had those people been on an entirely vegetarian diet. Imagine what today’s food supply could do.

Many people are hesitant to give veganism a try because they fear the cost of eating large amounts of fresh produce will break the bank. Celene says that for her, being vegan is not too pricy due to the fabulous options at her school, the College of Charleston. The College has vegan and vegetarian options in both the main dining halls as well as an entirely separate dining hall (Marty’s Place) whose menu is dedicated to the vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. Celene cautions against eating frequently in vegan restaurants as these venues tend to lean toward the higher price range however she says that shopping for groceries and cooking at home is perfectly manageable with proper planning. According to medicaldaily.combeing a vegan can actually end up saving you money, $750.00 per year to be exact. Extra money just to eat a few more vegetables and less chicken nuggets, where do I sign up?

Another major concern for prospective vegans is the ability of a vegan diet to provide individuals with necessary nutrients like protein and calcium. Celene says that getting the necessary nutrients isn’t “...hard, it just requires planning.” She replaces meat for tofu, legumes (lentils, quinoa, etc.) and beans which are all high in protein as well as drinking protein shakes. Almond, soy or coconut milk replaces her dairy products and she takes vitamin supplements for anything else. She says that becoming a vegan is pretty difficult at first, “Especially being from the south where they literally put butter in everything. Also, learning what you can and can’t eat and making your meals interesting. No one wants to eat the same thing everyday.” Celene insists that planning is crucial to being a successful vegan and that it isn’t as hard as most people think it is once you get the hang of it. She also explains that nowadays, there are quite a few substitute options to replace meat and dairy products. For the beloved butter that exists in southern cooking, Celene’s favorite substitute is a banana or applesauce.

Vegans are not all the super hippies that we imagine them to be. They are for the most part, just compassionate people driven by an emotional connection to animals. Why is this viewed so negatively? Celene says that she wishes more people understood what being a vegan is really about, “It isn’t just about eating healthy and not eating meat, it’s more about advocating for the rights of animals and it’s really not as hard as you think if you put your mind to it. Most times people ask me, you know ‘Why are you a vegan? Why don’t you eat meat?’ And people just assume that if you’re vegan you’re a weird hippy.” Celene says it is frustrating that people are so closed minded and that they do not tolerate her own lifestyle choices. She insists there must be a mutual respect, she does not judge others for eating meat and feels she shouldn’t be judged for abstaining from doing so. Perhaps we should all be more tolerant of each other and next time you meet a vegan you can demonstrate your new found understanding of their lifestyle rather than grilling them about how different their lifestyle is.