Some people see the word vegan as meaning nothing more than a food option. They look at options on a menu and see them flagged as being meat, fish, spicy, diary free, gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, etc. They then make their choices as to what they want to eat based on what they feel like on the day. They may decide to eat meat-free dishes six days a week because they realize the health dangers of eating meat.
This way of thinking has become quite common in society as the vegan movement has increased momentum. Many people have adopted a lifestyle where they eat ‘vegan food’ unless they feel there is no ‘vegan option’ in which case they are happy to eat whatever is put in front of them. This style of eating has become so prevalent that it is now commonly referred to as ‘flexitarian’.
There is plenty of science demonstrating that eating vegan food is better for a person’s health than eating meat. There is also plenty of science clearly demonstrating the environmental damage associated with the meat, dairy, and fishing industries is massive. Hence every time an individual chooses a vegan food option over a non-vegan option, we all benefit.
We include this discussion on the usage of the word vegan by some people to mean a food option so that you realize that this is one limited way in which the word vegan is used. It is certainly not the only way.