As a teenager, back in the 90s, I watched a harrowing documentary on battery farmed poultry. In that moment, a decision was cemented which would accompany me into adulthood and remains with me to this day.

Eating meat was not a dietary requirement for me and I did not want to contribute in any way to this industry: I was becoming a vegetarian.

Being vegetarian in the meat-loving Ireland of that era was challenging. As very much part of a minority, I did not feel catered to by supermarkets or restaurants. In fact, the choice to abstain from meat made me feel somewhat of an inconvenience. Eating out at a large gathering, such as a wedding or corporate event, was uncomfortable. The meat-free option, more often than not a vegetable lasagne, trailed behind its meaty counterparts on arriving at the dinner table. Awkward conversations about what I did or did not eat and why would inevitably ensue, as fellow diners would wait with curiosity to see what I would be served.

Aside from some stand-out exceptions, eating out as a non meat-eater was generally quite banal. Menus would be scanned for what could be eaten rather than perused for what would be chosen.

In time though, vegetarianism became a more popular lifestyle choice, menus improved, awkward dinner conversations about whether or not I eat chicken became unnecessary and life was good.

Now, however, I find myself with a new beef.

In recent years, a new contender has entered the arena of stretching the imagination of the menu planner: The Vegan.

Veganism is admirable, stoic and increasingly widespread. Aside from the health benefits a vegan diet can offer, the benefits to the environment and the reduction of ones carbon foot-print are undeniable. My problem with this new generation of non-meat-eaters is nothing personal and I respect the discipline those who adhere to it require.

Veganism is a strong and constantly growing industry and it is being treated with gravitas. Supermarkets and restaurants alike go to great lengths to cater for those who will only consume foods which are meat, fish, poultry and dairy free. They have identified a growing market and are supplying suitable produce. These businesses make money, vegans eat well, everyone is happy.

Well, almost everyone.

There was a time when I could recommend to anyone, be they vegetarian or otherwise, the most delicious vegetarian options in town. I had favourite restaurants which I would frequent when the hankering for a scrumptious halloumi burger, a delicious aubergine and feta bake or a mouth watering goats cheese tart would strike. I, like the meat-eating diners, would enjoy browsing the menu and choosing courses that I knew I would enjoy eating dining out was a pleasurable experience.

Lately though, I am noticing quite a radical shift in the menus of many restaurants. While a patron is still perfectly welcome to eat a chicken, the consumption of an egg has become questionable. You can feast on the flesh of a cow with the greatest of gusto without turning a head, but the desire for milk, cream or cheese seems to be rather taboo.

In the quest to satisfy the growing vegan market, many restaurateurs are making their vegetarian options not just meat free but also vegan.

Yes, there are plenty of meat free options and yes, I enjoy an avocado toast as much as the next person but I cant help feeling that the vegetarian has enjoyed their moment in the sun and is now once again being resigned to the bottom of the culinary list of priorities. Offering a vegetarian vegan food ticks a box for the restaurateur in the same way that keeping the emergency vegetarian lasagne in the freezer did back in the 90s. Meat eaters are being well catered for, vegans are being well catered for and the vegetarian can, once again, just make do.

I am well aware, of course, that this gripe of mine is a first world problem. There are leagues of people the world over for whom dining out is something they will never have to get worked up about. But from my position of privilege I just want to raise a voice for the long suffering vegetarian.

We are still in circulation.

Admittedly we are not as fashionable as we once were but we are still worthy of some attention. It is disheartening to see menu listings and supermarket space increasingly be given over to vegan choices while my options grow narrower and my favourites disappear. Being vegetarian is turning full circle as we once again become an afterthought.

And for the record, I dont even like vegetarian lasagne. I dont like it with dairy cheese, I dont like it with vegan cheese, I dont even like it with a side of avocado.

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With veganism on the rise, vegetarians are becoming an afterthought - The Irish Times

More and more people keep hopping on the vegan diet train. But why?

As the buzz about plant-based meat continues to grow, you may have found yourself wondering whether you should try out a plant-based diet. Vegetarianism and veganism have been practiced for thousands of years for a variety of reasons, and in 2019, it's become easier to give up meat and animal products, thanks to the plethora of plant-based alternatives (like the Impossible Burger, Beyond Meat burger and various cheese substitutes) that are so close to the real thing, they can turn the stomach of a years-long vegetarian.

If your last visit to Burger King has you wondering why you should should swap a beef Whopper for an Impossible Whopper, I'm here to dive into the various reasons people choose to go vegetarian or vegan and the impact those practices have on our bodies and our planet.

Read more: The best vegan fast-food options at KFC, Taco Bell, Burger King and more

A cross section of a Beyond Meat Burger

There's no shortage of evidence that eating lots of fruits and vegetables contribute to a healthy body and brain. In fact, some research suggests that vegans and vegetarians generally have better health markers than omnivores. In fact, many health experts recommend plant-based diets to people who have heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health conditions.

One big reason people give up animal products involves health concerns about animal protein, particularly red meat. For decades, public health officials and health practitioners urged consumers to eat less meat, especially beef and pork. They cited health concerns such as heart attack, stroke, cancer and more.

However, recent research revealed that people may have held the wrong conviction toward red meat for all these years, noting that the evidential ties between red meat, processed meat and illness were weak at best. Another long-held belief about red meat that its saturated fat content clogs the arteries -- was also recently debunked.

Read more: Essential kitchen tools for vegans

That said, no dietary recommendation is appropriate for every person, so take the evidence and do with it what you will. If you have poor reactions to animal protein, that's reason enough to try plant-based meat. And whether real beef or faux meat is healthier, well, that's the question of the decade (and probably the next one).

A vegan diet is worth trying out, especially if you're interested in the health benefits, animal welfare or potential environmental benefits.

This is a key reason for many people in their decision to start and continue a vegan diet. Many vegans strongly believe that all animals, including those that have long been staples in diets all over the world, have a right to life and freedom. That's certainly a fair standpoint, and having emotional attachments with animals often contributes to that view.

For example, research about the motives behind eating a vegan diet shows that having more pets early in life (and a larger variety of pets, e.g., not just cats and dogs) increases the tendency to avoid meat consumption later in life.

Read more: 9 vegan YouTube cooking shows you can't miss - CNET

If you're not ready to go full-out vegan but want to cut down on your consumption of beef for animal welfare reasons, replacing your typical beef burger with an Impossible Burger or a Beyond Burger the next time you eat out is a good start. Here's a list of places that have the Beyond Meat Burger on their menu, and a list of restaurants that serve the Impossible Burger.

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If you ask a vegan why they decided to eat vegan, there's a good chance they'll mention something about the environment. Many people who eat plant-based diets are passionate about protecting the environment, and that's all with good reason -- we should all strive to do our part for our Earth.

Many consumers and even environmental experts attribute current environmental issues to animal agriculture, citing flashy statistics about greenhouse gas emissions, water and land usage, waste, labor costs and transportation involved in raising livestock.

But animal agriculture may not be as bad for the environment as you think. Some research suggests that even if everyone on the planet went vegan, greenhouse gas emissions would only drop by 2.6 percent. The earth would probably be better off if people focused on reducing food waste, minimizing single-use plastic, and using public transportation, walking or biking more than using cars.

Many people think that plant-based meats are the answer to current environmental problems.

Some people choose to eat a plant-based diet because they don't believe that humans need animal sources of food to survive and thrive. While there is some truth to that statement -- you can certainly meet your daily nutrient requirements on a vegan or vegetarian diet, even if you exercise a lot -- anyone on a plant-based diet should take steps to ensure they consume enough nutrients that come largely from animal sources. Those include vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, calcium, zinc and iron.

Fortified plant-based foods, like the Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger, offer similar nutrient profiles to that of real beef. So if you're looking for plant-based alternatives but don't want to risk nutrient deficiencies, give one of these faux meat burgers a try.

Swapping faux meat in for real meat is a good way to enter the world of plant-based eating.

Some people choose plant-based diets for all the reasons on this list and some choose to eat plant-based simply because they don't enjoy animal protein and dairy products, or they have sensitivities to them -- like lactose intolerance.

At the end of the day, you don't really need a reason for choosing a plant-based burger over a regular burger -- you shouldn't feel obligated to explain your food choices to other people if you don't want to.

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The top 6 reasons people go vegan, explained - CNET

Now, the high priests and priestesses of veganism have decreed that the whole month will be World Vegan Month.

Theres real wind in the dried pineapple-leaf sails of the not-actually-radical idea of not eating or using animals, and I suppose Im a case in point, having joined the meatless party last August after reading a Guardian article (how very millennial of me).

The only thing possibly holding veganism back now is the name. Because when even Linda McCartney buries the word vegan on its vegan supermarket bonanza, emblazoning them all with vegetarian instead, you know the term is seen as dead weight.

Maybe they should go with plant-based. To vegans, it's clear code for the green light to put the sausages straight in the basket without having to scour the ingredients list. For everyone else the cerebral warning sirens induced by the fear of the dryness that beset vegan products of old (so, around 10 years ago) seem to stay silent. Everybody wins.

Of course, the vegan police will remind me that is all well and good for food, but what about leather, Saharan camel rides, fur coats? And theyll have to haul me to the cells because I dont have much of an answer for them. Other than that, vegan leather can be made from things like apple peels. Aka plants.

But I know not all of veganism is about plants, and the word wont always suit. So, what else?

The best potential answer I can come up with is that the vegan movement should remember the elephant in the room. That just like our tried-and-tested approach towards elephants, we dont think its very nice to eat cows, pigs or chickens either.

Maybe if we labelled food animal free, more people would reach their own conclusion that they arent entirely at ease with eating animals either.

It would paint a dichotomy that reinforces the simple truth that pork is a word for pig that distances itself from the idea of it being one, and beef is an actual dead cow. Quite where those euphemisms came from, frankly I have no idea. Presumably "cow" sounded too unedifying in peoples minds.

But if the animal eaters can craft words that gloss over what it actually is theyre eating, Im sure vegans can find some new term that sounds less hideously vacuous.

The word vegan needs changing not least because no-one seems to know what it means. I

t contains veg but then so does vegetarian, and thats the full sum of the information that can be gleaned. Research for cake brand Bells & Whistles found that the second-most common Google search for When can vegans is eat eggs?. A popular finisher when researching Is veganism is a religion?. For the removal of doubt, the answer is err, never? for the former and no for the latter.

But for the dairy-free icing on the eggless cake of how meaningless the term is, some people even search Do vegans eat meat?, to which the obvious answer is, of course, only very rarely when we really, really want to and when precisely no-one is watching. Im glad we cleared that up.

The word will naturally have come about in order to have a pithy term for a concept with clear parameters. Unfortunately, the succinctness it offers also forms a stick with which to beat veganisms adherents. My family and I stumbled upon a restaurant calling itself a Vegan hebab center in South Carolina this summer, and much of social media relishes a bit of vegan-bashing too.

It may just be that an animal product-free hebab center would start to show how silly the hostility is.

If veganism is to continue to take off, we have to ditch the dirty label its come to be, even among the foremost vegan businesses. Vegans should remember it must be the concept behind it that were loyal to, not the V-word itself.

Theres something Ill call the Schrodingers cat of veganism. Its that non-vegans simultaneously hold vegans to be super healthy to such levels that what they eat could only possibly be void of any of the joy and comfort of eating and worryingly unhealthy.

I get my protein from plants, in case you are wondering its really that simple. Did you know two slices of bread have eight grams of it? Now you do. The word simply puts people off, that much even the most hardcore vegan can surely admit.

Far better we focus on winning people over through blended cashew-nut-and-almond-milk cheesy pasta sauce and juicy vegan steaks than cling to a tainted word.

There are healthy vegans and there are unhealthy vegans, just like in the rest of the population. How liberating. You can have a diet consisting purely of Oreo cookies and still be vegan, but I wouldnt recommend it.

The key to a persons heart is through their stomach. If vegans are going to get a groundswell of regular meat-eaters to view the idea with fresh eyes neither as inherently unhealthy nor healthy to the point of joylessness they need only focus on the love affair with food that many experience when first overhauling their diet to focus on the versatility of plants.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Just dont eat one.

Five fantastic animal-free treats ... just don't mention the V-word

1. Oreo: Lick it, twist it, dunk it in milk ... almond, of course.

2. Most spirits: While wine and beer can be a label-free non-vegan minefield to navigate, the hard stuff has you covered. Cheers!

3. Betty Crocker Devil Cake Mix: Just mix with a can of coke and a dash of baking powder. It sounds outlandish but it works.

4. Salt & Vinegar crisps: You may have to fall out of love with the cheesy crisp flavours, but at least this national favourite has your back.

5. Penne arrabbiata: If you steer clear of some of the more costly pastas, which sometimes include egg, this simple dish with its tomato and chilli sauce will fill you up.

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Why 'vegan' is a dirty word: is it time to come up with a better term for the animal-free life? - HeraldScotland

If you are a vegan, you are probably surrounded by random assumptions about veganism coming from all corners. But, some of these concerns and assumptions are as mythical as the story of our grandparents used to tell us about seeds,If you swallow a seed, a tree will grow inside you.Here are some of the most commonmyths about veganism. Empower yourself with the knowledge that youre doing the right thing.

ALSO READ:World Food Day: Five International Sports Stars Who've Turned Vegan

It is not true. Rather, on the contrary, a vegan diet can be far healthier. Vegan diets have numerous advantages over others. They are far more likely to reach the recommended 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Also, they havelower rates of obesityand reduced risk ofcolorectalandprostatecancer.

Some people believe that it is unfair to serve children only healthy vegan food. Butthe British Dietetic Association says that a well-planned vegan diet is suitable forallages. With the right planning and proper knowledge, a child can get everything they need from a vegan diet.

Veganism is not more expensive than a meat-eating lifestyle.The price of organic foods and cosmetics might be higher than the commercial animal-based ones in the market, but this is because of the demand-supply ratio. Even if you have the money but not the time, in todays world you can ordergreat vegan groceriesto your door.

ALSO READ:Bollywood Celebrities: Actors Who Have Adapted The Vegan Lifestyle

This argument is completely untrue because it all comes down to your choice. Although the dairy industry has indeed penetrated the F&B section, there are plenty of options available for those who do not want to consume animal-based products. Organic food is on the rise and plenty of plant-based nutrition is available in urban and rural areas.

The common misinformation that people follow is that humans gain protein only from animal products. But this is false. Plant-based protein sources are aplenty such as soya, lentils, pulses, broccoli, seaweed, peas, and spinach. Also, the animals consumed for so-called protein are fed on the above plant-based protein diet. So youre basically consuming the same plant-based protein.

ALSO READ:All Facts You Need To Know About World Vegan Day Celebration

ALSO READ:Hollywood Celebrities Who Chose To Go Vegan, Bidding Farewell To Meat

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Veganism: Common myths and misconceptions about the lifestyle - Republic World - Republic World

Eddie Huang, the author of the Fresh Off The Boat memoir that inspired the hit ABC comedy, announced this summer that hes now a vegan. Huang is also a renowned chef and owner of Taiwanese-Chinese restaurant Baohaus, located in New York City and Los Angeles.

It remains to be seen if Huang will stick with his vow to no longer eat meats, and how it will affect his restaurants menu.

Heres what we know about the reasoning behind his decision, plus a few other celebrities who went in the same direction as Huang and broke up with meat.

Huang co-owns Baohaus with his brother, Evan Huang, where they serve Taiwanese/Chinese cuisine consisting of very delicious-sounding, but un-planty items. For example, one item called the Chairman Bao is braised all-natural Berkshire pork belly served with Haus Relish, crushed peanuts, Taiwanese red sugar, and cilantro. In addition to pork belly, Baohaus also serves fried chicken and pork stew, all made with all-natural, antibiotic- and hormone-free meats.

Huang spells out the restaurants heart and philosophy on its website.

With [the restaurants] minimal menu, the brothers tore down everything people knew about Taiwanese-Chinese food and rebuilt it from the ground up.Baohaus isnt just a restaurant, itsthe place the brothers wish existed in their neighborhood when they were coming up. Our families came on boats, but now we on a spaceship, f*** with us.

Countless celebrities and public figures have also gone vegan for various reasons. Among them, former president Bill Clinton, mostly for health reasons. I like the vegetables, the fruits, the beans, the stuff I eat now, Clinton shared with aCNN reporter. All my blood tests are good, and my vital signs are good, and I feel good, and I also have, believe it or not, more energy.

Singer Carrie Underwood is a vegan but not a strict one. I am a vegan but I consider myself to be a practical vegan, shetold Entertainment Wise. If I order something on a menu and it has a sprinkling of cheese on top Im not going to send it back.

Former boxer Mike Tyson tried the vegan diet in 2010, and has since lost 100 pounds. Becoming a vegan gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life, he said on Oprah: Where Are They Now in 2013. I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, I could hardly breathe, [I had] high blood pressure, [was] almost dying [and had] arthritis. And once I became a vegan all that stuff diminished.

In August, Huang posted on Instagram that he could no longer eat meat, when he saw videos of the burning of the Amazon forest.

After watching videos of the Amazon on fire this week, Ive decided that this corned beef I ate at Juniors last week will be the last piece of beef I ever eat. I love beef, I love oxtails, I love Peter Lugers, I loved growing up in a steak house cutting NY Strip on Xanax. It was soothing but beef is f***ing us.

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After watching videos of the Amazon on fire this week, Ive decided that this corned beef I ate at Juniors last week will be the last piece of beef I ever eat. I love beef, I love ox tails, I love Peter Lugers, I loved growing up in a steak house cutting NY Strip on xanax. It was soothing but beef is fucking us. Actually, we are fucking ourselves on multiple levels and we need to make changes. Im going to go vegan because it takes 20 times less land to feed a vegan than a meat eater and over 90% of the land cleared in the amazon rainforest since 1970 is used for grazing livestock, but if all of us just stopped eating BEEF it would solve huge problems. Eat fish, eat chicken, eat pork until the next crisis but if all u can do now is quit beef, please do it. I know a lot of ass backwards people think vegetarianism or veganism is some uppity white girl thing to do but its not. There have been Asian Buddhist Vegetarians for thousands of years, Ital Rasta, Hindu as well, this is not some new age thing to laugh at. We are getting back to roots, healing the Earth, and ourselves. Ive eaten my last bite of meat. I wish I had planned this better and ate my moms ox tail soup but fuck it. There really isnt time to waste. Some things have to start today. I started to get these feelings shooting the last season of Huangs World and fasted for 5 days because my producer Davids mom said I looked sick. She was right. The 5 days not eating fundamentally changed me and I shot the second half of the season while intermittent fasting. Ive made a lot of food videos because I love food but more than anything because food was fertile ground for exploring difference, but I dont love what food tv and more importantly what food has become in our culture: a drug. I had a really rough 2018- early 2019, got high and just ate myself to sleep watching Harry Potter a lot lol but Im getting back on my shit. Take a moment, think about it, and reexamine your relationship with food because itll make the Earth and ourselves very very sick if we keep abusing it.

A post shared by Eddie Huang (@mreddiehuang) on Aug 23, 2019 at 5:44am PDT

Actually, we are f***ing ourselves on multiple levels and we need to make changes. Im going to go vegan because it takes 20 times less land to feed a vegan than a meat eater and over 90% of the land cleared in the Amazon rainforest since 1970 is used for grazing livestockIve eaten my last bite of meat.

I wish I had planned this better and ate my moms oxtail soup but f*** it. There really isnt time to wasteTake a moment reexamine your relationship with food because itll make the Earth and ourselves very very sick if we keep abusing it.

Read more: Zendaya and 16 Other Celebrities Who Dont Eat Meat

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The Real Reason Chef and Author Eddie Huang Went Vegan, Plus Other Plant-Based Celebrities - Showbiz Cheat Sheet