The human being is an animal omnivorous by nature , that is, capable of feeding on all kinds of food. In fact, long before we were able to create orchards in which to grow fruits and vegetables, we had to take them from wild trees. At the same time, human beings have always fed on the meats of other animals , hunting them and developing numerous weapons to do so. By pure necessity of subsistence, millions of years before knowing the beneficial properties of meat or fish. agriculture and livestock completely changed the way humans eat, because now we could raise and cultivate everything we were going to eat. We started planting and harvesting, and we were able to settle in one place for a long time, becoming sedentary. At the same time, the first cities were created and culture and society were born as we understand it today.

Over time, humans have been considered an outstanding species, the pinnacle of evolution, in fact. We are the most intelligent animals on the planet, although sometimes we try to prove otherwise. We have been able to capture and subdue virtually every other species , and use them to our advantage. We have killed many of them, by destroying them directly, or by devastating their ecosystems. And all this has led a part of society to reject all this violence against animals, against nature itself. The human being considers himself the owner of the world, when in reality we are one of many species that have passed through this planet. The way in which we have adapted it to our needs, to our desires, has also caused a lot of controversy . Hence, in recent times, ecology and animalism are becoming more and more important currents in our society. Aimed at changing human habits towards their environment, these currents have especially influenced diet, with the appearance of veganism and vegetarianism.

What is veganism

Surely you have heard and read a lot about veganism in recent times. This trend, which is not very recent but is getting much more exposure in recent years, advocates not consuming any product of animal origin . It refers above all to food, but also to clothing, cosmetics and other possible accessories that have required the pain or suffering of an animal to be created. Vegans are part of the vegetarianism movement , since they are within it, but they are much more restrictive. It is a way of life, not just a diet, a way of to advocate for the defense of animals and for the non-use of other beings with a nervous system for the benefit of the human being.

What can and cannot be eaten

veganism is a much more restrictive current of vegetarianism. If in the first one you can not eat meat or fish, but you can consume animal milk, for example, or dairy products prepared with it, vegans prefer not to consume absolutely any product that comes from an animal . In terms of diet, that greatly limits the food they eat, although it is true that a diet based on vegetables, vegetables and fruits can also be perfectly healthy. One of the problems they encounter is the lack of certain vitamins , which are only contained in meat or dairy products. Thus, many vegans choose to take vitamin supplements to balance the balance.

Vegans , therefore, can consume any product of plant origin , which is basically grown and harvested. They are prohibited from eating meat, fish or any other product that comes from animals, such as milk or eggs. But as we said above, veganism is not limited only to diet, but goes much further, as a way of life that advocates the protection of animals. Hence, vegans also do not wear clothes that have fur or have been produced thanks to animal suffering. The same happens with cosmetics , creams, etc… Vegans tend to reject products that use animals as a form of experimentation, to test their effectiveness. In this way they are consistent with their thinking in defense of all species, not only with food.

What is vegetarianism

vegetarianism is a trend that was born thousands of years ago in India and later spread to the rest of the world, especially through the classical cultures of Greece and Rome. It is proposed as a food choice, where a diet is carried out that does not include animal meat. However, products such as milk or eggs can be included, which also come from animals. The difference is that to obtain them it is not necessary to kill that species, and some even reason that they are not even harmed. Vegetarianism has had a great boom in the last two centuries, becoming an alternative in the defense of animals. There are many currents , more or less lax, among which we can include veganism, one of the most restrictive.

What can and cannot be eaten

The approach that vegetarians make to reason their decision to not eat animal meat is to end their suffering, and with the unnecessary death of species just to feed the human being. What vegetarianism advocates is that we can eat other types of products , even if they come from animals, without harming these species. However, there are different versions and aspects of vegetarianism that are less restrictive, and allow eating fish , for example, but not meat mammals. The opposite point would be in veganism, as we have already seen, in which any food that comes from an animal is rejected. Technically, a strict vegetarian can eat fruits, vegetables and vegetables , as vegans do, but also milk, eggs and other products obtained from animals without harming them . That concept, that of harm, is very controversial within vegetarianism itself, because there are farms in which they keep chickens locked up to obtain their eggs. This, obviously, is to harm or limit the animal . The only thing that vegetarians reject completely is animal meat, and sometimes not even that, since there are different aspects that are much more open. Vegetarianism has many times been reduced to a simple diet , but it can be the first step in creating a much greater ecological awareness in the person who embraces it.