Veganism: A New Approach to Health

Abstract

The word vegan was given by Donald Watson in 1944 in Leicester, England, who, together with several other members of the Vegetarian Society, wanted to establish a group of vegetarians who did not consume milk or dairy products. When the proposal was rejected, Watson and like-minded people founded The Vegan Society, which advocated a complete plant-based diet, excluding meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products (cheese, butter) and honey. Vegans do not wear fur items, wool, bone, goat, coral, pearl or any other material of animal origin. According to surveys, vegans make up between 0.2% and 1.3% of the US population and between 0.25% and 7% of the UK population. Vegan foods contain lower levels of cholesterol and fat than the usual diet.