Unbeknownst to most (me), veggan is a thing that’s been happening for a while. And no, I haven’t made a typo. We’re talking veggan, not vegan. With two g’s. Yeah.
When we cast our eyes ahead to the big bad future, it looks like the veggan thing is going to be sticking around, so we did the research for you and found out what the hell it’s all about.
What exactly does veggan mean?
It’s basically the word used to describe a vegan diet - so not eating meat, fish, dairy, any animal by-products etc – except when you’re veggan, you’re still allowed to eat eggs. But just eggs. Cheese, animal milk et al is still a no, no.
So the only difference between vegan and veggan is eggs?
Yup, pretty much. It seems that vegganism is generally taken up by those who want to get on board with the whole vegan thing, but would find it particularly difficult to give up ALL animal produce (i.e. eggs). So eggs are allowed.
Another consideration is that it’s a way to ensure that there’s an extra dose of protein in your otherwise plant-based diet. Generally though, the reasons why people take it up can really depend on various ethical and nutritional concerns.
Wait, isn’t a vegan who eats eggs basically a vegetarian?
According to the Vegetarian Society a vegetarian is someone who ‘lives on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with, or without the use of dairy products and eggs’ so yes, by this definition a veggan sounds pretty vegetarian. And while vegans do not eat any dairy products, animal products or eggs, the Society also mentions the ovo-vegetarian, someone who eats eggs but not dairy. (So a veggan?)
It’s all a bit confusing.
What do vegans think about it?
Rather unsurprisingly, the whole idea pisses some people off. In blog post for the Huffington Post, Nzinga Young explained that ‘veganism is an animal rights movement. We eat plants simply because they’re not animals but the lifestyle is about animal liberation and not human health’.
She goes on to describe vegganism as an oxymoron, a word that ‘represents animal liberation and animal slaughter in the same two syllables’. In short she distances vegganism from veganism because it compromises the beliefs at the heart of being vegan for the sake of eating eggs, for which there are actually animal-free substitutes.
Is being veggan good for you? What are the health benefits?
Eggs are good for you. They’re full of protein, vitamin D, iron and vitamin B12. They’re good stuff. And people tend to chose to be veggan instead of vegan for the nutritional benefits of being able to include eggs in their diets.
Minus the eggs though, being veggan means that the rest of your diet will be predominantly made up of things like seeds, nuts and fruit and veg which as we all know, can work towards good things like better skin, healthy immune system and so on. But one of the main health benefits is simply cutting out processed meat which, if eaten in excess, can be cause for serious health concerns.
As with any diet though, it’s all about making sure that by cutting something out, you’re not leaving your body in any sort of deficit. So researching is key. There'll always be pros and cons, you just need to make sure that what you are eating is actually good for you and you're getting the right amount of what you need without compromising ethics or putting your health at risk.
So should I be veggan, then?
It’s a difficult one. Sure, it might be a good stepping stone into veganism if you're not quite ready to take the full plunge yet, but I think the most important thing is working out why you want to do it in the first place. Do you want to change your diet, are you increasingly concerned about animal welfare or wanting to do more to reduce your carbon footprint by not eating meat?
Vegan is a lifestyle rather than just a different way of planning what you're having for dinner. So before deciding that you're going to be kind-of vegan (so, not vegan) and eating eggs, work out what it is about the whole idea at the route of this new foodie trend that interested you. There's a lot more to it than not being able to have eggy bread anymore.
Like this? You might also be interested in…
13 Things You Need To Know About Being An Ethical Vegetarian
Follow Jazmin on Instagram @JazKopotsha
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.