What Is An Industrial Vegan?
“Industrial Vegan” term has puzzled plenty; some have even declared that there is no definition of the buzzword. If you ever sat there asking yourself what an industrial vegan is, you have came to the right place. The freshly brewed term has raised many eyebrows, even raising questions about its legitimacy.
An Industrial Vegan is a person who opposes to use products which are made from factory raised animals but instead can consume animal products that are produced more eco-friendly way. You can say that an industrial vegan diet and a whole food vegan diet have a few similarities since both the diet opt for eating natural and unprocessed foods.
In this article will discuss in depth what an industrial vegan is, what type of food does an industrial vegan eat and how to educate yourself before becoming an industrial vegan.
What Is An Industrial Vegan?
Well, first, we’d like to tell you that this term was coined by Syd Crouch, one of the contestants on The Hustler. When asked to define industrial vegan, she says, “something I coined for myself to describe the way I like to choose the food I eat.”
According to Syd, an industrial vegan is someone who does not consume animal products obtained from animals reared industrially, such as factory farming.
An industrial vegan, on the other hand, is willing to consume animal products that are not raised industrially. They may, for example, consume animal products farmed by them or on a small local farm.
Many people opt for this way of life upon learning the inhumane atrocities that reared animals to have to go through every single day.
Industrial Vegan Vs Vegan | What’s The Difference
Traditional vegans primarily focus on putting an end to the atrocities and sufferings the animals face for commercial purposes. Henceforth, vegans abstain from any form of animal meat or animal products.
The vegan diet became more popular in the 2010s, particularly in the latter half. According to The Economist, 2019 is the “Year of the Vegan.” Vegan foods were marked on menus at chain restaurants, and stores expanded their variety of vegan-processed food.
On the other hand, ‘industrial vegan’ is a relatively new term, which gained popularity in 2021. A vegan diet that favors manufactured meals above whole, unprocessed foods is known as an industrial vegan diet.
This type of diet is typically heavy in sugar, salt, and harmful fats while being deficient in key nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals. In order to not complicate it for you, we have listed out the dietary items of a classic-industrial vegan. Let’s check it out.
What Does An Industrial Vegan Eat?
Industrial vegans strive to be ecologically and animal-friendly in their daily lives. To promote animal-free options, they frequently consume a plant-based diet consisting of complete foods.
An industrial vegan eating lifestyle might be more costly and time-consuming. Practitioners of the industrial vegan diet feel it is worthwhile for the health of the world and all of its people.
Ideally, your food would not be exposed to unnatural chemicals, GMOs, or industrial processing. Any preservatives used would have to be of natural origin.
Industrial vegans may substitute animal products and meat for these items;
- Protein- Tempeh, Edamame, nutritional yeast, tofu, etc. Tofu is a great substitute to chicken since it has more vitamins and minerals as compared to chicken.
- Carbohydrates- Beans and lentils, Steel-cut rolled and classic oats, buckwheat, farro, Amarnath, Quinoa (which is a complete source of protein)
- Fats- There many vegan sources of fats like Hemp seeds (which has an excellent amino acid profile), peanuts, pistachios, almonds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, etc
While these dietary items are all plant-based, it is important to remember that industrial vegans consume meat every now and then. Moreover, they would strive to consume fruits, vegetables, and plants from small farms or buy organic fruits and vegetables that were free of pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs.
Things To Consider Before Becoming Industrial Vegan
Suddenly going an industrial vegan may be a huge rock to climb. Here is a list of things to make it easier to become an industrial vegan.
1. Educating Yourself
This is a key factor in shifting towards industrial veganism. It is a novel term, and many still believe that it does not stand for anything.
The first step in becoming an industrial vegan is to understand why it is necessary. An industrial vegan or plant-based diet has several advantages, including environmental, health, and animal welfare benefits.
2. Find Appropriate Foods
Many vegan-friendly foods and recipes may be found online and in cookbooks. To develop your taste, experiment with several commercial vegan dishes. You’ll appreciate how you’ll make the switch to veganism easier. The key objective is to avoid eating processed foods.
3. Find Like-minded Individuals
You may also learn more about the vegan lifestyle by joining a vegan group. Many online and physical groups of industrial vegans, as well as any vegan society nearby, may provide support and advice on a vegan lifestyle while you transition to veganism. Connecting with others might assist in easing the process
Benefits of Being An Industrial Vegan
1. Essential To The Animals
The said diet is all about boycotting businesses that exploit animals for profit. This is the most best beneficial and integral part of becoming an industrial vegan.
2. Improves The Environment
According to sources, being an industrial vegan has many benefits for the environment. The production of animal products emits greenhouse gases which directly affects all of us. By restricting the consumption of animal food items, an industrial vegan diet helps to lessen the environmental effect.
3. Healthcare Costs
Many avoidable ailments, such as heart disease, cancer, and obesity, are caused by animal husbandry. Avoid processed vegan meals as a vegan. We would observe a significant reduction in these illnesses if more people embraced a vegan diet.
Final Thoughts
The industrial vegan lifestyle encompasses a healthy and sustainable way of living. As mentioned earlier, it has plenty of benefits, ranging from your own body health to the entire planet. This lifestyle is helping to develop a better and more peaceful environment wherein the exploitation of animals abstains.
One of the most important things for an industrial vegan is to stay motivated. Without motivation or a definite planning, it might get difficult to keep up with the diet. We also see that one must be properly educated or informed on this new way of life before starting one.
The industrial vegan community is still growing, and it is never late to join the crew. If you want to eat better while still helping the environment, an industrial vegan diet might be a great option!
