/r/AskVegans

Photograph via snooOG

Have a question about veganism? Ask it here and get replies from friendly vegans who are ready to help! Remember to read the sub rules, keep things respectful and constructive, and come with a willingness to listen.

About

Have a question about veganism? Ask it here and get replies from friendly vegans who are ready to help!

Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

Rules

Please observe the rules. This subreddit is actively moderated.

Rules

Rules for Questions #2-5

Rules for Answers #5-7

Rules for Conduct #8-10+

  1. No debating — This subreddit is for honest questions and learning. It is not the right place for debating. Please take your debates to r/DebateAVegan/

  2. State questions clearly in the title — Both vegans and non-vegans may ask questions. Questions can be expanded upon in the text portion of the thread. Unless otherwise stated, your questions are assumed to be directed toward all vegans.

  3. Don’t Soapbox — You may expand upon your question, and ask follow-up questions in response to any answer you receive, but don’t use the sub as a platform to spread anti-vegan, or speciesist rhetoric. Similarly, polemic or trolling questions meant to start antagonistic arguments, provoke, or escalate disagreements to the level of insults will not be tolerated.

  4. Don’t ask Loaded/Leading Questions — Don’t front-load a question with baseless assertions. We understand that knowledge is primarily made-up of background assumptions and preconceived notions that are part-and-parcel of living in a society. Be aware of those, and do your best to check your assumptions at the door, and don’t include them as part of your question unless your question cannot be addressed without them. (Example of a front-loaded question: “It’s been proven that vegans don't get enough protein in their diet, how do you manage?” – Example of the same question without front-loading: "How much protein do vegans get in their diet?”)

  5. Stay on topic — No posts that are off-topic (have nothing to do with the purposes of the subreddit as stated in the sidebar). Non-vegans may piggy-back on pre-existing threads to ask follow-up questions, but don't derail pre-existing threads with non-sequiturs. Make a new thread instead.

  6. Top-level comments by vegans only — If you’re not a vegan, don’t answer questions. All top-level comments must be by a flaired vegan, attempting to fairly answer the question posed. When answering a question, think "WWVJD?" Or in other words, "how would Earthling Ed answer this question?" Non-vegan answers will be removed, and repeated offenses lead to banning. People come to AskVegans looking for answers from vegans. Top answers ought to be from a vegan perspective.

  7. Cite your sources/No misinformation — Refrain from making spurious or unverifiable claims. When answering questions, keep in mind that you may be asked to cite your sources. This is a learning subreddit, meaning you ought to be prepared to provide evidence, scientific or historical, to back up your claims. Link to appropriate sources when/if possible and relevant. Remember, an answer isn't good because it's right, it's good because it teaches. Do provide book recommendations, YouTube channels, and free media when/where appropriate.

  8. Be excellent to each other — Please don't be needlessly rude here. This subreddit should be a friendly, informative resource, not a place to air grievances. This is a space for people to engage constructively; no belittling, insulting, or disrespectful language is permitted.

  9. No hate speech — Please don't post anything that will prevent users from feeling relaxed, fully self-expressed, comfortable, welcome or safe based on the following: Biological sex, Race/ethnicity, Sexual orientation, Gender identity or expression, Cultural background, Age, Physical or mental ability, or any other form of systemic prejudice.

  10. No trolling/Don't feed trolls — Disingenuous questions will be removed and/or flaired accordingly. Do not encourage trolling by engaging with them. Report and move on.

  • As a Q&A sub, any linked threads with no discernible question will be removed. If you care to share a news story or make a statement please take it to our parent sub, /r/Veganism/. Or to any of the more specialized subs, such as /r/Veganscience/ or our more radical friends over at /r/SocialismAndVeganism/ or /r/Veganarchism

  • Meta questions unrelated to /r/AskVegans will be removed.

  • Announcements, Participation Posts, Podcasts, or YouTube channels dedicated to learning may advertise only on approval of the Mod team. Posting without prior Mod approval will result in the thread being removed.

  • Follow Reddit's rules here

We expect our users to practice empathy. Most importantly, this means listening to and respecting other people's life experiences, especially if they have a perspective that is traditionally excluded in terms of which voices are listened to and valued.

Related Subreddits

/r/AskVegans

12,428 Subscribers

15

Why isn't wool vegan?

Sheep need to be sheared for their wool in the summer so they don't suffocate and overheat. If anything this is good for the animal. Why is using the byproduct of this bad?

100 Comments
2024/10/30
17:09 UTC

8

What would you like to eat at Thanksgiving?

I have a guest coming to my Friendsgiving and they are vegan. (I don’t know them that well) They offered to bring their own meal but I felt like a poor host if I didn’t have anything for them to eat. I want to make something they can eat that is substantial (not just a side of vegetables or potatoes). People have suggested pasta salad and soup, but I feel like that’s not enough. So as vegans, ideally what would you like to eat at an event like this? And does anyone have any suggestions on what to make?

21 Comments
2024/10/29
01:10 UTC

6

Any recommended/reputable vegan brands producing faux leather gloves?

Hi there, I am looking to purchase driving gloves as a gift for my partner, as they've mentioned a few times that driving for prolonged periods of time hurts their hand where they touch the wheel, and also they've commented atleast twice to me that driving gloves 'look cool'. I thought it would be an easy google search, but while I've found some options, none of them seem perfect. I'm always suspicious of judging quality of an item ordered online, especially through a 3rd party marketplace like amazon. My partner doesn't want to support amazon regardless so I won't be buying through them, I've instead been looking on etsy, but as mentioned haven't found anything perfect.

Are there are reputable vegan clothing brands producing faux leather gloves? Ideally of the fingerless variety, as well. I live in Australia so am prepared to pay international shipping as well if there aren't any suitable options from Australian companies, but would ideally hope to find something for under $200 USD. Have any of you bought faux leather gloves you particularly liked, or, have you run into any brands to stay away from?

4 Comments
2024/10/29
05:05 UTC

0

Is it not hypocrisy that some vegans cook or serving meat for their non vegan pet or family member ?

Well its a genuine question from me.

6 Comments
2024/10/29
04:40 UTC

2

Is the ordinary skincare range still considered vegan and cruelty free?

Was it bought by another company that sells it to mainland china and therefore would be tested on animals?

If so what are the cruelty free alternatives?

2 Comments
2024/10/28
18:15 UTC

1

Do vegans think it's unethical to feed stray/feral cats?

It might depend on circumstances to some people so I want to mention my own circumstances. I live in an urban area with extreme number of stray cats, many are fully socialized. Due to their extreme number, adoption is extremely rare, also humane shelters for them don't exist. Currently there are efforts for TNR. So government policy is letting them roam all around the city and controlling their population with TNR. Many people voluntarily feed them regularly and help them when they need medical care. This is what I do as well along with TNR. Some vegans in my city are saying that it's unethical to feed them because we support slaughter of other animals for them by purchasing cat food or meat and it's speciesim. Do you agree with this? Would you help those cats in this situation?

(PS: I live in very crowded urban area with almost no green areas or wildlife, therefore free roaming cats aren't threat to wildlife, the only thing they can hunt is mice)

166 Comments
2024/10/28
15:51 UTC

7

What books, movies, or shows would you suggest to someone considering veganism?

21 Comments
2024/10/28
03:32 UTC

51

Do Vegans view vegetarians in the same light as meat eaters?

Just wondering if there is a distinction made or if it's "if you're willing to eat animal based products, then you're not really helping by just not eating meat"

274 Comments
2024/10/27
16:57 UTC

0

Is a vegan diet healthier than a pescatarian diet?

Health seems to be a big vegan argument, the risk of cancer in consumption of red meat seems to be a main point in that argument. But with the exclusion of red meat, could a vegan diet be healthier than diet that contains fish and poultry?

44 Comments
2024/10/26
14:20 UTC

5

100% woollen blankets for wildfire kits - deemed acceptable or is there an alternative?

I've been going down the rabbit hole of reading about wildfires, fire shelters and preparations for such. A lot of the advice I've come across highlights that if someone has to shelter in place from a wildfire consuming their home, they should have various things to hand, including heavy woollen blankets. I understand the idea is to have something dense, non-synthetic and natural that would have less chance of providing oxygen to feed the fire/move it that step closer to your body. I'm curious as to whether this would be deemed 'acceptable' in buying/gathering such blankets in preparation for those who live in fire-prone areas.

16 Comments
2024/10/26
07:35 UTC

5

Does taking meds (I get for free) that are already tested on animals contribute to more animal suffering?

I need as much info for this as possible (my effect on animals by doing this can be in the most indirect way possible, i just need to know about it), because it might influence my decision about it.

24 Comments
2024/10/26
01:23 UTC

4

How do you feel about wildlife parks?

I have heard a lot about traditional zoos and how they’re terribly exploitative of animals, but what about places that seem like more of a grey area?

Around where I live theres a place called Northwest Trek that has a a variety of local animals. There’s a large open area with tram tours, but also smaller exhibits with animals to walk around to as well, like a zoo.

The general idea as far as I can see is that it provides a large area for animals to be kept safe, and restore harmed animals, but they’re of course also used for entertainment, and I’m sure they feed many animals other animals too.

Is a place like this acceptable to financially support?

28 Comments
2024/10/25
15:41 UTC

0

Thoughts on emulsifiers?

Emulsifiers - like xanthan gum, lecithin and guar gum - have been making headlines recently due to research that indicates these ingredients can substantially increase cancer risk. I'm already a compulsive label-reader, so I've started looking more closely at certain meat substitutes and unfortunately have found these apparently dangerous emulsifiers in them - namely, Light Life vegan hot dogs and TJ's meatless ground beef. I like these two meat substitutes in particular because they're very robust in terms of protein, but don't feel like it's safe to eat them anymore.

I'm sure these emulsifiers are present in many other plant-based food products, but as I do not follow an exclusively plant-based diet, I'm not aware of the extent - cheeses, non-dairy milks/yogurts, etc.

Wondering how concerned vegans might be about these research findings, if at all.

EDIT: For those asking...

https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/food-emulsifiers-linked-to-increased-breast-and-prostate-cancer-risk-384070

https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004338%20

https://wsvn.com/news/investigations/researchers-at-university-of-miami-are-looking-into-the-recent-spike-in-colon-cancer-in-young-adults/

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00017-2/fulltext

58 Comments
2024/10/25
14:18 UTC

0

Why do some vegans even keep their dogs and cats on vegan diet?

I am myself a vegan but i feed my dog non vegan diet. I support everything about veganism except this.

39 Comments
2024/10/25
04:58 UTC

13

Do you cook non-vegan for your non-vegan partner?

I know some vegans can have a healthy relationship with their non-vegan partners. When it comes to food and cooking for yourself, do you cook them non-vegan “food” as well?

142 Comments
2024/10/24
23:23 UTC

0

Are there any vegan stereotypes? If so,which one annoys you?

As a side note,do you think everyone should become vegan? To me,although im not vegan,it kinda seems like more of a choice,and it would probably be difficult for me

16 Comments
2024/10/24
18:25 UTC

0

Do vegans never offer to pick up the bill?

I just had a vegan friend come to visit me in my country and I was really comfy y her behavior. Can someone tell me if she is rude or if it's normal for vegans.

My friend visited me in my home. I am a vegetarian but I told my friend that I would be sure to make a special trip to the store to pick up the vegan versions of our famous regional foods. I cooked us at least one meal a day with these groceries that I bought.

I also treated her to dinner in a restaurant on the first night of the visit. Also I tend to order delivery three times a week while I WFH and of course I offered to add something to my order for her (and she accepted every time I made an order).

This is where the problem starts: she never once offered to pick up the bill when we ate together. After I paid the first time I just kinda waited for her to offer to treat me to a meal. I expected this because she was staying in my home and eating the food that I bought. Well she just left and didn't even bother to pay me back for the groceries that I bought.

I was really annoyed but one of my friends said that I am wrong to be annoyed because vegan people aren't supposed to pay for the meals of non-vegan people. Does this rule really still apply if you are visiting someone else in their home? How should I handle this next time to avoid feeling like I am being taken advantage of?

90 Comments
2024/10/24
18:11 UTC

1

Best tasting soy milk (UK answers only)

I've got a toddler with dairy allergy and looking for the best tasting unsweetened soy milk. So far she has refused Alpro Growing Up milk (which to be fair is pretty vile).

Any help welcome! We are in the UK.

Thanks 😊

13 Comments
2024/10/23
09:01 UTC

0

Identify as a man with orthorexia and want to share your experiences? (moderator approved)

Hello!

My name is Kristi Nielson and I’m a research student at Lancaster University. I am posting here to invite eligible participants to be involved in a study I’m conducting on orthorexia nervosa (ON) or obsessive healthy eating. Orthorexia is defined here as an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating, to the point where it negatively impacted someone's life (e.g., emotionally, physically, socially, etc.). Specifically, I am interested in the lived experience of ON among individuals who identify as men that live in the U.S. The purpose of my research is to explore what men believe led to their experience with orthorexia, as well as what they think currently maintains it.

You’re eligible if:

· You identify with orthorexia nervosa or obsessive healthy eating, in which this phenomenon has negatively impacted your life (e.g., physically, emotionally, socially)

· You identify as a man

· You are > 18 years old

· You reside in the U.S.

· You are able to speak English

What is being asked of you? If you meet the above criteria and want to participate, you will be asked to partake in an online interview with me for approximately 60 minutes.

Additionally, if you know anyone who may be interested in taking part in this study, please feel free to pass along my email (k.nielson@lancaster.ac.uk).

For more information, please contact me directly at k.nielson@lancaster.ac.uk. Please DO NOT reply directly to this forum post.

Thank you!

Kristi

12 Comments
2024/10/22
16:57 UTC

0

Vegan diet and health problems

I was a health conscious vegan for 2 year and ended up weak, with an eating disorder (Orthorexia) and with horrible adult acne even though my diet was fabulous. Went back to vegetarian then omnivore and all has improved. I’m allergic to soy and work a very physical job. Love the idea of vegan but didn’t seem to work for me. Any idea how I could do it better if I tried again

20 Comments
2024/10/22
16:21 UTC

46

Do vegan ethical stances extend to humans as well?

I recently learned about how unethical harvesting cashews is to the women and children who have to manually harvest them for poor compensation. Because of the toxic substance that exists inside the cashew fruit, those who handle them are left with severe burns and disfigurements. While I know that human exploitation can occur in the harvesting of many crops consumed by non-vegans, I’m curious about this issue specifically because the rising demand for cashews has been partly driven by the popularity of plant-based dairy alternatives like vegan cheese.

(I’m sorry if I come off like a robot, I’m autistic.)

78 Comments
2024/10/21
18:16 UTC

2

Are carnivorous plants vegan?

Are carnivorous plants like Venus Fly Traps etc. ok for vegans to own as houseplants? Of course they ‘eat’ / kill bugs, and in the wild even frogs and other small critters can get trapped in things like Nepenthes. I’d imagine that purposefully catching insects for this cause is not vegan, but I’m curious - even if you never deliberately fed insects into the plant, but it did happen to catch some naturally, would it still be vegan to have one around in the house?

26 Comments
2024/10/21
07:20 UTC

2

Assuming that deer overpopulation is a problem, what do we do to solve it?

I got into a debate with some of my friends about this recently, and I've started to think.

To be clear-- I am a vegan and I think hunting is wrong ethically speaking. But this question is aimed at something in particular: what are some practical things we could do to deal with deer overpopulation?

Some things that I brought up are capture & release sterilization in suburban areas, and rewilding + reintroduction of natural predators in rural areas. My friends let me know that these could be effective for deer overpopulation control, and could theoretically replace hunting, but aren't practical as they would cost too much.

The question is NOT "is deer overpopulation bad?" (I'm not totally convinced that it's bad.) The question is NOT "is it ethical to hunt?" (I don't think it is.) The question is NOT "is deer overpopulation worth solving?" (I'm not sure.)

I found some resources about these alternative methods, but there's very little out there. What would you all say in response to this question? Is this a question that's not worth answering? Let me know. Looking for genuine answers here. I can have my mind changed.

124 Comments
2024/10/21
04:09 UTC

1

Can you justify/ commit to veganism without ethics?

Or, is veganism inherently an ethical standpoint? I'm familiar with the blue zones study, and clearly a plant based diet is healthier than not having one. But, i dont believe in right or wrong, so i have alot of objections with the 'moral obligation' aspect of vegan philosophy.

76 Comments
2024/10/20
23:07 UTC

5

What are your religious beliefs, and did they influence your decision to become vegan?

If so, how?

95 Comments
2024/10/20
19:11 UTC

0

Are uncontacted tribes who eat meat evil?

68 Comments
2024/10/20
18:47 UTC

6

If all I can eat is fast food, what’s on the menu ?

Looking for vegan opinions on the best options available at fast food chains

25 Comments
2024/10/20
16:44 UTC

1

Would it be moraliy ok to eat an animal the died in their sleep of natural causes.

I have been wondering about this for years.

56 Comments
2024/10/19
16:36 UTC

6

Can vegans use discarded animal material?

I mean no disrespect by this I'm just really curious. So I am going to be streaming a playthrough for the video game subnautica. The hook that I'm trying to do on my playthrough is that I'm doing a survival mode but I have to be vegan. So getting food and water is going to be interesting.

In the game there's a crafting material that is a shed tooth from an animal. The teeth are just found strewn around the sea floor.

Can I use these?

13 Comments
2024/10/19
13:17 UTC

9

Is Babe (1995) a vegan film?

On the one hand, Babe sends a strong pro-animal-rights message.

The actor James Cromwell was inspired by the film to go vegan and become a serious activist for the animals.

But on the other hand, didn’t the film use live animals in its production?

Wouldn’t it be unethical for a vegan to purchase a copy of this film, due to the animal exploitation involved?

35 Comments
2024/10/19
07:15 UTC

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