This week – now that I know the history of veganism, I want to know the different types of veganism and the different lifestyles people follow under the umbrella term of veganism. As a vegetarian I have heard of some of type of veganism through social media such as raw veganism, but other than this I do not know very much. So, lets jump in and see what there is to learn.
After consulting various food websites and vegan blogs it seems that most agree there are five main types of vegan diets. All five of these diets are free from animal products of course, but they all have differences in food type or preparation, and some include details on the persons lifestyle. Here is how these different vegan diets work and how they are all different and unique despite falling under the same vegan umbrella.
Ethical or “Just Vegan” – This lifestyle is what people most commonly think about when they hear the word vegan. These are people who have chosen to live a vegan diet due to ethical concerns over the treatment of animals and the health of the environment. They usually (but not exclusively) are less concerned about health-related reason for going vegan and more on living a life that is cruelty-free. This cruelty-free lifestyle also includes avoiding animal derived clothing like leather, products tested on animals and avoiding place like zoos and aquariums.
Plant Based or Whole Food Diet – Ethical vegans will debate over whether this lifestyle is “real veganism” however people who follow this lifestyle do technically eat a vegan diet. Those who subscribe to this lifestyle have usually made their choice for health reasons rather than ethics. Their diet focuses on eating whole foods aka unprocessed foods and avoiding the vegan junk food that ethical vegans often enjoy. As their choice to not consume animal products is based in health, they may make lifestyle choices ethical vegans would not such as to wear leather.
Raw Vegan – Raw vegans eat exactly what it sounds like they eat – raw, plant-based foods. Technically their food can be heated to 45 degrees Celsius aka 113 degrees Fahrenheit, but this is only to ensure bacteria can be killed and is not for cooking food. A raw diet consists of a high concentration of fruits and vegetables as well as seeds, nuts and sprouted grains. This diet is most defiantly one that requires a lot of discipline and I know personally I would struggle with it as if I have had meals like salads for lunch, I am craving a warm meal by dinner.
Raw till 4 – This is a different style of vegan diet that is very popular, particularly among vegan youtubers or Instagram “influencers”. Raw till 4 means exactly what it sounds, you eat a raw diet till 4 pm and then have cooked food as part of your final meal or meals of the day. Many raw or partially raw vegan youtubers preach about the benefits of this diet and how eating mostly raw can improve your skin and overall health. Ellen Fisher, who vlogs about her seemingly perfect vegan family living in Hawaii, is one such youtuber who I have personally watched who makes the diet seem very enticing.
HCLF – HCLF or the high carb low fat diet refers to a diet where carbohydrates are the main component of a person’s diet along with small amounts of healthy fats. For vegans this means a diet high in fruits, vegetables and grains with the small amount of fats usually coming from things like avocados or nuts. Due to its high fruit and vegetable content this diet is often practiced by raw or raw till 4 vegans making it the exact opposite of the keto diet – one that is high in fat and protein (usually animal derived) and low in carbohydrates.
So now I know the different types of diets people who classify themselves as vegan follow and what the different aspects of these diets are. Where do I go next from here? Well now that I know about these different vegan diets, I want to understand the main arguments made by vegans in favor of their lifestyle.
Where I got my information
1. Types of Vegans and Vegetarians by Brenda de Groot
2. 5 types of Vegan by Kathryn Wheeler
3. Ellen Fisher’s YouTube Account
