More Things

• More in-depth look at reasons to be vegan. If you are thinking of becoming vegan, or are merely interested, then this is worth having a look at.
• A Vegan Poem - we often get asked "what do we eat?". This poem by Benjamin Zepheniah gives an excellent answer
• Help! I have to cook for some vegans - what do I do?
• Vegan Beers - sorry - most beer and wine in Britain is not even vegetarian. You could find anything from blood to fish gelatine in your beer, but have a look at the Vegan Society's Alcohol List. They have a more complete list in their Animal Free Shopper handbook
  Also check out IsItVegan.info for a more comprehensive list of acceptable alcohol (and other products).
• Vegan Food in Lancaster (UK) - recommend restarurants and take-aways with vegan options
• Vegan Village have a good introduction to vegan recipes and links to other vegan recipe sites.

About veganism

For us (those of the Tofubandits who are doing this website) veganism is a central part of living compassionately - searching out ways of causing the least harm to the other living beings we share this Earth with. In practice this means living on plant and mineral products only and avoiding all forms of exploitation and cruelty.

Vegans thrive on plant foods our diet consists of vegetables, fruit, grains, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices. There are many traditional dishes from around the world that are vegan - particularly the Asian cuisine has lots to offer to vegans. Other recipies can easily be adapted by replacing animal fats with vegetable oil and milk products with soya products such as soya milk, tofu, seitan or soya yoghurt. All of these can be found in health/wholefood shops and an increasing number of supermarkets.

We dont eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, animal milks or its derivatives, honey and all animal by-products and derivatives.

However theres a lot more to veganism than just diet. We only use non-food products which are free of animal ingredients and animal testing. So no leather, fur, pearls, ivory, tortoise shell, silk, wool. We do not use soaps, cosmetics, or household products which contain animal fats or oils, perfumes which are made from animal products, brushes made of animal hair, or pillows, or parkas stuffed with feathers. We abhor the unnatural confinement, cruel training, and degrading use of animals in circuses, zoos, rodeos, races, and other forms of "entertainment." We oppose the unnecessary and barbarous testing of cosmetics, drugs, and household products on animals. We also denounce experiments performed on animals for the alleged potential benefit to human health. We make every effort to abstain from medical procedures or drugs that have involved animal suffering.

This long list of "don't"s does not mean we are martyrs living in self-denial. On the contrary, most of us find that by taking an interest in what we eat we have healthier and more enjoyable food - we learn to cook and appreciate nice things. We're also taking a pro-active step to find positive alternatives.

There are now an estimated quarter million vegans in the UK.

Recommended Resources

• Animal Ingredients from A to Z - by the E.G. Smith Collective. Ever wondered whether E330 or Pottasium Stearate were animal derived? Well this guide has the answer. US based, but most of it is relevant to the UK. You can also buy this guide as a book from AK Press for £4.95.
• Vegan Society Information Sheets - extremely useful! Advice from Nutrition to Contraception by way of pets and shoes.
• The Animal-Free Shopper - an indispensable shopping guide listing vegan foods, drink (including alcohol), toiletries, household products and so on. Copies are available directly from the Vegan Society and probably from your local wholefood store for £5.90 (p&p incl).
• Vegan Catering - an information pack for those catering for vegans. It includes vegan recipes. Available from the Vegan Society for £1.95 (p&p incl).
• The Vegan Travel Guide - wonderful Guide to places to stay and places to eat for vegans. Covers the UK and Southern Ireland. Available from the Vegan Society for £4.95

The Vegan Society
Donald Watson House
7 Battle Road
St Leonards-on-Sea
East Sussex
TN37 7AA

Tel: 01424 427 393
Fax: 01424 717 064
e-mail: info@vegansociety.com


• Why Vegan ? Brochure - coloured brochure from the US explaining why vegan... PDF format, so you'll need acrobat reader - download for free.