Thank you for taking an interest in veganism! This page contains a very short introduction to veganism and a list of easily accessible resources.
What is veganism?
This is the official definition of veganism:
“Veganism is a philosophy and 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; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
So, veganism is more than a diet. It’s a way of life, and avoiding animal exploitation and cruelty is at the center of it.
However, because diet is such an important part of veganism, many resources focus mainly on that. And apart from avoiding animal exploitation, there are two additional reasons to cut animal products out of our diet: health and the environment.
So, to help you as much as possible, we not only list resources that focus on animals, but also those that focus on health and the environment. And, of course, we also list resources that focus mostly on the practical side.
E-books
Questioning Meat – A free e-book with information on animals, health, and the environment. It also contains 28 recipes.
Documentaries
Dominion – A free documentary which focuses on the essence of veganism and provides a clear overview of the animal industries.
Cowspiracy – A documentary focused on the environmental aspect of the animal industries. (Link to Netflix)
What the Health – A documentary focused on the health aspects of meat and other animal products. (Link to Netflix)
The Game Changers – A documentary that’s also focused on health, but with a specific focus on athletic performance. (Link to Netflix)
Movies
Okja – A South Korean-American movie which tells the fictional story of a young girl who tries to save a genetically modified “superpig.” (Link to Netflix)
YouTube
Earthling Ed – A vegan educator with great communication skills who is best known for his debates and speeches.
Mic the Vegan – A vegan science writer who is best known for debunking widespread misinformation about veganism.
Bite Size Vegan – A vegan educator who is best known for making short informative videos about a wide variety of vegan-related topics.
Gary Yourofsky – A retired animal rights activist who is known for his bluntness and his iconic speeches which convinced countless people to go vegan.
Guidance
Challenge 22 – A free program which provides recipes and support to help you try veganism for 22 days.
Veganuary – A free program specifically designed to help you try veganism for a month in January, but recipes and support are offered year round.
21-day Vegan Kickstart – This free program also provides recipes and support. It’s developed by PCRM, so it’s more health focused than the other ones.
Nutritional information
Veganhealth.org – A reliable website with science-based information on nutrition.
Nutritionfacts.org – Another reliable website with science-based information on nutrition.
Plantbaseddoctors.org – A website where you can find a plant-based registered dietitian or doctor.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ position paper on vegan diets – The academy’s official paper on vegan diets and their effects on health.