With the importance of health beginning to stare us in the face, eating healthy is one of the many things one can do in an effort to keep yourself and those around you healthy. One way that many people alter their diet is called veganism, and is slowly on the rise in the population. Veganism is defined as when a person does not eat  or use animal products. While a radical lifestyle change for some, it also can come along after a period of vegetarianism.

Some classmates seen around IHS are vegan, according to sophomore Sawyer Hoffman, “I have some vegan friends, I mean there is a few instagrams and stuff I follow that are all about being vegan, but like definitely not a ton of people.” While still considered slightly uncommon, Hoffman also talked about the online followings and groups, “ Again, I know some instagrams and stuff that I follow, but it’s not like I have friends that I only am friends with because both of us are vegan. I mean a lot of people are, and there is such an online presence that it’s really not that bad.” Furthermore, according to Food Revolution, “There’s been a 600% increase in people identifying as vegans in the U.S in the last three years.” Also, according to Time,”There are roughly 3.7 million vegans in the U.S., accounting for just over 1% of the population. Many go vegan to spare animals; the diet doesn’t just cut out meat, like a vegetarian one, but nixes all animal sources of food, including eggs, dairy and honey.” Finally, according to BBC, “It’s estimated that this is up from 150,000 in 2006, and that there are twice as many women than men who are vegan. Around 360,000 people also describe themselves as lifestyle vegans, who commit to only using or buying cosmetics and clothes free from animal products, for example.” 

Is health the only reason people go vegan? It’s not as common as you would think, with a variety of people going vegan for a wide array of reasons extending from allergies to fitness reasons. However, this doesn’t mean that there are a lack of desserts within the vegan world. Hoffman laughed: “Oreos are technically vegan, so it’s a really easy quick store bought dessert.” There are plenty of easily substituted in ingredients, from butter and margarine to aquafaba, a  substitute for egg whites. 

The best way to stay healthy nowadays is through practicing good hygiene and remembering to follow the guidelines set out in the face of COVID-19. However, that does not mean that it’s impossible to change food routines, or start a food lifestyle in order to pass the time in this seemingly endless quarantine.