Veganism. It is not only a diet for many but also a way of life. Veganism is simply living and striving to be plant based in every aspect of life, not only in terms of the diet but also in terms of purchasing or wearing clothing items such as leather or animal furs. On a food level, the basic ingredients to completely cut out the consumption of eggs, dairy, and meat (including fish & sea other foods). Humans are naturally herbivores (vegetarians) based on data gathered about the characteristics of other herbivores digestive systems and fact that humans, unlike true omnivores or carnivores cannot consume raw flesh. A common misconception about veganism is that it is a limited diet but when you take a closer look, you can see that there are many and possibly a limitless amount of plant based dishes that can be prepared. In addition to this, there are many vegan substitutes for the meat products that we have grown to love such as vegan cheese (can be made with nuts or soy for example) and tofu (soy beans) dishes created to imitate the taste and texture of meat.
As Thanksgiving has passed and I have had a chance to talk to my family members and other vegans, I have began to reflect on being black and vegan. The two words “black” and “vegan” are not typically seen together, especially with the inclusion of meat in most black people’s recipes for preparing & cooking vegetables such as greens, green beans, and other types of beans. During slavery, black people were forced to use the scraps of farm animals (chitlins/pig intestines, pig feet, chicken feet) for cooking but even after slavery, these habits persisted. In addition to this, many of our forebears were raised on or near farms in the south, the maximum inclusion of the animal body parts for consumption was common practice with little knowledge of nutritional value or diseased caused by overconsumption. As time progressed and we as a society become more sedentary, the side effects of our meat, dairy, and egg diets (high in fat) become more apparent. It is in part because of this and many other factors that black people in America have the lowest life expectancy and also have the highest rates of obesity.
As I continue to have more conversations about veganism with people who are not vegan, I see that they don’t want to live on a plant based diet because of convenience and preference. For example, the most commonly heard comment is that they could never go vegan because that would mean giving up dairy products that are a staple in their diet. In my case, I thought that I could not go without chicken but now I realize that my convenience and preference could be seen as laziness. When I look back on family gatherings with one side of my family that cooks with a lot of meat and one that does not, I begin to see the pattern of meat usage where it is not truly needed but only preferred and used out of habit. Both are equally satisfying in terms of taste but, plant based recipes allow for greater nutritional value.
One major reason why many black people in America cannot go vegan is because of food deserts, or areas that do not have ready access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. These areas are typically classified as impoverished and in addition to this, many of the United State’s food deserts are concentrated in areas that also have the highest amounts of black residents. Food deserts are a major cause of black people’s inability to go vegan but in addition to this, they force people to eat the food that is available at local corner stores which is typically processed food with high amounts of sugar and fat. This disparity in access to fresh fruits and vegetables then contributes to higher amounts of obese people in the black community than that within white and other communities. Moving into the future, there are methods that are being used to eliminate food deserts such as healthy corner stores and farm-to-school programs. Healthy corner stores allow access to fresh fruits and vegetable in the absence of grocery stores and farm-to-school programs allow low income children to receive more sustainable lunches with fresh ingredients from local farms.
As someone who is black and vegan, I am able to take a more critical look at the state of black health as a whole. This new lense also charges me to educate those who I can about what they can do and ultimately what we can do to become a healthier people.In addition to this, compels me to inform others and allows me to take part in preserving this planet and with the help of others, the preservation of the black community that can help equip us to thrive. This is not to say that veganism is the solution to every world problem and problems in the black community, but to say that there is something that people can do on individual level to help themselves and others.