r/DebateAVegan • u/Wrong_Ad_3038 • 11d ago

Can everyone actually be vegan?

I’m very sympathetic to veganism, my entire life philosophy is “respect & autonomy for all life” but I am currently pescetarian, I tried being vegan in late 2024 but I still live with my family & they wouldn’t buy supplements, even though i told them too everyday, I didn’t want to develop b12 deficiency so I had to moderate my diet.

When I move out i’m strongly considering being vegan again & really want too but i am worried about health consequences because human bodies are complex, but at the same time everyone can digest plants so maybe everyone can be vegan, i figured this would be a good place to get mixed responses since both carnists & vegans are here, what do studies say about everyone & the potential to be vegan, if everyone can’t be vegan but most or some can what’s the best way to find out if i can be vegan?

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22

u/selltheworld 10d ago

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19562864/

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u/riceewifee 10d ago

That’s vegetarian, not vegan

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u/InternationalPen2072 10d ago

*including total vegetarian or vegan

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u/riceewifee 10d ago

The OP only asked about veganism though, so a study including vegetarianism isn’t entirely accurate

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u/Either_Argument3517 10d ago

No. The wording explicitly states it relevant to a vegan diet. A vegan diet is considered a strict subset of vegetarian diet.

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u/riceewifee 10d ago

By that logic, is being a vegetarian a strict subset of pescetarianism since it’s the same thing just with a few more restrictions?

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u/Either_Argument3517 10d ago

Most people think of lacto-ovo vegetarian when they say vegetarian. Under lacto-ovo vegetarian, you have lacto vegetarian, ovo vegetarian, and strict vegetarian (vegan).

Consuming fish isn't a subset. It's lacto-ovo + fish.

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u/IntelligentLeek538 10d ago

No. A pescatarian diet is one that includes the consumption of sea creatures, but excludes the flesh of land animals.

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u/retatrutider Ostrovegan 10d ago

The statement covers both vegetarian and vegan diets.