Common myths and misconceptions about veganism, examined with scientific evidence. Learn what the research actually shows.
The Truth:
Humans evolved as omnivores who CAN eat meat, not obligate carnivores who MUST. Evolution describes what was, not what ought to be. We also evolved to...
The Truth:
Well-planned vegan diets are nutritionally adequate for all life stages according to major dietetic associations. Some nutrients require attention...
The Truth:
B12 comes from bacteria, not animals. Livestock are supplemented with B12 or cobalt. Taking supplements directly is simply more efficient than...
The Truth:
Cultural traditions are not inherently ethical. Many harmful practices were once traditional. Cultures evolve, and we can honor heritage while...
The Truth:
Lions are obligate carnivores without moral agency. Humans are omnivores capable of ethical reasoning. We don't base our ethics on lion behavior for...
The Truth:
This is the "appeal to nature" fallacy. Many natural things are harmful (diseases, violence), and many unnatural things are good (medicine,...
The Truth:
Plants lack the nervous system, brain, and nociceptors required for pain experience. They respond to stimuli through chemical signaling, but response...
The Truth:
This argument actually supports veganism: animal agriculture requires MORE crops (for feed), causing MORE field deaths, PLUS the intentional deaths of...
The Truth:
Culture matters, but culture isn’t beyond ethical evaluation—especially when harm is involved. We can respect people while still asking whether a...
The Truth:
Many historical practices were common but later rejected when we recognized their harms. “Common” doesn’t equal “justified,” and moral progress often...
The Truth:
“Natural” describes what happens in nature, not what’s morally right. Many natural behaviors (violence, infanticide) aren’t ethical guides for humans,...
The Truth:
Enjoying a flavor/format (burger, sausage) doesn’t imply you endorse the harms of producing it with animal bodies. People often want the *experience*...
The Truth:
Liking a taste isn’t immoral; the ethical question is whether brief pleasure justifies an avoidable harm to a sentient being. Many people keep...
The Truth:
The cheapest foods in most grocery stores are vegan: rice, beans, lentils, pasta, oats, frozen vegetables. Specialty vegan products can be expensive,...
The Truth:
Individual choices aggregate into market signals. One vegan saves approximately 100-200 animals per year, reduces demand that shapes supply, and...