You may have wondered why don’t vegans drink milk.
While vegan diets are very common nowadays, there are some of those who may not understand the reasons behind such limitations and rules that this lifestyle entails.
So, why exactly do vegans choose to skip drinking milk? And what do they choose to drink instead as a substitute to cow’s milk? Let’s investigate on this topic.
Why Vegans Don’t Drink Milk
The most important thing to keep in mind about the vegan diet is that it is void of any animals that are hurt along the process. Vegans do not consume any animal product regardless of the form.
They do not eat chicken, pigs, or cows. Most importantly, they avoid drinking milk from animals such as cows or goats.
Strictly speaking, vegans only consume foods limited to nuts, vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. This is what we call a plant-based diet where no animals are hurt or involved in the entire process – from harvesting to manufacturing and producing.
This is why vegans also skip dairy foods as these are obtained from cow’s milk such as sour cream, cheese, and yogurt.
There are also environmental reasons and animal rights impacted from drinking cow’s milk. For instance, cows only produce milk when they are pregnant to feed their young. This is why forced impregnation and steroid use are common, just so these cows can produce milk.
Hence, it is not at all a natural process that these cows go through, which is why drinking milk is frowned upon by vegans. Cows succumb to cruelty and unjust suffering when they are given steroids and antibiotics that cause them to produce more milk than they normally would.
With this in mind, vegans choose to drink plant-based milk as a substitute to cow’s milk. These include soy milk, nut milk, and the like. There are also vegan dairy products sourced from soy and nuts, and non-dairy creamer may contain coconut milk and oils that are completely animal-free.
Milk And Veganism
There are debates on whether vegans are getting enough nutrients at all by not drinking milk.
However, we can debunk this myth since there are many alternatives to cow’s milk that are as healthy – or in some cases – even more nutritious than cow’s milk.
For instance, nut milk has protein, vitamins and minerals that provide your body with all these key nutrients without causing suffering to animals. You can also cater to your body’s needs for better nutrition without subjecting yourself to certain allergic reactions that some people have toward dairy.
Vegan cheeses made from cashew, soy, and the like can also have the same texture as the real thing, while being more nutritious and compassionate towards animals. This is why as a vegan, you are not missing out on important nutrients at all.
You can most definitely enjoy the foods you are used to eat – chocolate, milk, cheese, yogurt, and sour cream – with a better, healthier, and more humane alternative through plant sources.