A Vegan Diet:

What is it, and Why? If you are not a vegetarian or a member of the Rochester Area Vegan Society (RAVS), this column is for you. Here are some of the basics. A vegetarian is someone who eats no animal flesh: no meat, poultry or fish. A vegan is a vegetarian who goes further and eats no animal products at all: no eggs, cheese, milk, or honey. RAVS recommends a vegan diet as the optimal diet. What are the reasons to go vegan? It comes down to these: for your health, for the animals, and for the planet. Every day there are new findings that a plant-based diet is best for health. The standard American diet (SAD), which revolves around meat and animal products, results in poor health for people, suffering for animals, waste of resources, and devastation for the environment. But changing your diet can be hard, and people who want to change often need help. If you want to move in this direction, RAVS can help you. We are here to provide information and support. You do not need to be a vegetarian or vegan to give us a call, to attend our meetings, or to join our group. You do not need to be a member, either, to attend our meetings; guests are always welcome, and you don’t need to reserve beforehand. You only need to follow our “vegan rule”or our share-a-dish meetings (see box on this page), and there is a $3 guest fee for non-members. Come to a meeting, you will find us helpful and welcoming.

We provide:

Educational resources for informing the public about the advantages of a vegan life-style. Nutritional information, including recipes, that will support and facilitate the adoption and healthful enjoyment of a vegan diet. Insight into the impact of animal-centered diets on human health, on the integrity of our environment, on world hunger, and on cruelty needlessly inflicted on billions of living, feeling, creatures every year. An opportunity for interested not-yet-vegans to learn first-hand about the delights of good vegan cooking and to get to know and interact with experienced vegans. An opportunity for enriched understanding, mutual support, and shared fellowship for practicing vegans. We provide opportunities for community outreach and community service in the interest of good health, environmental protection, and compassionate living.

Our activities:

RAVS meets on the third Sunday of the month from March to May and September to November. These meetings consist of a SHARE-A-DISH DINNER of completely vegan foods, followed by a program. Our programs have featured distinguished nutrition experts, health-care professionals, panels of creative vegan cooks, discussion forums on ethical issues, book reviews, and films. RAVS publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Vegan Advocate, with updates on our activities, recipes, discounts, articles on nutrition, health and the environment, as well as on issues of compassion and respect for living creatures. We report on restaurant dining in our area, and on sources of vegan food. We also sponsor educational programs and participate in many outreach programs. RAVS welcomes everyone to membership, whether or not they have adopted a vegan lifestyle. Attending our meetings does not require you to be a member. We encourage all who are interested to share in our group activities, and to support the objectives and philosophy of the Society.