Though we have only recently heard more about going plant-based, being plant curious, moving plant-forward, and having a better understanding and greater appreciation for our vegan friends. Veganism is not a new concept or a passing fad. It's a way of life that's been around longer than any of us have. Let's take a quick look at how far Veganism has come.
In 1847, the first vegetarian group was founded in England. The American Vegetarian Society was co-founded three years later by Rev. Sylvester Graham, the originator of Graham crackers. Graham was a Presbyterian minister, and his followers, known as Grahamites, followed his rules for living a good life, which included vegetarianism, temperance, abstinence, and frequent bathing. In November 1944, a British carpenter named Donald Watson declared that because vegetarians consume dairy and eggs, he would coin the term "vegan" to denote those who do not.
Veganism is an extreme form of vegetarianism that dates back to ancient Indian and eastern Mediterranean communities, despite the fact that the name was developed in 1944. Around 500 BCE, the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras of Samos described vegetarianism for the first time.
Al-Maarri (c. 973 – c. 1057), an Arab poet, was one of the first documented vegans. Their arguments were based on health, soul transmigration, animal welfare, and Porphyry's belief, expressed in De Abstinentia ab Esu Animalium ("On Abstinence from Animal Food," c. 268–270), that if people need justice, so do animals.
Many Christian vegetarians and vegans believe that God meant for man to not consume meat because plants cannot move and hence killing them is not sinful; manna, a non-flesh material, is used to support this theory.
Vegetarianism was also espoused by followers of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, who believed that humans should not inflict agony on other animals.
If you believe the vegan lifestyle is just a fad, think again. It is a lifestyle that is not only here to stay, but also has a long history dating back to Biblical times. Let MANNA assist you in attempting to board this historic train in order to reintroduce healthy eating habits into your everyday routine through our delicious plant based meals.