You may not be aware that veganism has deep roots in history. It just hasn’t always been known by that name. The Vegan Society wasn’t founded until 1944 when Donald Watson saw a growing need for a vegan community and to define veganism once-and-for-all.

But historical evidence suggests that plant-based living, or some version of it, started well before then. In fact, evidence of some of the earliest vegan civilizations date back to 2500 BCE in Ancient Egypt.

With so much history behind veganism, it’s no wonder people are choosing this lifestyle now more than ever!

Are humans naturally vegan?

It has often been assumed that humans have been omnivores from the very beginning. However, scientists are finding evidence from fossils of some branches of the very earliest human ancestors that suggests they were primarily grass-grazers rather than meat hunters. This discovery is based on the structure of their jaws. There is some debate about what would have caused homo-sapiens to eventually become meat-eaters but the consensus is that they became opportunistic feeders due to a change in climate affecting the sources of foods they were already eating.

Veganism vs. vegetarianism through history.

As you probably know, veganism includes a plant-based diet, which means fruits, vegetables, and grains. The key feature of the vegan diet is the exclusion of dairy products and anything that came from animals that have been domesticated for food production purposes only, rather than being raised naturally by their own kind. And at its heart, there’s compassion for fellow living things and a desire to end animal abuse for food consumption.

It’s important to note that when the term ‘vegetarian’ was adopted in the early 1800s it still meant what we think of today as vegan. A purely plant-based diet with no animal-derived foods at all. Up until then, it was referred to as the Pythagorean diet for reasons we will discuss in a moment.

Today, we have several levels of vegetarianism, with veganism being the most restrictive:

The Philosophy of Veganism

The debate about killing animals for food has been going on for centuries- a popular topic among philosophers. One of the earliest to weigh in and share the ideas with contemporaries over 2 thousand years ago, was Pythagoras. In fact, a diet that excluded animal flesh was first known as the Pythagorean diet.

Some vegans and vegetarians today may identify more with Pythagoras and his followers than they would think because he was actually ridiculed for his diet choices. Meat-eating was already popular in Grecian society so there was a lot of push-back and no supporters in powerful places that would have helped to make plant-based dietary choices more popular.

Ancient vegan Egyptians?

Pythagoras, as smart as he was, may not have been the first to come up with the idea of the plant-based diet for health and the protection of animals. He was a believer in metempsychosis, which is the transmigration of souls from one living being when it dies to a new one. This concept was likely inspired by ancient Egyptians 5 thousand years prior, who believed that the soul lives on after death. Their elaborate mummification process shows us this. When you believe that the soul of your grandmother might be reborn in the body of a lamb, you’re not likely to want to eat that lamb for dinner.

In fact, by looking at the carbon content in Egyptian mummies, scientists have been able to determine that a plant diet was actually predominant in ancient Egypt. Most interestingly, they have found that there wasn’t even much fish in the ancient diet, despite living by the Nile which was likely teeming with fish.

History of religion and veganism

Later on, in India from c.268 to 232 BCE, Emperor Ashoka, a follower of Buddhism, was making decrees that no animals should be slaughtered in his kingdom. Vegetarianism was the predominant diet in India, largely because of Buddhism (which arose from Hinduism) and Jainism. Some of the earliest recorded knowledge that we have about veganism is from ancient India where it was seen as a means to attain higher states. In fact, a lot of vegan history is owed to religion and the thinking that there should be harmonious coexistence between species.

In the Western world, some level of veganism was also a practice for religious groups. From ancient Greece to medieval Europe and from Christianity in Asia Minor (Turkey) up into Russia that would eventually become part of Eastern Orthodoxy – all religions have had vegetarian or near-vegetarian practices at some point throughout history.

Veganism as a lifestyle

History also shows us signs of vegetarianism edging towards veganism as we know it today. A choice, not just a requirement of religion. For example, Benjamin Franklin wrote in his biography that he turned vegetarian (“not eating animal food” as he called it since the term vegetarian had not been coined yet) at the age of 16. His reasoning was not only that he felt it was more ethical and cheaper, but that it is a healthier way to live! He even wrote about feeling more clear-headed than before.

A vegan diet is indeed regarded as more healthful and sustainable than the average Western-style pattern of eating, which typically includes large quantities of meat or other foods that are high in fat and cholesterol. 

Vegan and vegetarian figures in history.

There have been many notable vegans and vegetarians over the centuries, some of which you may not have heard about. Below is a list of just a few:

• Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian artist who was raised vegetarian and became vegan in his later years after reading “On the Vegetable Diet.” His journals show that he never ate meat or fish again
• Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, physician and breakfast cereal pioneer, developed one of the first commercial foods for vegetarians called Granola Cereal. He believed that this type of diet could cure diseases such as diabetes, constipation, gout and tuberculosis by promoting regular bowel movements.
• Isaac Newton wrote in his personal papers: “I’ve been a strict vegetarian for many years. I have found that it agrees with me better than any other diet, and makes my mind more vigorous.”
• Leo Tolstoy was an author who wrote “The First Step,” which is considered to be one of the most important texts in animal rights history (and has been translated into multiple languages).
• Rosa Parks. Civil rights activist Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger sparked the end of segregation, and she was a vegetarian. Being an activist for peace and justice well into her 80s, Parks attributed her health and stamina to her vegetarian diet. 
• Susan B. Anthony. During the 19th century, when the animal-welfare movement rose to prominence, Susan B. Anthony supported both vegetarianism and women’s rights at a dinner held by the American  Vegetarian Society. In addition, Anthony was the only woman and only vegetarian to be immortalized on American money.

So, the idea of living a plant-based lifestyle isn’t as new as it might seem. Whether it’s out of concern for animals, religion, health benefits or to help preserve the environment, it has been around for a while and is here to stay!

Source list: www.vegansociety.com, www.vegsoc.org, www.vegetarian-nation.com