Vegan Quiz

What is veganism?

• A diet

• A religion

• A cult

• A philosophy

Answer explanation

Veganism is a philosophy.

There's a misconception that veganism is a diet, but it's actually an ethical belief system.

Vegans believe we should try to avoid animal exploitation and cruelty as far as practically possible.

There's a bit more to it, but that's the gist!

When was the term "vegan" coined?

• 1894

• 1944

• 1984

• 2004

Answer explanation

It was coined in 1944 in the UK by members of the world's first ever official vegan organisation.

The word was chosen as they saw it as the beginning and end of vegetarian. Get it?

Rejected alternatives to 'vegan' included ‘dairyban’, ‘vitan’, and ‘benevore’.

What's the name of that first ever vegan organisation?

• The Vegan Dudes

• The Vegan Society

• The Vegan Empire

• The Vegan Charity

Answer explanation

They've certified over 50,000 products as vegan - look out for their trademark on food, clothes and other products.

But remember just because the trademark isn't there that doesn't mean it's not vegan!

How many vegans are there in the world?

• 80,000

• 800,000

• 8 million

• 80 million

Answer explanation

There are 80 million vegans around the world.

In the UK, it's estimated 1.5 million people follow a vegan diet - that's about 3% of the population.

True or false: Veganism is a legally protected belief system

• True

• False

Answer explanation

It's true.

Ethical veganism is a belief protected by law in the UK!

That means it's illegal to discriminate against an ethical vegan as per the Equalities Act 2010.

Which of these traditional vegan staples is made from yeast?

• Seitan

• Tofu

• Nooch

• Tempeh

Answer explanation

It's nooch, which is short for 'nutritional yeast'. It usually comes as dried flakes that you can stir into food to give it a rich, cheesy flavour.

Hey, let's learn some pronunciations...

- Tofu (made from soy beans): "tow-foo"
- Tempey (a type of tofu that's extra firm): "tem-pay"
- Seitan (looks and tastes beefy but made from wheat): "say-tan"

Which of the following contains the most protein?

• Beef

• Chicken

• Seitan

• Tofu

Answer explanation

It's seitan, with a whopping 25g of protein per 100g.

Chicken comes next with 24g, followed by beef on 22g and tofu with a respectable 12g.

You can easily get all the protein you need on a vegan diet - from seitan and tofu to nuts, chickpeas, lentils and beans (which all happen to be some of the most affordable foods around).

What's the hardest thing to get from a vegan diet?

• Protein

• Vitamin B12

• Calcium

• Fibre

Answer explanation

It's Vitamin B12. You don't need much of it, but it's tricky to get naturally on a 100% plant-based diet.

Luckily, many foods are fortified with B12. You could also take a daily supplement to get it.

You can rest assured that a well-planned vegan diet is safe and healthy for all ages and stages of life, according to the science.

Which of the following materials is vegan?

• Silk

• Wool

• Fur

• Leather

• Cotton

Answer explanation

It's cotton, which is an example of plant-based clothing material. Polyester would be an example of a synthetic vegan material.

There's a misconception that leather (made from cow skin) is always a by-product of the meat industry. But leather can be more profitable, making meat the by-product!

According to the UK's Climate Change Committee, how much do we need to reduce our meat consumption by to meet the government's 2050 net zero emissions target?

• About 10%

• Between 20% and 50%

• Around 70%

• More than 90%

Answer explanation

It's between 20% and 50%.

Solving the climate crisis is not solely down to individual responsibility. We need systemic changes, and radical action from governments around the world.

But the science suggests that avoiding or reducing meat and dairy is the biggest contribution we can make as individuals.