After being in business for a few months, Kyle was surprised to discover that most of his clientele do not come from the gym and only about half are vegans. It seems that people are interested in healthy new tastes, which accounts for the success of other local vegan restaurants: the Veggie Grill, Native Foods, 118 Degrees and Avanti Café.
What exactly is veganism and what accounts for this trend toward vegan food?
Veganism, the practice of abstaining from use of animal products, comes with three reasons.
Ethical vegans reject the idea of the commodity status of animals for any purpose. Environmental vegans believe that using animals for industrial purposes damages the environment. Dietary vegans eliminate animal products for health reasons.
Studies have shown that a well-planned vegan diet results in a highly reduced rate of diabetes and a lower instance of heart disease. In general, it's lower in calories and saturated fat while being higher in fiber, omega 3s and phytochemicals.
