These berating words can be seen blazoned across the chests of various students across campus: “Don’t eat me, I love you.” Accompanied by a sympathetic picture of a pig, this T-shirt is just one of many examples of the various public promotions for animal rights. A common stance against the mistreatment of animals is vegetarianism, but some have chosen to take their defiance to the next level: veganism.

“Veganism is a form of vegetarianism that eliminates all animal products,” said UW-Madison dietitian and clinical faculty associate Julie Thurlow. Besides eliminating meat from their diets, vegans also exclude all animal products such as eggs and cheese.

Although veganism is often associated with animal rights, people have also chosen this course because meat production “takes a devastating toll on the earth,” according to http://www.vegan.org.

The idea of veganism as a health advantage, however, is a controversial topic.

“It’s a choice that can be made without serious detrimental nutritional outcomes, but it takes work,” said nutritional science professor Dale Schoeller. “I do not support it. I haven’t seen a convincing argument in favor of it.”

Thurlow is more optimistic.

“It is possible to have a very nutritious diet as long as you eat from all of the food groups in adequate amounts,” she said.

Thurlow and Schoeller do agree that veganism should only be attempted after thorough investigation.

“When people decide to become vegans, they don’t research it, they just avoid meat and dairy,” Schoeller said.

Thurlow concurred, “It requires good planning.”