Not all vegans are the same, not by a long shot. With all the different vegans in the world there is a wide range of differing opinions as a whole.
What better way to find these unpopular vegan opinions than to ask vegans themselves?
I went to Reddit and asked the question, this post is going to go through some of the more interesting, and common ones of the lot.
#1: Nutritional yeast doesn’t taste like cheese.
One popular, yet unpopular opinion was that nutritional yeast doesn’t actually taste like cheese. This one I’m a bit on the fence about, as I do use it for some recipes, such as creamy mushroom pasta and it does the job.
However, I have tried nutritional yeast on top of beans on toast and it wasn’t cheesy in the slightest. This one I can say might resonate with many.
#2: Not every vegan loves animals
What may sound relatively heartless from one perspective, contrary to popular belief, not every vegan is an animal lover. Some people follow a vegan diet solely for the health benefits, some for the environment, and just can’t stand dogs.
No judgement, it happens, with so many different types of vegan out there it’s not surprising that a good few won’t like animals.
#3: You can’t be an environmentalist and eat meat
One that stood out was the opinion that you can’t be an environmentalist and eat meat. Now this one makes logical sense, although meat and dairy production doesn’t cause all emissions, they contribute to a whopping amount on a yearly basis.
It would be hypocritical as an oil company starting an environmental charity, in that the morals have to align with the lifestyle.
#4: Vegan and gluten free shouldn’t be linked so often
This point was a rather controversial one, in that there was the point of view of it being a simple company ploy to cut costs and simplify production, but also the perspective from celiac vegans that it makes life a lot easier for them.
Personally I don’t mind, but I do tend to avoid gluten free products that contain significantly long ingredient lists, as they seem more questionable than the mere gluten-containing option.
#5: Taking medication that contains animal by-products doesn’t make you any less vegan
This one is a sensitive one, as there are some medications that contain animal products, that simply don’t have alternatives, when we’re talking about Western Medicine of course.
I personally believe a holistic approach to health, incorporating herbal remedies and ingredients is the best approach to maintenance of self, but speak to your doctor first.
Sometimes we can’t control what’s in our medication, this includes anything from pills to vaccines, however, you can communicate this with your doctors and see what they can do.
#6: I hate telling people I’m vegan
An unpopular opinion I’m sure many can relate to. Sometimes it’s simply exhausting revealing to someone that you’re a vegan.
It introduces a bunch of unwanted questions, you get treated differently, and it can be an overall exhausting experience sometimes.
#7: Cashew cheese is better than dairy cheese
This particular one was talking about nacho cheese, but I share the some opinion for cream cheese alternatives.
Cashews are so versatile and work beautifully to provide a thick, cheese alternative that is also subtle at the same time. This one actually might not be that much of an unpopular opinion!
#8: Lentils are the best legume
I’m so happy this one was posted. I couldn’t agree more, anyone who knows me knows I am a strong advocate for lentils.
The versatility, the taste, the texture, ahhh.. I love me some lentils.
#9: It’s hypocritical to be disgusted by cannibalism if you eat animal meat
This one may hurt a lot of people’s egos, but may be something people need to hear.
The animal agriculture industry is a horrific industry that literally runs on a system to raise, and repeatedly kill generations of animals just for humans to eat. Cannibalism in any sense is disgusting, this comment being in relation to “consentual cannibalism”.
With the industries in place doing all of this against animals wills, hitting numbers up to billions should be enough for anyone to change.
#10: Anyone who puts in effort to eat less animal products deserve praise
This one won’t have everyone agree with, but I do. I believe everyone that makes a conscious effort to reduce their consumption of animal meat, products or eat more vegan foods, deserves praise for their effort.
Do you know how many omnivores make their life about shaming vegans, go through the effort to consume more than they need for the sake of greed? If I met someone who was a flexitarian and genuinely is making an effort to reduce their meat consumption, they always have my respect.
#11: Being offensive as a vegan is normal
This one is pretty true, have you ever been in a room of non-vegans and chimed in on a heated topic about climate change, stating the number one thing people can do themselves to make a difference?
People are always going to be offended by things. Especially if you’re a vegan describing why you chose that lifestyle, even it’s about animals, the environment, or even health, any type of vegan you are, you will always offend someone – Just embrace it!
#12: All vegans cheeses are rubbish
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for advocating vegan cheeses, and there are a lot of alternatives that I have been blown away by. HOWEVER, a lot of vegan cheeses just don’t make the cut.
I once had a vegan mozzarella and it literally didn’t even mimic the taste. Vegan cheeses on pizza (apart from cashew based ones) are usually very thick and ruin the experience. I’ve grown to tolerate vegan cheddar in a grilled cheese – It isn’t for everyone!
#13: Veganism is only about the animals
Similar to previous point, not every vegan loves animals and not all vegans are vegan for the sake of sparing animal lives.
Even still, the benefits of veganism goes beyond saving animal lives, but also the planet, the health of our future races, and much, much more.
#14: People are too harsh on vegetarians
I can agree with this unpopular opinion. I believe people are too quick to shun a vegetarian for eating eggs or dairy products but they still make an active effort to reduce animal consumption and encourage others around them to, too.
Would you rather a vegetarian become a carnivore since 90% isn’t 100%? Sometimes we need to reevaluate our own opinions before judging another. It’s a matter of circumstance, you can’t expect every person to take in the same education you have overnight and become vegan.
Everyone has a learning curve, and vegetarians are our biggest allies, outside of the vegan community.
#15: Tempeh tastes nasty
This was an unpopular opinion I saw a few times, personally I started out like that.
It wasn’t until I experimented and got used to cooking with tempeh, that I started to enjoy it. Now it’s part of my weekly rotation, you just gotta know what you’re doing with it.
#16: Not all vegans need to be activists
I believe it’s all too common for vegans to pressure other vegans into being activists or protesting. Which is true.
Not every body needs to march and spread the word, not everyone operates that way. I learned about going vegan and it’s benefits to myself as well as the world, from a vegan documentary, in the comfort of my home.
That’s not to say activism doesn’t work, as there are many who partake in it and help lead the vegan revolution, but there are also other approaches to it.
You shouldn’t expect everyone to be on the same mission as you, you also have to accept everyone has their own approach to life and respect it.
#17: We’re all speciesist
I believe this opinion came from the perspective that we prefer dogs and cats, to bears and foxes, for instance. Same may go for how we treat flies, mosquitoes and spiders, ants, etc.
Personally, I try my hardest not to kill insects if I don’t need to, I don’t kill spiders for that reason. However, If I’m in a country where mosquitos can spread diseases, best believe I will slap a mosquito.
#18: I hate avocados
Now I can’t agree with this, I love me a good avocado, eat it nearly every day.
But, I get it. It doesn’t taste that good on its own, it’s texture is proper slimy… And when it’s bruised it doesn’t taste amazing, hey man I get it…
#19: It’s not vegan to serve in the military
As veganism is a lifestyle based on compassion and minimising lives that are taken by people, it makes sense that being in the army doesn’t quite align to veganism.
I don’t believe every military program actually provides the resources for a vegan diet, although I have heard the US has made it possible to do so.
#20: Eating out when vegan is hard when you’re allergic to nuts and tofu
This one I can’t relate to personally as I’ve not got any allergies. However, when you take an allergy such as nuts and tofu into account, imagine how hard it must be to find a solid option as someone who’s also vegan!
Good thing is there is an array of plant-based foods you can cook from home that are soy free, as well as nut free.
#21: I hate nutritional yeast
This one I can understand, it’s not really cheesy tasting, it’s not really that nice, it’s kind of… meh.
If anything, with the fact it’s literally yeast, means it can’t even be all that good for you. When I see all these recipes with like a cup of nutritional yeast I always think that’s overkill.
#22: You shouldn’t force a vegan diet onto carnivorous animals
I have to say I agree with this. I get it, the world we live in makes it possible to formulate pet food that’s completely free of animal products.
However, when we’re talking about cats (carnivorous) and dogs (who yes, may be omnivorous), you don’t align with their natural chemistry if you were to feed them plant-based kibble.
Who knows, perhaps there will be evidence of a plant-based diet being better for the pets for the long-term, but I don’t believe it is natural for a pet cat to be eating vegetable based proteins, they’re literally adapted to eat meat.
#23: Being vegan doesn’t make you a saint
This one makes a lot of sense. Much like how not every person who’s religious is a good person, not every vegan is a saint, who’s never done wrong in their life.
Going back to the point how not every vegan was born a vegan, who are you to judge other people that are actively making changes in their lives?
#24: The more militant a vegan you are, the more you push omnivores away
This one I can agree with too. I don’t believe in being the quiet in the corner vegan or the “pick me” vegan that doesn’t advocate for the cause for sake of laziness, but the majority of vegan activists I’ve seen, haven’t been likeable people.
People can get the word across by hiring a space in the street and showing people animal cruelty footage, but I went vegan from watching a documentary. My cousin went vegan because he asked questions when I explained that I no longer ate meat.
Don’t be someone who preaches, be the patient teacher, or lead by example and let your lifestyle speak for itself.
#25: Owning pets isn’t vegan
Owning pets is arguably not a vegan friendly thing. Not only are you buying meat for dogs and cats to eat, but you’re also purchasing an animal, despite you giving it a home, supporting animal exploitation subconsciously.
#26: Killing mosquitos is necessary
If you’re in a country where you can die from a mosquito bite, then absolutely, slap the mosquito before it bites and kills you. Prevention is key though, take precautions to not have to do that.
For example, would you sunbathe in a snaked infested area? Probably not.
#27: I love vegan butter more than real butter
This one might make omnivores emotional, but I can agree.
I mean think about it: You’re consuming a product that’s just as fatty, just formulated to taste like the real thing, without dairy.
I personally prefer plant-based butter too, having accidentally consumed non vegan butter, you can really taste the difference, but this is of course subjective.
#28: I hate mushrooms
When I was a young child, I hated button mushrooms with a passion. They just weren’t it for me, they didn’t taste good in my opinion, and the texture was like fake meat to me.
I grew to like them though. Especially more exotic types such as oyster mushrooms, porcini or shiitake mushrooms, to name a few. I can understand this unpopular opinion, as it’s actually pretty (ironically) common. Each to their own!
Hopefully you enjoyed this set of 28 real, unpopular vegan opnions. Let me know if you liked this post by leaving a comment below.
If you loved it, share with a friend or loved one, thanks again for considering veganising it for your vegan lifestyle inspiration. Stay well and stay blessed.
