Places to dine multiplying for Vegans

Published May 18, 2011 in the Commercial Appeal

Many local vegans are finding that it's getting easier to eat ethically in Memphis.

Ward Huddleston, 31, who lives in East Memphis, defines vegans as people who make their best effort to avoid supporting animal cruelty. "Every vegan is unique, so a specific definition is difficult," he says.

Vegans avoid animal products like meat, eggs and dairy products, but there are some gray areas. For instance, Huddleston doesn't avoid honey, because he's OK with the production process, but a lot of vegans don't buy anything with honey in it. "Everyone draws a line, and to some extent it's an arbitrary line," he explains.

It's the dairy that separates the vegans from the vegetarians. Huddleston says, "Dairy cows have miserable lives. ... A healthy cow can live over 25 years, but dairy cows commonly die of exhaustion or disease after three or four." (Read more)