A vegan (pronounced �VEE-gun�) is a person who consumes only plant foods such as vegetables, grains, legumes (beans and peas), fruits, nuts, and seeds. Vegans avoid all animal foods including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk, butter, and honey.

However, veganism is more about what people choose than about what they avoid. For example, vegans demonstrate respect for all life � their own, the planet's, and the animals' � not only by eating plant-based foods, but also by choosing nonfood items (such as nonleather shoes) that are produced without animal byproducts. Many vegans also go out of their way to choose cosmetics and personal care items that do not contain animal byproducts and are not tested on animals.