Veganism, also known as strict veganism or complete vegetarianism. It refers to a philosophy, a way of life, that advocates avoiding, as much as possible, all kinds of oppression and cruelty to animals, including the use of animals for food, skin jewelry, etc.; and, furthermore, advocating the development and use of non-animal products as an alternative to benefit sentient beings, including human beings, in order to create a better environment.

Veganism, or veganism in English and végétalisme in French, refers to the consumption of only plant foods, neither meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, nor any foods derived from animals, including animal fats, milk, dairy products, and honey. Distinguished from ordinary vegetarianism, known as vegetarianism in English and végétarisme in French, this ordinary vegetarianism may allow the consumption of eggs, milk, dairy products, and honey.

Vegetarians believe that their primary motivation is to minimize animal suffering, derived from the philosophy of utilitarianism, expressed by authors such as Jeremy Bentham and Peter Singer as the belief that veganism is the belief that human beings have a moral and ethical obligation to avoid causing the suffering of any other living thing. Animals, like humans, have an inherent right to live a life as free from suffering as possible. Therefore vegans avoid not only meat and dairy products, but also products that have caused suffering to animals. Depending on someone's level of belief, this may include not using certain medications because they were tried on animals for safety reasons. Some hardliners avoid buying movie film made of gelatin and buy digital instead. While there will always be vegan societies arguing for such issues, the whole purpose of veganism is to minimize animal suffering to the greatest extent possible. For this reason, many vegans are also supporters of the animal rights movement.

Vegan foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes are low in fat, don't have any cholesterol, and have lots of fiber and nutrients. Vegetarians get all the necessary protein in legumes (such as beans, tofu, and peanuts) and grains (such as rice, corn, whole grain breads, and pasta); calcium from cauliflower, kale, collard greens, tofu, calcium-added juices, and soymilk; and calcium from chickpeas, spinach, pinto beans, and soy products. Iron from chickpeas, spinach, pinto beans, and soy products; and B12 from foods or supplements fortified with vitamin B12. Well-planned, a vegan diet can provide all the nutrients we learned as children in school that we could only get from animal products.

A vegan diet may reduce many health risks, including heart failure, obesity, diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, and cancer. A vegan diet may also benefit the environment and may improve the minds, lives, and health of low-income people in the Third World or other countries.