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The BBC has hosted a debate about veganism on its Politics Live program – with one panelist saying there is a ‘strong case’ for following a vegan diet.
The segment follows the broadcaster’s recent documentary on the milk industry – The Dark Side of Dairy – as well as its profile of Ethan Brown, Founder of vegan brand Beyond Meat.
Before the debate, the broadcaster aired a segment featuring lifestyle vlogger Grace Fit UK, who spoke about how a vegan diet can reduce greenhouse emissions and animal suffering.
Vegan diet and the internet
According to Grace Fit UK: “[Veganism] has come in for a lot of criticism through the internet, but has also gained massive traction through social media.
“It’s coming up huge on YouTube, on Instagram, and it is starting to be a trend. Now obviously it has a lot of benefits, so even if it is a trend, it’s something we should be looking at.”
She added that while veganism has largely been brought to the forefront via social media in Western society, ‘it has been in Caribbean and a lot of Indian foods naturally’.
Strong case for veganism
The debate took place between Lord Finkelstein, Lord Adonis, Politics UK‘s Steven Edginton and the Spectator‘s Katy Balls. Jo Coburn presented the segment.
The panel seemed to be largely in agreement that veganism is a positive choice. Katy Balls said: “Loads of my friends are [on a plant-based diet]. I would say I’m in a minority among my friends when it comes to who eats meat regularly.”
Lord Finkelstein added that he wouldn’t go plant-based full-time, but feels a coward for not doing so, adding that it is a ‘profound’ trend.
He said: “All of us feel deep down that morally, and environmentally there is a strong case for [veganism]. [Eating meat] is the thing that I do that I find least easy to justify.”
?You can watch the debate here
