Veganism is BECOMING MORE POPULAR in THE Arab WORLD.

Veganism is often met with misunderstanding in the Arab world. Many people do not understand why someone would choose a diet that excludes meat or animal-based products, or they believe there is something wrong with them for doing so. These attitudes, however, are changing.

"I believe that veganism is on the rise in the Arab world, especially in the last five years or so," Nada Elbarshoumi, the writer of the "One Arab Vegan" blog based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), told The Media Line via email. In the Middle East, there is a growing awareness of plant-based diets, particularly for health reasons."

Blogger Elbarshoumi believes that as diabetes and heart disease become more prevalent in the Arab world, the number of vegans will grow. “The more popular the 'food as medicine' movement becomes, the more likely it is that people will adopt and embrace veganism,” she told The Media Line. “I believe that as a culture, we need to become more open-minded, remove the stigma associated with plant-based eating, and raise awareness of the benefits of a vegan diet.”

She added that other reasons for people in the region becoming vegan included the environment and concern for animals. She claimed that vegan meal options in Arab countries were generally similar.

"It's difficult to identify specific countries that are vegan-friendly," Elbarshoumi wrote in an email. "I've had incredible vegan fare here in the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries (UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait), as well as in Lebanon and my home country of Egypt, and I'm confident that other countries in the region will have similar offerings."

According to Ahmad Safi, founder of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Animal League (PAL), Palestinian society is already vegan-friendly because restaurants in the Palestinian Territories provide vegan options. "Every corner has a falafel stand," he told The Media Line.  He also claims that vegan food is more affordable than meat dishes, even though blogger Elbarshoumi emphasizes the importance of meat in Arab society. "Meat is almost sacred in the Arab world - it is at the center of so many of our meals and dishes and as a result forms a lot of Arab cultural identity. "It's also closely related to religious festivals and celebrations," she explained.

Safi told The Media Line that meat symbolizes community generosity. "Meat represents generosity. "You serve meat to your guests when they come over," he explained, adding that where he lives, people believe that if they don't eat meat, something is missing. "A meal without meat isn't considered a 'full' meal," he explained. "I think the barriers to veganism in the Arab world are largely cultural," Elbarshoumi says, adding, "there's a perception of plant-based diets as being inferior nutritionally, and a notion that not eating meat makes you inherently less 'Arab.'" According to Safi of PAL, a vegan diet is more in line with Islamic values. "When the Prophet Muhammad ate meat, he did so under very specific conditions," Safi told The Media Line. He stated that you should eat according to your needs and not kill animals indiscriminately."

Despite its lack of popularity, veganism has the support of powerful figures in the region. Saudi Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal is vegan who has attempted to spread veganism throughout the Arab world. He has increased his initial plans to open ten vegan restaurants in the Middle East to thirty.

"From Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed's new chain of vegan restaurants to the Beyond Burger that has started popping up in Dubai and the soy milk now available in many coffee shops, the demand for vegan options is growing quickly in the Middle East - which is already famous for traditional vegan fare such as mujaddara, muhammara, dolmas and more," said Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). AnimalsInIslam.com is a popular website, and celebrities such as [Jordanian boxing champion] Arifa Bseiso are collaborating with PETA to demonstrate that veganism is a global issue. [Editor's note: PETA sponsors AnimalsinIslam.com.]