To some it’s excessive. To others, it’s the only way to live. It’s the vegan diet: where you don’t eat meat or dairy. Although hardly taboo in Eugene, the lifestyle has for many years been a subject of hot debate regarding its pros and cons.

The animal product-free vegan diet saw an emergence in 1944 with the foundation of The Vegan Society in England. The founders, radicals in the already disputed vegetarian lifestyle, both coined the term “veganism” and set up the first community for those curious.

Today, the way of eating has spread around the U.S., with reasons for adopting it spanning from weight loss to animal activism. Once a taboo, the lifestyle has been made highly accessible, with many specialty restaurants and shops offering a great deal of meals without animal products.

Many are convinced that the nutritional content meat and dairy provide is replaceable with a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables. When asked about his opinion regarding the vegan lifestyle, Eugene holistic family medicine doctor and vegetarian Orestes Gutierrez suggested the popular documentary “Forks over Knives.”

“Longevity and optimal health are entirely attainable without eating animal products,” Gutierrez said, “and may only be in that respect.”

According to Gutierrez, many meat-eaters make the mistake of not integrating enough produce into their diets, which provides incomparable health benefits.

“When you remove meat from the equation, you’re forced to explore the alternative … an endless selection of awesome ‘super foods,’” he said.

By “super foods,” he means vitamin-packed spinach and kale and a variety of antioxidant-rich berries and nuts.

“We began as hunters and gatherers. Plant-based foods have always been more widely available to us, and so it’s important that our diet consists of them more than anything else,” said Jaime Dexter, a University of Oregon anthropology graduate teaching fellow who’s currently teaching a class on the emergence of modern-day agriculture and food domestication titled Food Origins. ”Meat comes secondary.”

In spite of this, Dexter integrates meat in her diet. Humans have a long history of hunting and eating protein-rich meat, after all. Plus, our bodies can digest it.

“It is a natural part of our diet,” Dexter said.

Cornbread Cafe, a vegan hotspot in Eugene known for its unique twist on Southern soul food with mock meat classics, includes menu items like “phish philets” and “barbecued wheat meat.” The food, although potentially off-sounding, has a large, even non-vegan following and sports a 4.5/5 star rating on Yelp, based on 111 ratings.

Cornbread Cafe manager and long-term vegan Rebecca Waterman is happy to play a role in the eccentric Eugene vegan scene.

“We’re lucky here (in Eugene),” Waterman said. “If you’re looking to try the diet out, you’re likely to have a good experience with it.”

Other popular vegan joints in town include Garbanzo Grill, a small cart specializing in handmade veggie burgers and ran by a professionally trained chef, and Holy Cow Cafe, a campus favorite.

When it comes to budgeting and convenience, however, veganism may not be be suited for everyone. Waiting for her curry dish at the EMU’s Holy Cow Cafe, UO student Lea’ah Keita said that the commitment to eating vegan requires some work — and money.

“I know people who are self-proclaimed vegans, but because of the convenience and cheap cost, end up microwaving frozen Boca patties every night. It isn’t really healthy,” she said.

Boca is a popular meat-alternative brand that offers quick convenience in many supermarket freezer sections.

At the mention of it, Waterman winced. “Vegan eating is meant to be health-centered, not quick and easy,” she said.

However, health benefits of the vegan diet have been disputed for years. Many believe the nutritional content, most notably protein, of some meats is irreplaceable.

“Humans have always eaten meat,” said UO environmental studies student Jay Barnum. “It just makes sense to integrate it into our diets, right?”

And Barnum may be right. Meat does provide nutrition. According to the Livestrong website, red meats such as beef, in moderation, provide certain oleic acids that may help improve cholesterol levels. One serving of white chicken, about six ounces, provides up to 48 grams of protein, and fish is, by common knowledge, high in essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Whether one chooses to live life with or without integrating meat or dairy is a personal choice, and there are healthful ways for doing either option.

“It’s definitely subjective,” said UO Health Center nutritionist and registered dietician Christy Morrell. “Some people need more protein than the vegan diet can provide. Some people don’t and can make it work wonders for their health.”

Morrell herself was once vegan and decided to integrate meats back into her diet after finding herself continuously craving them. “I found myself binging on brown rice!” she said, laughing.

UO Health Center dietician Jessica Wilson agreed with Morrell’s claims.

“Both sides can be really beneficial health-wise, if done right,” she said. “And both sides can also affect health negatively if done wrong.”