Vegetarianism and veganism are growing in popularity. In this Spotlight, we ask why these dietary choices can ignite rage in some meat eaters. The answer, it seems, is complex.

Currently, vegetarianism and veganism only account for 5% and 3% of the United States population, respectively.

However, as the public profiles of these diets increase, negative reactions are becoming more visible.

The question we are asking today is, “why should one person’s dietary choice make anyone else angry?”

This question is complicated, and because it involves human emotions, the answer is likely to be multifaceted and vary wildly from case to case.

On the surface, anti-vegan outbursts are counterintuitive — by deciding to harm as few living creatures as possible, vegans become a focal point of anger.

Although I am a meat eater, I have often wondered why a more gentle approach to food appears to ruffle so many feathers.