Vegan and Muslim: Why I kept my plant-based diet secret from my family

"What?! You are vegan?….VEGAN?!… What's next… taking off your hijab?!"

That's how Sumaya's mum reacted when she told her she was vegan.

"I wish I recorded her! Her whole body language changed. It was like I'd murdered someone," says Sumaya, who's 18 and from west London.

"I was like 'Mum, I haven't murdered anyone. If you think about it… I've done the complete opposite."

Like many in Britain today, Sumaya proudly carries many identities. British. Hijab-wearing Muslim woman. Somalian. And most recently, vegan.

There are an estimated 540,000 vegans in Britain, according to research from The Vegan Society in 2016. That's up from around 150,000 in 2006.

There aren't recorded numbers for vegan Muslims but, when Muslims discuss their veganism, they're often on the receiving end of baffled reactions. This is partly because these two lifestyles aren't commonly associated, and partly because there can sometimes be a perceived conflict between these two sets of ideal