No doubt. Just as there are some people who are healthy, well off and just plain "lucky" all their lives.
or if the right thing for them to do is to modify their diets to remove something they really like, or something like that
The purpose of fasting is to test yourself. If fasting is no effort ("easy") maybe you are not resisting evil. Fasting doesn't only deal with food. Fasting is abstinence of any kind. The spirit of the fast is important, and not the substance of it.
It is not a legalistic duty (although the Church make sit sound that way too much in my opinion), but a conscious effort to resists that which is evil or that which leads ot evil (and that includes greed, gluttony, covetousness, lust, etc). Through fasts we become painfully aware of those, especially during Lent.
For me to give up animal products would be a big deal, so presumably I would get the full benefit. So, for vegans, I was wondering if they are just considered to be in a constant state of fasting
You re putting too much emphasis on the food. I believe the Church does too because that's one of our passions. Sex is another. Materialism is yet another. If a vegan gorges himself during Lent, he is not fasting even though he is eating "fasting" food. He is scumming to temptations.
The spirit of fasting is to give it as much as you can, and everyone's measure is different. That's why St. John Chrysostom says in his 4th century Paschal Homily
I believe the Catholics are allowed to substitute fasting for work of charity during Lent.
When you say it would be a big deal to give up animal products that tells me you didn't even try. Of course, you may do charity from the bottom of your heart, so I don't judge. But what joy it is to give your favorite food up for the love of Christ! Twice a week is what we do year-round. Little by little, we learn to do without our favorite foods during longer fasts. It's not always easy, but we honestly try even if we honestly fail. The joy is in trying. :)
You touch on this later in the post when you note that "passion food" for one is repulsive to another. I just didn't know if the Church had put forth enough of a thinking that an answer could be inferred.
If you read fasting homilies you'd surely change your mind. The Church never emphasizes just the food but the spirit of fasting. Food is just an outward fruit of those who resist temptations. If you can give up your favorite foods, you can probably resist evil to the same extent if you try. Fasting is a personal thing. No one but you really knows if you are really fasting! It is your own meter of holiness, your own testing, by which you can measure your spiritual state. But it must be honest.
Yes, I fully agree.
When you say it would be a big deal to give up animal products that tells me you didn't even try.
Why do you say that? All I meant is that it's not always easy, just as you said. Of course it is worthy of doing.