Question: how do you feel about being vegan?
hello i just want to know about some experiences about being vegan, why is it important, and how some of the reason for becoming vegan.
(By: Dalia)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Question: importance of veganism
Hello i'm doing a research on Animal Rights and veganism and this is my question, is Veganism important to help end the commercialization of animals?
(By: Dalia)
Category: General Questions
Re: Question: importance of veganism
The answer is simple: if everyone was vegan, there would be no commercialization of animals (at least for the most part).
Category: General Questions
Question: Non Vegan Restaurants
So if you are vegan and are able to eat something vegan from a restaurant that is not vegan, are you still vegan? In reality by buying something (even though it is vegan)from said restaurant, you are supporting a restaurant that supports the non vegan industry? Thoughts?
(By: Tiffany)
Category: General Questions
Re: Question: Non Vegan Restaurants
This is a great question to ponder! Everyone has a different take on this I'm sure. I personally prefer to not frequent restaurants that are not vegan. However, on the infrequent occasions where I find myself in a non-vegan restaurant, I still consider myself a vegan. I am a vegan doing the best I can in a non-vegan world. As the years have passed it is easier for me to avoid this dilemma!
> So if you are vegan and are able to eat something vegan from a restaurant
> that is not vegan, are you still vegan? In reality by buying something
> (even though it is vegan)from said restaurant, you are supporting a
> restaurant that supports the non vegan industry? Thoughts?
> (By: Tiffany)
Category: General Questions
Re: Question: Non Vegan Restaurants
My philosophy is a bit different. It's my goal to reduce the suffering of animals as much as possible. Most people in the world aren't vegan yet, but lots of people will occasionally eat a vegetarian or vegan meal, if it's easy. So I want to make it as easy as possible, by making sure every restaurant has vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. If we never eat at regular restaurants, why should they have options available for us? So I gladly go to regular restaurants (and politely fill out comment cards if there are no vegan option on the menu!)
Category: General Questions
Question: Egg Yolk Wash?
My wife & I are about 90% vegan, trying to go all the way. One thing I'd hate to give up is my mother's Irish Soda Bread, so I'd like to "veganize" the recipe. I have most of it figured out, but the last step before putting the loaf in the oven is to brush it with beaten egg yolk. Is there a vegan alternative that will give the same crispy gloss to the bread?
(By: Brian JP Craig)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Re: Question: Egg Yolk Wash?
Hi Brian,
Type "vegan egg wash" into Google. You'll find lots of ideas. I personally haven't tried any, but I know there are various vegan replacements out there.
-Marco
(By: Marco)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Question: I've been vegan almost 3 weeks and I've gained weight!
I went to a vegan diet almost 3 weeks ago and I'm confussed because I've actually gained weight! About 5 pounds. I've been reading that it could be my body is having a hard time breaking down the greens because I've been so gassy and bloated almost everyday.(it's going to get graffic sorry) Also my stool hasn't been solid and doesn't seem to look like it's been properly digested. I've started drinking more water with lemon, I heard applecider vinegar should also help but I have yet to try it. I've had a headache which could be trying to kick my coffee habit these last couple days but seeing your body put on weight when you've never eaten healthier in your life is so depressing. I'm thinking of doing a fast to clear out everything and try over or should I avoid certain foods for right now? I don't know what to do please help!Thank you for your help! And sorry about the gross factor. I've emailed a couple doctors but haven't gotten word back yet and my family doctor isn't an expert in nutrition :(
(By: Kristin)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Re: Question: I've been vegan almost 3 weeks and I've gained weight!
Hi Kristin,
Unfortunately most doctors don't know a lot about nutrition because it's just not part of their training, so they won't be much help. (Their training focuses on diagnosis and treatment of illnesses.)
Vegan food is not necessarily health food because there are lots of vegan junk foods. Sugars and lots of oils are vegan too. There are lots of refined foods that are vegan too. (Oreo cookies, french fries, and potato chips are all vegan.) Animal products are not good for us, but other foods can also be unhealthy.
Try to make sure that you are eating lots of whole foods rather than refined and processed foods - and try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. If you have some vegan friends and they look healthy, ask them for some healthy and yummy recipes.
You might need a nutritionist or dietician to have a look at your diet and offer some ideas for making your diet healthier. Check also this website from vegan dietician Jack Norris: http://jacknorrisrd.com/ A lot of what you need to do is to learn how to replace unhealthy foods with new favourites.
Good luck!
-Marco
(By: Marco)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Question:
What answer might a vegan give to the question: "What about having to kill "pests" which endanger our crops?"
(By: David Taplin)
Category: General Questions
Re: Question:
Hi David,
"Pesticides" are chemicals that are used to kill any life forms that are considered a "pests", but I assume you are referring to insecticides. The problems caused by insecticide use goes beyond the issue of cruelty to insects.
Firstly, the people that apply pesticides are exposed to much higher doses than anyone consuming the food products. It is especially unfortunate when this happens in poor countries because protective gear is not likely to be worn or used properly. The use of pesticides on crops causes unnecessary exposures to many people, several of which are children.
Pesticides also kill a lot of non-target species, many of which are beneficial and act as instrumental parts of ecosystems. With rain and irrigation, pesticides also get washed into the local water bodies causing toxic effects to various aquatic species.
Regarding the effects on the intended species the pesticides are being used for, every vegan will likely have a different answer. However, most would likely agree that it is unfortunate that humans and several other non-target species on land and in water are being exposed.
> What answer might a vegan give to the question: "What about having to
> kill "pests" which endanger our crops?"
> (By: David Taplin)
(By: Marco)
Category: General Questions
Probiotics?
Hello Friends!
I've been a vegan for a little more than 3 years now-
Recently I've been into consuming probiotics to help with overall gut health. For about a year now I've been drinking Good Belly which is at around 20 billion. Today I looked at a product created by Garden of Life called Raw Probiotic which offers 85 billion. Sounds pretty awesome. Problem is, I don't see anywhere that labels it vegan or vegan friendly and I couldn't find any publish fact on this concern. I'm reaching out to this community to see if any other vegan has come across this product and might help shine a little light.
Kind regards
C
(By: Clint)
Category: General Questions
Re: Probiotics?
Hi Clint,
I took a look at their web page for the product "Raw Probiotics Men" http://www.gardenoflife.com/ProductsforLife/RAWDIGESTION/RAWProbioticsMen/tabid/2016/Default.aspx
On the Supplemental Facts, it states that the product contains Bulgarian Yogurt Concentrate. Thus the product is not vegan.
> Hello Friends!
>
> I've been a vegan for a little more than 3 years now-
>
> Recently I've been into consuming probiotics to help with overall gut
> health. For about a year now I've been drinking Good Belly which is at
> around 20 billion. Today I looked at a product created by Garden of Life
> called Raw Probiotic which offers 85 billion. Sounds pretty awesome.
> Problem is, I don't see anywhere that labels it vegan or vegan friendly and
> I couldn't find any publish fact on this concern. I'm reaching out to this
> community to see if any other vegan has come across this product and might
> help shine a little light.
>
> Kind regards
> C
> (By: Clint)
(By: Marco)
Category: General Questions
Question: Dairy
I have always been into eating healthy since I was in the 8th grade. Now a sophomore in college, Ive taken the next step and have been a raw vegan for several months. Going to school in LA has made it easy to find places that offer great healthy vegan options and I haven't had any cravings for meat or dairy BUT LA also has so many great trendy frozen yogurt places that make it so hard to shake cravings for it! My friends are really weird about me going raw- no matter how much I explain and try to get them to do activities other than eating out like hiking or shopping, they ALWAYS end up taking me for yogurt to tempt me (I think theyre just jealous of my will power haha) I want it so bad and I even gave in a few times (and felt like crap after). What are some healthy/low calorie, yet tasty frozen yogurt alternatives?
(By: CC)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Re: Question: Dairy
Hello CC,
There are vegan yogurts. Of course I doubt that most yogart shops would carry them but you might find one if you try. Your will power will help you in college so stick with it. Ask your "friends" this question: Would a true friend try to get you to break your vegan diet or would they care enough about you to help you? Just say NO to their taunts.
(By: Doc)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Re: Question: Dairy
I bought this thing called yonanas. And what it is isa foof masher sort of speak. You freeze bananas then this little thing (about 40$) turns it into icecream cinsistency. Its amazing and totally vegan! You can add frozen berries to it and I top it with almond or peanut butter-yum!
(By: Kristin)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Question:
I am thinking of switching to a vegan diet, but I don\'t like the texture of meat substitutes like veggie burgers etc. I also do not like the taste of soy milk etc. I could use almond milk for smoothies and baking. So my question is, is it necessary to eat/drink alternatives to meat and dairy?
(By: Lori)
Category: General Questions
Re: Question:
Hello Lori,
The best vegan food is the kind that is not trying to imitate other foods. Usually the problem with those foods is that they can never taste "exactly" like the non-vegan counterpart.
There is no non-dairy milk that will taste like cow milk - just like there is nothing that tastes exactly like lemons. For the non-dairy milks, I just look at each of them as an independent beverage instead of milk substitute.
Just try lots of vegan foods until you find ones you like.
For the milks, there are quite a lot if you live in a big city: soy, almond, rice, hemp, oat, or coconut - or make your own cashew milk.
To replace meat, just eat dishes which never had (or don't need) meat in the dish in the first place. The website www.theppk.com has tons of great vegan recipes. Also two awesome books for the vegan kitchen are Veganomicon and How It All Vegan. If you get recipes from pro vegan chefs, you will find so many delicious dishes that you won't be looking for meat substitutes any more :-)
It's pretty easy once you get started. Keep trying out new vegan recipes and you'll slowly expand your repertoire of recipes you like. Also, join a local vegan club that gets together for potlucks. You can learn a lot of recipes from other vegans.
Enjoy exploring vegan cuisine!
-Marco
> I am thinking of switching to a vegan diet, but I don't like the texture of meat substitutes like veggie burgers etc. I also do not like the taste of soy milk etc. I could use almond milk for smoothies and baking. So my question is, is it necessary to eat/drink alternatives to meat and dairy?
(By: Lori)
(By: Marco)
Category: General Questions
Question:
Hello, I am very new to this type of lifestyle and i am loving every minute of it! I have been dairy free since the beginning of January, and I have had no meat products in the last 4 months. My diet consists of a meal replacement shake at breakfast and lunch combined calories is about 500-600 calories. (maybe a bit more) and my dinner consists of grains and lots of vegetables. My question is that i am losing weight but not as much or as fast as i would have thought/liked. What should my calorie intake be?
(By: Lee)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Re: Question:
I'm not sure about calorie intakes, maybe 1400 or even less to accelerate weight loss. When counting calories, I wouldn't even concern yourself with the quantity of vegetables, or even fruits, that you are consuming. For your morning drink, it would be great to add some fruit in a blender, maybe a few greens (kale, if you have a powerful blender), and there is an awesome product called Vega that will give you a high quality and good amount of protein and this will sustain you throughout the morning. I use a banana, some frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, and some raw cacao with a bit of kale and the vega. Yum! If you have never used vega just start out with a smaller quantity until you are sure you like it. The banana and strawberries make it sweet.
Keep in mind that slower weight loss is better for the body and you don't want to detox too quickly as you might not feel as good day-to-day throughout the detox period. It sounds like you're doing okay. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Category: Becoming a vegan
Re: Question:
> Hello, I am very new to this type of lifestyle and i am loving every minute
> of it! I have been dairy free since the beginning of January, and I have
> had no meat products in the last 4 months. My diet consists of a meal
> replacement shake at breakfast and lunch combined calories is about 500-600
> calories. (maybe a bit more) and my dinner consists of grains and lots of
> vegetables. My question is that i am losing weight but not as much or as
> fast as i would have thought/liked. What should my calorie intake be?
> (By: Lee)
I would make lunch your biggest meal for when you have your whole grains since those will take the body the longest time to digest.
(By: Kristin)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Question: Does being vegan affect your period?
Hey, I am 16 years old, I have only been vegan for 8 months but I was vegetarian for a year before that already. I eat beans and soy and nuts and veggie burgers etc., all the right replacements, but every now and a again i get a little lazy with my consumption of protein replacements. I also take multivitamins, including iron and vitamin B etc. Everything has been fine until now, but I have missed my period this month and as I am not sexually active the only thing I could think would be the reason for this is my diet. Does being vegan affect your period? Or does it mean I\'m simply not eating enough protein? What can I do to fix it?
(By: Vegan)
Category: Health Questions
Re: Question: Does being vegan affect your period?
It's probably not your diet. Protein consumption doesn't have too much to do with your period. Unless you've gotten unhealthily thin (which can disrupt estrogen levels), there is probably nothing to worry about. It's pretty normal for cycles to be a bit irregular, especially at 16. If it hasn't resumed within 3 months, I'd want to see a doctor.
Category: Health Questions
Question: How can I become a vegan without increasing our food budget
I want to become a vegan, but my husband and 17 year old son don't. we cannot afford to increase our food budget so that I can do this, any ideas?
(By: Denise)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Re: Question: How can I become a vegan without increasing our food budget
The great thing about vegan food is that anyone can eat it regardless of whether or not they are vegan. Your husband and son already eat things that are vegan, but they just don't label those foods that way.
It used to be that vegan food was considered to be tasteless or funny-tasting but those days are long gone. If you are doing the cooking, as long as you make your meals very tasty, they'll be happy. Try the recipes at www.theppk.com or in the book Veganomicon. You could also try veganizing their favourite dishes. Most of them will pretty much taste the same.
> I want to become a vegan, but my husband and 17 year old son don't. we cannot afford to increase our food budget so that I can do this, any ideas?
> (By: Denise)
(By: Marco)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Question: Vegans and Protein
Hello, I am currently writting a paper on the protein aspect of becoming a vegan. I was hoping that you could fill in some blury spots starting with, is protein really as essential as the media says it is? Also what are some good vegan ways to get protein? How do you personally feel (with your health) after becoming vegan? How much protein should you get daily? Thanks a million!
(By: Hunter Rose Teal)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Re: Question: Vegans and Protein
> Hello, I am currently writting a paper on the protein aspect of becoming a
> vegan. I was hoping that you could fill in some blury spots starting with,
> is protein really as essential as the media says it is? Also what are some
> good vegan ways to get protein? How do you personally feel (with your
> health) after becoming vegan? How much protein should you get daily? Thanks
> a million!
> (By: Hunter Rose Teal)
I would watch the documentary forks over knifes, it talks about protein a lot. But all plants have protein, all animals need it. For example cows are full of muscle yet get it by eating grass so that grass must have protein! Did you know tgeir is a ufc champion who is vegan? Just eating plants he's stronge lean and has mostly all muscle. So we don't need as much protein as you think. Maybe no more than 10%
(By: Kristin)
Category: Becoming a vegan
Stupid Questions
Lately we have received several troll messages like talking about their teeth falling out since they became a vegan. There have been many other troll messages. First, only a junk vegan diet is harmful to a vegan. A good vegan diet is either the best diet or among the best depending on who you believe. It does not cause teeth falling out nor any of the other thing that some try to post. Eating only one veggie will cause health problems and that would be no different than eating ONLY chicken. Our mentors will be happy answering real questions about veganism but we will not only not answer phony posts but I will not even post those kind of posts. So if you are an immature flesh eater and thinks that you can post these stupid posts and get them posted, you are very mistaken. I will be the only one that reads them and then I will hit delete. You are the one that will be wasting your time.
Dr. Weseloh
(By: Doc)
Category: General Questions
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Question: Bowel Movements
My apology in advance for asking a kind of gross question. Before changing to a vegan diet I would regularly have one complete bowel movement each morning with usually a well formed stool and be done for the day. This continued for a time early after my dietary change, but now I may have to relieve myself two or three times daily, incompletely, and with small, loose stools. Could it be the bananas which I consume a lot of now? What am I doing wrong? I don\'t want to change back to the way I was eating, but this is a real problem for me. Thanks.
[By: @ 2013-04-11, 16:30 | Reply | Print ](By: Perry)
Category: Health Questions
Re: Question: Bowel Movements
Hmm. Well, it's not a very satisfying answer, but it sounds like something you're eating isn't agreeing with you. First, I'd look at foods you're eating a lot more of. Bananas are typically a treatment for loose stool, rather than a cause, but maybe lay off for a week and see what happens. If you're not eating much fiber, try adding some (especially soluble fiber), in the form of rice, wheat, pureed pumpkin, or oats. If that doesn't work, try vegetable fiber instead. Eating lots of fruit can cause problems for some people.
[By: rocketkoala @ 2013-04-14, 15:21 | Reply | Print ]You might also try resetting your digestive system by skipping a meal or two, and/or trying an over-the-counter remedy.
If that's not working, talk to your doctor. She may be able to shed some light on dietary or non-dietary causes.
Good luck!
Category: Health Questions