Top ten questions (and answers) about going vegan

How irritated will you get with the same questions from nonvegans over and over again? Probably very irritated. That’s why this chapter is so important. Here, amid the ten most common questions you’re likely to hear, you can find all the comebacks, educated information, and succinct points of fact needed to make it through what I call the “vegan third degree.”

Why Would You go vegan?

Going vegan is one of the best ways to protect the environment. After all, raising animals for meat is one of the leading contributors to global warming. Because raising animals for human consumption requires huge amounts of clean water, land, and oil for transportation and refrigeration, it’s better for the environment to be an SUV-driving vegan than a Prius-driving meat eater.

Similarly, the best way to show that you care about animals and other people is to stop eating animal products. By not eating meat, cow’s milk, or eggs, a vegan saves the lives of more than 100 animals a year. Eating meat and dairy takes food and clean water away from starving people around the world. It takes many pounds of grain and hundreds of gallons of water to produce just a small amount of meat or dairy. The more people who live vegan, the more other people can simply eat.

Aside from being an environmentally friendly decision, a vegan diet also will keep you alive! The American Dietetic Association states that vegans are less likely to become obese or develop diabetes, many cancers, or heart disease.

Where Do You Get Your Calcium?

Vegan sources of calcium are everywhere. Dark green veggies, such as broccoli and bok choy, are excellent sources. And soy, rice and hemp milks are all enriched with the mineral — as are many orange and apple juices. Tofu is often processed with calcium sulfate, making it a good source. Soy yogurt, almonds, blackstrap molasses, and tahini also contain substantial amounts.

Several studies have shown strong evidence that people who eat lower-protein, plant-based diets need less calcium than those eating higher-protein diets based on animal foods. Even though vegans may need less calcium to ensure strong bones, they can (and should) get the recommended daily allowance, with natural, cruelty-free foods.

check this article on how to get essential nutrition

Where Do You Get Your Protein?

A varied vegan diet provides enough protein for both adults and children. As long as you eat enough calories from varied sources of food, it’s easy to get your recommended amount on a daily basis. Vegan sources of protein include whole-wheat bread, nuts like almonds and cashews, seeds like sunflower and sesame, peanut and almond butter, soy and hemp milk, whole grains, beans, and soy foods like tofu and soy yogurt.

An 18-year-old male needs between 55 and 60 grams of protein a day. So, if he eats the following foods in one day, he’s set on his protein: 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tablespoons flaxseeds, 2 cups hemp milk, 2 slices of whole-wheat bread, 4 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1 cup of vegan black bean chili, 1 cup cooked pasta, 1 cup broccoli, and 1/2 cup tofu.

Animal foods offer complete protein — they have each of the 22 amino acids present that the body needs to use protein. Luckily, however, tofu and other soy foods also contain the necessary amino acids. Other vegan foods like beans, grains, vegetables, nuts, and seeds will provide, over the course of a day or so, all the essential amino acids that the body needs.

What Can You Eat?

You can eat so much good food as a vegan! Believe me, you won’t go hungry. Consider this list, which breaks down just a few of your options by meal:

Breakfast may be a fruit and nut smoothie with hemp or soymilk, corn muffins, tofu scramble, blueberry pancakes made with rice milk (and don’t forget the maple syrup), toast and jam, soy yogurt with fruit, granola, or hash browns with tempeh sausages.

Lunch can include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies made with applesauce and flaxseeds instead of eggs, veggie burgers, french fries, falafel with hummus and pita bread, or a fake meat and cheese sandwich on whole-wheat bread.

Dinner menus offer vegetable and tofu lasagna; pasta with broccoli, tomatoes, and white beans; lentil soup with crusty bread and sautéed kale; bean casseroles; chili with chips, salsa, and guacamole; or curried vegetables with rice and chickpeas.

Isn’t That a Difficult Lifestyle to Get Used to?

When you’re passionate about your health, treating animals kindly, and protecting the environment, it isn’t difficult to make a few dietary and lifestyle changes. The first few weeks can be an adjustment, but once you start looking, you see vegan options everywhere! Health food stores are popping up all over the country, providing many vegan products to Americans coast to coast. In fact, there are more than 250 Whole Foods Markets in North America alone! If you don’t have a good health food store near you, keep in mind that the Internet is an incredible resource.

If you think you can’t get by without some of your favorite nonvegan foods and household items, think again! You can find alternatives for almost everything you may need to buy. Vegan milks, cheeses, meats, shoes, wallets, belts, vitamins, makeup, deodorants, shampoos, candles, pet foods, and baby items abound!

Do You Eat Fish or Dairy Products?

Fish are animals, so vegans don’t eat them. Vegans also don’t eat dairy products that come from animals, including cow’s milk, cow’s cheese, goat’s milk or cheese, and butter.

Other animal products that vegans avoid eating are honey, eggs, meat, chicken, veal, pork, or turkey (even on Thanksgiving).

Where Can You Go Out to Eat?

Going out to eat isn’t difficult — just ask for what you want and kindly request that your server omit dairy and meat from your dishes. I’ve never had a problem “veganizing” a menu item, especially if you ask sweetly and smile.

You really can eat anywhere as a vegan — even a steak house! Try ordering hummus with vegetables, falafel and pita bread, vegetable pizza minus the cheese, pasta with beans and vegetables without cheese or butter, vegetarian refried beans with guacamole and chips, or coconut curry bowls with rice. You also can make a meal out of side dishes that don’t include animal products. Most restaurants offer some bean, green, and grain dish on the side that you can combine to make a complete meal. Just be sure to specifically ask that no dairy, butter, meat, or chicken stock be used in any of the preparation.

Not only are regular restaurants accommodating, but vegan and vegetarian restaurants can be found all over the world. Visit www.happycow.net orwww.vegdining.com to find a vegan-friendly dining spot near you.

Can You Be Healthy on a Vegan Diet?

If you want to know whether you or a loved one can be healthy on a vegan diet, the answer is “Heck yeah!” Vegans are often at least 20 pounds lighter than meat eaters who are the same height. Even better is the fact that many people have actually reversed their serious health conditions — including cancers, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity — by adopting a vegan diet along with increased exercise.

Top government and healthcare organizations, such as the American Dietetic Association, have declared that a vegan diet can be perfectly healthy for every stage of life including pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and adulthood. The competitive sports world even contains many professional vegan athletes. Pro football players, triathletes, ultramarathoners, tennis players, karate champions, and even body builders create their incredible physiques from plant-based diets. Part VI discusses veganism in all walks of life.

Vegans tend to eat more fiber, fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains than nonvegans. These are the exact foods that health experts are constantly harping on the public to eat more of — living vegan almost ensures this.

What Do the Experts Think of Veganism?

Some folks can’t accept a new line of thinking unless they hear positive comments from leading experts in that field. So, when you’re faced with explaining veganism to this type of person, feel free to quote the following expert opinions:

“A low-fat, plant-based diet would not only lower the heart-attack rate about 85 percent, but would lower the cancer rate 60 percent.” — William Castelli, M.D., Medical Director, Framingham, Cardiovascular Institute

“Scientific data suggest positive relationships between a vegetarian [and vegan] diet and reduced risk for several chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and some types of cancer.” — American Dietetic Association

The rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal (but not vegetable) fat was a third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat. — Journal of the National Cancer Institute

“With all the information now available about the long-term health benefits of plant-based diets, there is really no question that the vegan diet is safe — in fact, it offers the most disease-fighting protection of any dietary pattern.” — Amy Lanou, Ph.D.

Where Can I Learn More?

Excellent Web site resources for finding out more about vegan living include The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (www.pcrm.org) and Girlie Girl Army for vegan fashionistas (www.girliegirlarmy.com). For everything else under the sun, check outwww.veganessentials.com.

To bone up on how to become vegan, check out these Web sites:

The Vegetarian Resource Group at www.vrg.org

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals at www.peta.org

American Vegan Society at www.americanvegan.org

Vegan Family Living at www.vegfamily.com.