Going vegan... need help!

Enigmatica

I make vegan meals occasionally just because sometimes that's what my body seems to want. I have gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, and sometimes can't digest certain meat proteins. I can usually tell just by smelling or tasting food whether it's going to sit well with my stomach or not, after many years of this. So if I want vegan, that's what I have.

There's a vegan raw protein powder that I usually have with breakfast - its in my diary. Bread usually is not vegan because most use eggs. I make my own vegan cheese out of almond meal - I modified the recipe for almond mozzarella cheese from this site: http:/ /responsibleeatingandliving.com/

They have lots of other vegan recipes and support info there, too.

Good luck!!

ZombeeFingers

http://www.theppk.com/books/veganomicon-the-ultimate-vegan-cookbook/ <-get this book Veganomicon!

It really is the ultimate vegan cook book. With this book you will never have to buy frozen "veggie burgers" or "soy" anything.
I was Vegan for 9 years. I became vegan in high school when I was severally over weight (220lbs in 9th/10th grade). It helped with my digestion too. I lost 40lbs in about a year, and it felt GREAT.

I started eating seafood a little over a year ago, and eggs a few months back, for personal reasons. I still don't do other dairies, or meats.

I say give it a try for sure. If you don't like it or it doesn't help you with what you are looking for you can always stop.

Good luck! If you want a supporter feel free to add me, I'm new here too so I could also use some support.

andrealn

I was vegan for a couple of years, then lacto-ovo vegetarian, and now pretty much a regular omnivore again. Whatever your motivation for becoming vegan, be it ethical or personal health, I will say that it is very doable but with some caveats. First of all, there are many plant-based sources of protein out there, but none are as complete (as far as essential amino acids) as animal protein, so the key is to eat from a variety of sources--beans & legumes, nuts & seeds, whole grains, etc. In addition, you will need to carefully watch your carbohydrate intake, as most of these sources of protein (especially beans and whole grains) also contain significant amounts of carbs. So in other words, if you have vegetarian chili, with beans as your source of protein, you may not want to have bread with it. Soy is the most complete plant-based protein source, with 8 out of 9 amino acids in it, but as with anything, you want to eat it in moderation, as some studies have shown negative effects of eating too much soy. Another nutritional concern with a vegan diet is that it does not give you any vitamin B-12, which is found in animal products and in soil. It is also produced in our own intestines, but not in sufficient quantity. The best way to ingest B-12 supplement is under the tongue, so look for that type of supplement product. The best source of intelligent nutritional information on veganism that I found was the book "Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina.

As far as variety of foods, there are many great vegan cookbooks out there, so I suggest finding one or two and experimenting. But my biggest piece of advice to anyone going vegan or vegetarian is to remember that it requires just as much (if not more) effort to eat a healthy plant-based diet as it does to eat a diet that includes animal products. You still have to watch your intake of fats, carbs and sugars, and preservatives/additives (especially in store-bought processed meat substitutes like seitan, TVP, veggie burgers, etc.).

With that said, good luck!

KokomoJoe

How much wheat do you consume? I might try going gluten free first. Unfortunately gluten is in almost everything we consume and I have been doing my best to remove it. Labels have to be read because you will find gluten in ice cream, ketchup, soy sauce.

Can I ask what the benefit of removing gluten from a vegan diet would be if one [presumably] does not have a gluten intolerance? Gluten can be a really nutritious addition to a vegan diet, such as the use of wheat gluten in seitan dishes.

Most wheat doesn't even resemble wheat after the large companies have gotten their way with it. Wheat (along with corn and others) have been so "genetically enhanced" to increase yield and is used everywhere.

It is things like this that make me wonder about what we truly eat (I'm not a fan of eating science experiments):

Wheat Norin 10 is a semi-dwarf cultivar of wheat, with very large ears, which was bred in the experimental station of Iwate Prefecture, Japan. In 1935, it was registered as a numbered cultivar by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Nōrinshō. Norin 10 grew just two feet tall, instead of the usual four, which made it less prone to wind-caused damage.
Norin 10 provided two very important genes, Rht1 and Rht2, that resulted in reduced-height wheats, thus allowing better nutrient uptake and tillerage (when heavily fertilised with nitrogen, tall varieties grow too high, become top-heavy, and lodge).
Cecil Salmon, biologist and wheat expert on General Douglas MacArthur's team in Japan after 1945 collected 16 varieties of wheat including one called “Norin 10”. Salmon sent the Norin 10 seeds to Orville Vogel. These samples were used in 1952 by Norman Borlaug and collaborators and crossed with Mexican traditional varieties. They obtained the high-output varieties which were tested in India (Lerma Rojo 64 and Sonora 64) during the Green Revolution.
Norin 10 helped developing countries, such as India and Pakistan to increase the productivity of their crops from approximately 60% during the Green Revolution.

blondishandbookish

Coming from a foodie family who eat almost anything and having a vegan sister in law, I would recommend giving your family/ friends some vegan cook books for christmas....as its quite hard to work out what to cook if you invite someone for lunch/dinner.
I should add my SIL is vegan due to hippy parents not dietary needs nor any specific beliefs and is moving towards eating more foods.

However, we tend to cook both meat and vegan dishes for family celebrations so today, we did:
Perfumed leg of lamb
roasted veg with balsamic vinegar
Jerusalem artichokes
Lentil and chestnut loaf topped with cranberries
Rice
Desert was plum crumble with various options - greek yoghurt/cream/ice cream

We have also done porcini mushroom en croute with red wine/ porcini mushroom sauce/ numerous risottos/pasta/curries and are constantly looking at for vegan dishes that look good as well as taste good.

Good cookbooks (not necessarily veggie or vegan but have loads in them) include;
River Cafe (UK)
Madhur Jaffrey - Indian - some are veggie specific/ others have all kinds
Silver Spoon (Italian bible but has loads of veggie stuff)
Rose Elliot - vegan/ veggie specific

NGMama

Good for you for being willing to make a change! I feel so much better and healthier since becoming vegan.

Some of the books I've really enjoyed are The China Study, The Veganist, The Kind Diet and both of Jae Steele's cookbooks. Jae is actually a holistic nutritionist so her books have a lot of information AND loads of recipes. Her recipes are all whole foods with an emphasis on nutrition. I would say if you are buying books, check what the recipes are like. Skinny ***** (in my opinion) is a great book for understanding WHY being vegan is a good choice but I felt like their recipes relied really heavily on soy and processed soy pre-packaged stuff.

My favourite snack is air popped popcorn with Earth Balance buttery spread (soy free) and nutritional yeast. So delish!

Feel free to add me if you want some extra support.

stubsy1968

I'm not vegan but recently found this website and am in LOVE with Katie's recipes:

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do :drinker:

Kathy

quixoticmantis

Speaking as an ex-vegan who became very ill because of poor nutrition, please do a LOT of research. It's easy to be vegan - it takes a little more work to be a HEALTHY vegan

I eat meat now and could never go back, but I applaud your decision - it's a lovely lifestyle IF done correctly. Also remember to listen to your body....if it doesn't agree with veganism, don't feel like you need to stick with it....you're not a horrible person because you eat a hamburger. I hope it helps with your current issues!

daffodilsoup

you're not a horrible person because you eat a hamburger.

The cow would be inclined to disagree

msps1973

I just transitioned to vegan (off and on vegetarian for 18 yrs) in July. Ok, 95% vegan (sushi gets me everytime)! It seems daunting, but if you do your research you will be fine. THe books I read were The Kind Diet, 30 Day Vegan Challenge and Vegan for Dummies. I visit www.ohsheglows.com on a dialy basis for tasty recipes and LOVE Veganomicon- it is my main cookbook.

You do need to supplment B vitamins and omegas. I take a B vit and put chia seeds in my morning smoothie. I thought I was having a problem getting protein, but now that I am on MFP I see that I am not. Which is a huge relief! Don't rely on processed/packged foods. I use them as a convience food rather as my main source of meals. I make almost everything I eat. It really is a great feeling. My body is thanking me (and so are the animals) and is running much better. My hair has never looked healthier. I just fell better overall. I did loose about 7 lbs initially, but have not been working lout like I should. And I have been baking vegan chocolate cookies waaaay too much.



You can add me if you want. I just made the swtich so all the info is still fresh in my noggin'!

:0)

chelraeb

I'm not sure what's all been said here. I didn't read through all the replies. But I've been a vegetarian just a little shy of two years and now I'm on day 4 of the 21 day vegan kick start. I'm planning on staying on a plant based diet after the 21 days... this is just how I'm getting started I guess. I've tried a couple of recipes from Get Healthy, Go Vegan by Dr. Neal Barnard and from Robin Robertson's Quick-Fix Vegan and they have been very good. So far I haven't had any cravings and have been more than satisfied with the wide variety of a plant based diet. I think the most difficult part of making this transition is the people who want to argue with you and change your mind about being vegan. Just please understand that the majority of these people have not searched for the knowledge to understand that a plant based diet is the most healthy, best for the environment and most compassionate for not only animals but for people as well. I have several people in my life who try to argue with my husband and I on this on a daily basis. You are doing a wonderful thing. And the more support you have the better. I just started a Facebook page to try to seek out more support and maybe help others who are trying to make the transition.... not trying to sell anything or take over the world or anything.... http://www.facebook.com/pages/Feedingmysoul/212446158840185?ref=tn_tnmn

AnarchoGen

If you want to go full vegan, even things like honey are "off-limits" but it just depends...
There are lacto-ovo vegetarians (they eat dairy and egg products), pescetarians (eat fish) & other labels for people who eat certain things.

I'm not a strict vegan, but my chronic illnesses have improved from eliminating some things out of my diet.

Animal products and Gluten. I've discovered this from fasting, then I gradually added back foods. When I ate something like cheese - I would have arthritis & migraines for the next three days. Gluten took more time. I've struggled with anxiety & depression for years and notice my symptoms of these come back after eating gluten for about a week or 2. I thrive without those things.

The only animal product that I do eat are the eggs my 7 hens lay that I raise right in my own backyard, very rarely I eat fish & those don't have an adverse affect on my body.

18 years of suffering, & now I feel the best I've ever felt since I can remember. Give it a shot, I'll send you a friend request so you can get ideas from my food diary... I'm still learning about being a vegan, there's also a group on here that I just joined.

danmoffett

Here is the help I can offer, DON'T GO VEGAN!.
Read the book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Watch the YouTube interview with her at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

She was a vegetarian for 20 years, It almost killed her.

hispraiseinme

I'm interested in that 21 day vegan fast. Where can I find that. I do vegan on and off. I don't like eating much meat. The only meat I like now is fish. Mostly salmon. Vegan isn't easy. I do feel better on it and do lose weight.

daffodilsoup

Here is the help I can offer, DON'T GO VEGAN!.
Read the book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Watch the YouTube interview with her at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

She was a vegetarian for 20 years, It almost killed her.

Any diet will affect your health if you aren't getting the proper nutrients. There are countless vegetarians and vegans out there, ranging from dancers to triathletes. If you are eating a varied diet and meeting all your macros, there is nothing wrong with leading a compassionate lifestyle.

Bentley2718

There is a book called Becoming Vegan, by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, both of whom are registered dietitians. I would recommend reading this book, or a similar book on vegan nutrition before you try to go vegan.

Bentley2718

PS- I share an office with a vegan, but I'm a happy meat-eater so no tips from me, except that she says most bread is vegan. I didn't expect that.

Most french-type bread is vegan, a lot of sandwhich-type bread has dairy and/or egg products.

mamagooskie

I"m vegan.....but newish at only 4 months, I was veggie for 4 months prior to that. I did a lot of research online, reading books from the library, went to my doctor to make sure this was okay for me, and I read labels constantly (and still do) at the grocery store. I do cook a lot of my meals from scratch and in the last 8 months I have come to have quite the recipe collection. I really like the vegweb site. I eat a variety of lentils, beans, veggies, fruits, and minimal pastas and breads (only since I don't think calorie wise for me they are "worth it") but I feel great, and always have energy, it's not too hard once you get going but it does take some trial and error. I've tried several vegan cheese and I really only like daiya shreds but I did try one nacho soy cheese that was good.

Tofu is wonderful if cooked right but I agree it won't fool you into thinking you are eating a tbone steak or anything like that. I love love love almond milk and drink only the unsweetened variety, It is awesome on cereal, in baking, with coffee/tea. I also drink a protein shake everyday after I work out and I used a rice based powder mixed with unsweetened chocolate almond milk....soooo good!!

Peta has a huge list of non vegan items.......like beer and wine.....those shocked me. I know someone else mentioned gelatin and honey but I just recently found vegan jello and marshmallows and agave nectar and brown rice syrup are delicious replacements for honey (I use only for baking really)

Once you start reading labels though you will be surprised at how many things contain eggs, or egg whites or dried eggs, and casein or whey. Granola bars proved to be a bit difficult to find since honey is added to so many of them. But over the last while I have found pretty much replacements for all my old faves and I don't think I want to ever look back.

I have never eaten so many tasty, healthy meals in my life and even hubby and the kids enjoy them (most of the time) the only time I have difficulty is eating out at restaurants. sometimes ordering can be hell......so I try and check out the menu or call ahead and usually it all works out.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR JOURNEY TO BECOME VEGAN!! Feel free to add me as a friend, you can check out my food diary for ideas or pm me anytime!!

AnarchoGen

Here is the help I can offer, DON'T GO VEGAN!.
Read the book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Watch the YouTube interview with her at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

She was a vegetarian for 20 years, It almost killed her.

Well, I'm not quick to defend a vegan diet because for me, I do eat eggs and fish once in awhile. Mostly eggs because I get 30 per week from my chickens. I definitely don't know enough to say "It is possible to be vegan for the rest of your life" vegans have 'deficiencies' in B12, carnitine, taurine, DHA etc. that can only be found in animal products. You can always replace them with supplements I guess.

I'm watching the video right now. I firmly believe that we should buy local as much as possible before we make that trip to the grocery store, I raise my own chickens and I have my own garden, I do as much as I can to be more self sufficient each year.

This is a very interesting video, thanks for sharing
It reminds me of Food Inc.

brattneyj

I recently stopped eating certain foods because of digestion issues, VEgan I do not completely know, I know that protein is a major source of energy our bodies need a lot. I eat fish, nuts, and a lot of beans. Lentils are a good source of protein. lentils can be used for good soups.. Tofu, and cabbage also go well together. Hope that helps