Should I Become a Vegan?

GasMasterFlash

For those who are not familiar with what the term vegan means -- it simply means a person who does not consume any animal products what so ever.

So it's not someone from the same planet as Spock?? :laugh: :laugh: :noway:

Spock is from Vulvan, not Vega.

I totally read Vulva instead of Vulcan.

Probably because the person wrote "Vulvan".

MichelleRenee13

I am not telling anybody what to do NOR did I state that being vegan automatically means a healthier diet.

I am talking in general that veg*ns and omnivores can be snobby and defensive. I have seen in real life and on these forums.

There are many foods that vegans eat that are fortified with b-12 and as I stated, nutritional yeast flakes (there are 2 types...one is fortified with b-12).

Omnivores are getting their b-12 through animals because of what the animal ate....veg*ns can easily get their b-12 through fortified products. It is a non issue if you pay attention to what you are eating.

Calcium and vitamin D...you don't need to supplement but can if you aren't getting enough....that is with any diet. Many foods for veg*ns are fortified with vitamin D just as food for omnivores. Calcium....green leafy vegetables, tofu, tahini and fortified foods. It isn't an issue. One must make informed choices....no matter the diet.

I didn't suggest anyone changing their diet. I was just making some observations from things being posted in the thread.

Why you chose to put words in my mouth or twist what I was saying, I have no clue...that is on you.

Any diet can be unhealthy

Veg*n and meat eaters and both can be snobby and defensive about their preferred diet.

Also, you don’t need animal products to reach your iron and b-12 needs. B-12 comes from the soil and veg*n can supplement or just sprinkle delicious nutritional yeast flakes on food. Iron is NOT hard to obtain on a vegan diet….tis a myth. I am just addressing what I have read in this thread.

My 2 cents.

Well, to sum up, the OP, after considering it for all of 2 days, is planning to become vegan because it's better for maintaining weight. It's non-trivial to get adequate nutrition on a vegan diet, and simply BEING vegan doesn't make it healthier than a diet including meat. The OP can just as easily maintain weight on a healthy omnivorous diet, and choosing vegan because you believe it's automatically healthier or easier to maintain weight on, is simply not valid. I've seen two "snobby and defensive" vegans on this thread. I haven't seen any "snobby and defensive" omnivores. Why? Omnivores KNOW an omnivorous OR vegan diet can be healthy OR unhealthy. The two vegans mentioned don't seem to know it's possible to have an unhealthy vegan diet and/or a healthy omnivorous diet.

BTW, BOTH of these studies seem to disagree with you on B12. They both seem to indicate that vegans CAN get enough B12 but only through supplementation. One also indicates possible deficiencies of Vitamin D and calcium barring supplementation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22493163
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19279075

My only point here is that the OP needs to do a lot of research before embarking on this dramatically different (for the OP) way of eating, to ensure proper nutrition. Two days consideration isn't enough.

carld256

I've been vegetarian for 30 years and vegan off an on. I'm pretty solidly vegan now. I think it's the healthiest way to eat in the world.

If you're saying that in vegan vs omnivorous, vegan is always healthier, you're plain and simple wrong. I can eat a totally vegan junk food diet and a totally healthy diet including animal products. YOUR diet may be healthy, but there's nothing intrinsically more healthy about simply being vegan.

If you're getting fat and unhealthy on a vegan diet then you're doing it very wrong. Of course when I say vegan I don't mean junk food vegan.

tigersword

I've been vegetarian for 30 years and vegan off an on. I'm pretty solidly vegan now. I think it's the healthiest way to eat in the world.

If you're saying that in vegan vs omnivorous, vegan is always healthier, you're plain and simple wrong. I can eat a totally vegan junk food diet and a totally healthy diet including animal products. YOUR diet may be healthy, but there's nothing intrinsically more healthy about simply being vegan.

If you're getting fat and unhealthy on a vegan diet then you're doing it very wrong. Of course when I say vegan I don't mean junk food vegan.

But that was the point. ANY diet can be healthy or unhealthy. Vegan diet is no more healthy or unhealthy than any other diet.

carld256

I've been vegetarian for 30 years and vegan off an on. I'm pretty solidly vegan now. I think it's the healthiest way to eat in the world.

If you're saying that in vegan vs omnivorous, vegan is always healthier, you're plain and simple wrong. I can eat a totally vegan junk food diet and a totally healthy diet including animal products. YOUR diet may be healthy, but there's nothing intrinsically more healthy about simply being vegan.

If you're getting fat and unhealthy on a vegan diet then you're doing it very wrong. Of course when I say vegan I don't mean junk food vegan.

But that was the point. ANY diet can be healthy or unhealthy. Vegan diet is no more healthy or unhealthy than any other diet.

Yes it is. Omnivores have higher rates of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease than vegans. The fact that you can eat a bad vegan diet doesn't change that.

susannamarie

I've been vegetarian for 30 years and vegan off an on. I'm pretty solidly vegan now. I think it's the healthiest way to eat in the world.

If you're saying that in vegan vs omnivorous, vegan is always healthier, you're plain and simple wrong. I can eat a totally vegan junk food diet and a totally healthy diet including animal products. YOUR diet may be healthy, but there's nothing intrinsically more healthy about simply being vegan.

If you're getting fat and unhealthy on a vegan diet then you're doing it very wrong. Of course when I say vegan I don't mean junk food vegan.

Vegan diet and junk food diet are not mutually exclusive. Why do people act like they are?

janola02

I went vegan. It was the worst thing I ever did. Humans are made to eat meat. We are natural hunter gathers. Sure factory farming is not good. Buy grass fed then.

The China Study was one of the biggest hoaxes.

Eat fats. Reduce fat products only remove fats to increase carbs. Fats don't make you fat. Even whole grain products aren't natural. stick to fruits, vegetables, fats, and protein and you will not get fat. Skip the processed stuff.

Eat like this and you won't even be hungry or have to eat 8 times a day, etc.

beckers80

bump

cathomer

My mum, her partner, my uncle, his wife, his son, and my nan are all vegan. They are some of the healthiest people I know and cook the loveliest food. You can make sure you get everything you need, and lots of food is fortified now. My uncle adds vecon to soups, chillis, curries etc. as it has vitamin b12, and adds lots of flavour

It's something I'd love to do eventually but not in the right place at the moment. Good luck with whatever you decide, it is a great choice though if you do go for it.

rprussell2004

No.

momtokgo

OP - I'll tell you my experience in this matter, but its really a choice only you can make. No one can tell you what to do, or what to eat, or what will be better for you, but jumping into veganism without more thought (especially when you like meat) is bound to fail. Its not an easy lifestyle. And those processed meat replacements you were talking about are not very good for you either.

I am a dietary vegan, I live in a house full of animal products (leather, skulls, antlers, bear skin rug) and I cook meat for my family daily. The ethics of veganism had nothing to do with my choice.

I am not a dietary vegan by choice. I am a vegan because if I eat meat or dairy or eggs, I end up really sick and its not worth it. Last time I had chicken (and not much of it) I was sick the entire next day. My body just doesn't tolerate it. Its hard. Really hard. I'm not going to lie. Watching my family have a delicious meal of bbq'd steak is enough to make me want to cry. Deciding to be vegan for not medical reasons is really something you have to be very commited too, ist not something to make a spur of the moment decision over.

missiemandy

Vegan means nothing to me. I've seen many overweight 'vegans'. Eat whatever you like in moderation, pay attention to your macros and eat a variety of unprocessed foods. That's all. Keep it simple.

redraidergirl2009

You can be a fat vegan...highly processed 'vegan' food is as bad as regular non-vegan processed food in most cases where it's high in fat and sodium. I'm vegan and I'll have a veggie patty here and there, but I don't depend on them as my staple. I like to eat a lot of beans and squash and various other dishes where I don't use a 'meat replacement'. The same goes with dairy replacements, many are high in fat just like cheese and milk, ect...