Things Vegans Commonly Hear

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  • abrahamsitososa
    abrahamsitososa Posts: 716 Member
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    I get asked " where do you get your protein?" "Do you have a vitamin B12 deficiency" "Where do uou get your calcium and vitamin D for the bones". It's freaking annoying trying to explain to some people that I'm not starving myself. They are the oned starving themselves with a lack of nutrients and poisoning their bodies.
  • abrahamsitososa
    abrahamsitososa Posts: 716 Member
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    Speaking of the Bible.. "Our body is the temple of God" and I don't throw dead animals in there to stink up the place.
  • abrahamsitososa
    abrahamsitososa Posts: 716 Member
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    After I tell someone that I have been vegan for 10 years
    "But you look... healthy... not pale and skinny"
    Uhhhh... yah. Not all vegans are super skinny or unhealthy.

    "Where do you get your protein?" <-- the average North American consumes 3x too much protein (a stat I learned in my university nutrition class) and excessive protein is hard on your liver.

    "Well, you're vegan and that's your choice" after I've said that I can't go somewhere that doesn't have any vegan options. That one irks me a lot. I downplay myself because I'm also lactose intolerant (which I discovered once I went vegan), but I don't feel like that's even right either.

    Good point. Being skinny or thick has nothing to do with being vegan. It's all about a person's genetics. Why are Gorillas so big and strong if all they eat is fruits and vegetables right?
  • lisbethschopenhauer
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    "Tofu? oh, I couldn't eat that"


    I usually answer like this:
    "Oh, that's an easy one. First of all you open your mouth, put the tofu in, chew (or don't) and swallow." :D

    Also another occasion:
    I ate lentil stew (homemade) for lunch at work.
    Coworker: "Oh what is this? It looks gross"
    Me: "Lentil stew. And yours?"
    Coworker:" Scrambled eggs".

    Something went horribly wrong here! :D
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
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    Heard in Texas (no offense to TX friends!): "Vegan?? So that means you just eat chicken, right? No red meat or whatever?" heheheh I just agreed b/c honestly, it wasn't worth going into it. I was at a steak house with a bunch of co-workers. I got a plain baked potato and an iceberg letter salad. ha.

    Ha, I am from Texas, and this does not surprise me at all! Being vegan in Texas is a special kind of challenge!!! Especially in East Texas, which is full of hunters!!
  • LucybellMocha
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    I'm in Texas, as well. They do not understand vegans much (except, in Austin). Anyway, perhaps it is a southern thing, but the non-vegans I've talked with in San Antonio seem to really FREAK OUT at the prospect of removing cheese from their diet - they honestly can't imagine a life with out it! I used to love cheese, and I honestly don't miss it because I feel so much better.
  • KetsyBaby
    KetsyBaby Posts: 40 Member
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    I have been Vegan for a very short time, and once a family member hears they either get all defensive about their own choices, or tell me they don't want to hear about it. Here are some of the choice things I have heard so far:

    "But Kosher meat is different, it is killed in the most humane way, that's part of the rules"
    [I responded "In theory". I beg to differ, have they watched "Earthlings"?]

    "You have to be careful not to eat too many Carbs"
    [This one is mind-boggling and proof of the sway of the Atkins era malarkey]

    "You will still eat eggs though, you need some 'real' protein"
    [Where to begin with this one...]

    "This is my first ever vegan meal, and it's fricken amazing!"
    [This from my brother after I made my own version of Vegan Chili last night, he even photographed it and posted it on Facebook". I am certain he has had a vegan or at least vegetarian meal before, but people don't know what that means.]

    "Please, we'll see how long this sticks, don't get too crazy"
    [This is not a fad diet for me, this is about compassion for my fellow creatures, a wish to help the planet, and something I believe my body has been begging for, for decades most likely, and I am not going back. I can't even look at raw meat without feeling nauseous these days.]


    :heart: Please Add ME To Your Friends Support Team, I am looking for like minded individuals who are at the beginning, middle, or near goal in their journey to help me stay motivated and positive. I love a great sense of humor! I have a long road ahead of me, and need a good network of friends. :heart:

    Ketsy
    40, Female
    GTA, Ontario, CANADA
  • DazzlnDiva
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    LOL, I know I'm in Dallas and the things I hear are ridiculous! Mostly negative comments and just plain rude. I think people have a problem with things they don't understand or have the discipline to do themselves. I get that a lot at work from one individual in particular. She just hates it that I make a commitment and stick to it and she can't so she's critical and negative. But I love my new lifestyle and I'm learning a lot about how to make better choices for my health.
  • jenmcblais
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    where do you get your proten...? No i mean a complete protein, FFS really? hmm maybe kale, nuts, beans, anything without a face, oh and guess what, I get more "real "protein then your uncompasionate diet does, ,,,,just saying
  • jenmcblais
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    yes, i know, and my husband laughs and ays no she eats grass, whatever i will be the person over here without heart disease thanks
  • jenmcblais
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    There are NO vegan meals at resturants except salad, and i went for dinner last week and had a veggie pizza but asked them to leave the cheese off, the waitress asked if i had dietary restrictions or was this by choice. I never know how to respond to people, why are they so suprised by ppl who want to eat compassionately,?
  • sharkweek
    sharkweek Posts: 165 Member
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    "Oh, cool. I'm vegetarian, except I eat chicken and fish."

    or

    "I'm practically vegan, except I eat meat every now and then."

    I never know how to respond to this - it REALLY irks me, but even people who only eat chicken and fish are causing a little less suffering. So I usually just smile and nod.
  • sharkweek
    sharkweek Posts: 165 Member
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    My favorite comment is, "God made animals for us to eat."

    Then why do we have smooth teeth, longer intestine than animals like cats and dogs who's intestine are smaller and made to digest things a lot faster than us? If we were to meat the right way, it would be to hunt the <insert animal> by using our teeth, tearing at it's neck to kill it then eating everything that's on it...intestines, organs, flesh, muscles, etc.

    Yes, I'm only a 3 month Vegan but as I've heard from other vegans, "For everyone one argument you have against vegan-ism; I have two!"
    THIS! When I first went vegetarian 8+ years ago, my extended family told me that I was, and this is a direct quote, "defying God's plan." (By the time I went vegan, they knew not to bother.)
  • Rodap9631
    Rodap9631 Posts: 38 Member
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    IVE
  • Rodap9631
    Rodap9631 Posts: 38 Member
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    "If we didnt breed animals for food, so many of them would never live. We gave them the gift of life"
    IVE THOUGHT OF THAT MYSELF PREVIOUSLY AND HAVE NO ANSWER FOR THAT.

    MAYBE IT COULD BE THE GIFT OF LIFE ISN'T WORTH IT IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES. OR JUST PERHAPS THERE IS NO ANSWER TO THAT ONE AT ALL AS ANY LIFE IS WORTHING LIVING TO SOME.
  • Rodap9631
    Rodap9631 Posts: 38 Member
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    There are NO vegan meals at resturants except salad, and i went for dinner last week and had a veggie pizza but asked them to leave the cheese off, the waitress asked if i had dietary restrictions or was this by choice. I never know how to respond to people, why are they so suprised by ppl who want to eat compassionately,?
    TELL HER IT'S BY CHOICE THAT YOU WILL NOT TELL HER THE REASON YOU DON'T WANT CHEESE. UNLESS OF COURSE SHES JUST BEING FRIENDLY.
  • Chasbest7
    Chasbest7 Posts: 3 Member
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    "If we didnt breed animals for food, so many of them would never live. We gave them the gift of life"

    Oh thats just crazy ... I haven't heard this one. And really, what kind of a "life" are they giving them ... I sure wouldn't want that kind of a life. Its funny because people that think that these cows have such a great life probably have never even thought about what kind of a life they really have...and they probably go home and love on their puppy or kitty ...but never think twice about that cow or pig. Anyways ... off my soap box =) sorry...thisis just very new to me.

    When I decided to become veg (a few months ago) everyone at work kept asking "why ...you have to eat something, you cant live off of salads" my reply is "I don't eat much salad ...I eat a lot of fruits and veggies and other stuff, but not much salad" and they just stare at me like Im somecrazy person. Lol, its kinda funny!
  • abrahamsitososa
    abrahamsitososa Posts: 716 Member
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    I have a cousin that is very excited to lose weight because he seen my progress and he keeps asking me for advice on what to do. So yesterday he asked me... "but without milk and eggs how am I going to eat breakfast?" Lol the funny thing is that he was being serious.
  • alanlmarshall
    alanlmarshall Posts: 587 Member
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    "You have to eat complete protein or you'll die painfully," or some other 30 year old psuedo science.
  • freckles_cmj
    freckles_cmj Posts: 205 Member
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    I think I just need to stay out of the general forums here.....the idiocy is astounding