Any vegans?

michcor

Let's be friends! I've been vegan for almost 8 months now, and I'd really love to check out some vegan food diaries
I don't eat tofu, seitan, miso, temph, etc, so I'm looking for more ways to get protein.

redraidergirl2009

So is there a reason you don't eat those things? Just curious. You can still get protein from beans and grains if you eat those. I love beans.

selina_kyle

I'm not vegan but I'm thinking about transitioning to a vegan diet because I've recently noticed how negatively dairy foods impact my body.

tracivee

Added you I went vegan last April, but the last 2 months have been more vegetarian. Always trying to do better...

m2kz

What's wrong with meat?

If you need a perfect source of natural protein, eat fish, shellfish, lean meat, grass fed beef, organic chicken etc.

Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes and you'll see the difficulty with being a vegan and how it contributes to many health issues.

Sorry, but I find the vegan and vegetarian movement can be a bit misguided by lack of credible science to support a non-meat diet. It seems ethically driven rather than nutrition driven. Sure veggies and fruit and nuts are good for you, but grain and legume based diets wreak havoc on your digestive system which was designed for eating protein from flesh.

Read that book and see what you think.. I was a vegetarian, eating a low fat grain based diet, and had high cholesterol, was gaining weight , and had such low B12 I needed to get vitamin shots from the doctor. Went back to meat / fish and got so much healthier.

veganbaum

There are vegan and vegetarian groups on here that you can search for and join. You'll find lots of people there to friend.

tracivee

What's wrong with meat?

If you need a perfect source of natural protein, eat fish, shellfish, lean meat, grass fed beef, organic chicken etc.

Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes and you'll see the difficulty with being a vegan and how it contributes to many health issues.

Sorry, but I find the vegan and vegetarian movement can be a bit misguided by lack of credible science to support a non-meat diet. It seems ethically driven rather than nutrition driven. Sure veggies and fruit and nuts are good for you, but grain and legume based diets wreak havoc on your digestive system which was designed for eating protein from flesh.

Read that book and see what you think.. I was a vegetarian, eating a low fat grain based diet, and had high cholesterol, was gaining weight , and had such low B12 I needed to get vitamin shots from the doctor. Went back to meat / fish and got so much healthier.

Read The China Study. 'Nuff said.

http://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660

serofex

I am 24 and have been a vegan for 9 years. I get my blood tested regularly and have seen a nutritionist. I have never EVER been iron or b12 deficient and I only recently started TRYING to eat healthily and keep track of my iron intake and protein intake. I've realized, after joining MFP and keeping track of my protein and iron intake, that I get even more than I'm technically supposed to on most days. Those that complain about a vegan diet being nutritionally inadequate are just doing it wrong and trying to blame their inability to be a healthy vegan on the diet as a whole, rather then their own misgivings.

babyblake11

i've thought of not eating meat myself.. but then i realised it was processed dairy that was the problem.. raw milk could be a nutritious food source but modern dairy is pasteurised, homogenized and goes through many more processes.

if its because of animal rights issues, thats your opinion entirely.
if its for 'heath' reasons. have a look at my 'what is healthy food?' thread.
maybe try eating fish, maybe even freezing, then curing and eating it raw. (look up a reliable recipe and make sure you freeze)

serofex

I'm also curious about miso? My mom cannot eat soy or wheat, but her doctor said that miso and tempeh are more easily digestible and they don't seem to aggravate her food allergies. I personally LOVE miso soup and make it at least once a week. Low in calories and delicious!

honeyandmilk

What's wrong with meat?

If you need a perfect source of natural protein, eat fish, shellfish, lean meat, grass fed beef, organic chicken etc.

Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes and you'll see the difficulty with being a vegan and how it contributes to many health issues.

Sorry, but I find the vegan and vegetarian movement can be a bit misguided by lack of credible science to support a non-meat diet. It seems ethically driven rather than nutrition driven. Sure veggies and fruit and nuts are good for you, but grain and legume based diets wreak havoc on your digestive system which was designed for eating protein from flesh.

Read that book and see what you think.. I was a vegetarian, eating a low fat grain based diet, and had high cholesterol, was gaining weight , and had such low B12 I needed to get vitamin shots from the doctor. Went back to meat / fish and got so much healthier.

Well, that's you. It's easy to be malnourished on every diet; it takes educating yourself in order to get adequate nutrition. I'm actually pretty certain that this person, as a vegan, did not post here intending for people to reply "What's wrong with meat?" as I'm sure that they've already decided that meat is out of the question.

Being a vegetarian/vegan isn't always about health, and there are also MANY reasons why switching to a plant-based diet is healthier than not. I'm not going to preach about it though, because it's none of my business. A diet is a very individual thing and there is no "perfect" diet for every person. Let her do her, and you do you.

OP: I'm a vegetarian, so I get protein from dairy products and eggs. I also soy proteins and seitan, though, so I'm able to get protein from those sources. I also recommend quinoa (it's a complete protein), nutritional yeast, beans/lentils, nuts and seeds, and protein powder.

madcat_wechanged

What's wrong with meat?

If you need a perfect source of natural protein, eat fish, shellfish, lean meat, grass fed beef, organic chicken etc.

Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes and you'll see the difficulty with being a vegan and how it contributes to many health issues.

Sorry, but I find the vegan and vegetarian movement can be a bit misguided by lack of credible science to support a non-meat diet. It seems ethically driven rather than nutrition driven. Sure veggies and fruit and nuts are good for you, but grain and legume based diets wreak havoc on your digestive system which was designed for eating protein from flesh.

Read that book and see what you think.. I was a vegetarian, eating a low fat grain based diet, and had high cholesterol, was gaining weight , and had such low B12 I needed to get vitamin shots from the doctor. Went back to meat / fish and got so much healthier.

Read The China Study. 'Nuff said.

http://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660

Watch "Forks over Knives" as well....

FruityGoddess

I am vegan! I have been vegan 8 years and had two children who are now vegan too. Horses are vegan and they eat grass, where do they get their protein? Just eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables including leafy greens and you will be fine on protein (amino acids are the building blocks of protein). And I rarely eat soy or processed soy meats

jenilla1

What's wrong with meat?

If you need a perfect source of natural protein, eat fish, shellfish, lean meat, grass fed beef, organic chicken etc.

Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes and you'll see the difficulty with being a vegan and how it contributes to many health issues.

Sorry, but I find the vegan and vegetarian movement can be a bit misguided by lack of credible science to support a non-meat diet. It seems ethically driven rather than nutrition driven. Sure veggies and fruit and nuts are good for you, but grain and legume based diets wreak havoc on your digestive system which was designed for eating protein from flesh.

Read that book and see what you think.. I was a vegetarian, eating a low fat grain based diet, and had high cholesterol, was gaining weight , and had such low B12 I needed to get vitamin shots from the doctor. Went back to meat / fish and got so much healthier.

She's not really asking for opinions, just looking for like-minded friends. :flowerforyou:

P.S. I am not a vegan, but for health reasons (funky digestive disorder) I cannot tolerate red meat, pork, dairy, gluten, beans or eggs. I wouldn't really even want to eat beef or pork, so that's no loss. I eat low or unprocessed gluten-free vegan plus birds and fish. An animal based diet is not best for everyone. Thank goodness most of the world doesn't eat like we do. Can you imagine the resources it would take to feed all of us?

redraidergirl2009

What's wrong with meat?

are you serious? If she doesn't want to eat meat she doesn't have to.

m2kz

In the China Study, they did not isolate enough variables to actually be able to support the view of a fully vegetarian/ vegan diet. In the China Study they found that cancer levels were higher, but total mortality rates from the non/low eat meaters was actually higher than those that ate meat.
Diets in the 65 study counties may have been largely plant based, but they were not entirely. Taubes book debunks many of the issues in the China Study. So read this one as well and see what you think. Definitely interesting and making me wish I did my masters in biochemistry instead of environmental science! Its worth the debate.

m2kz

I didn't say she had to eat meat, but was suggesting that people reconsider adding some meat/fish back to the diet if they struggle with proteins and B12.. I was questioning whether its an ethical choice or if its based on research and I highly recommend the Taubes book. Its not an easy or short read but worthwhile.

I do live in New Zealand and we don't have the same type of meat here - eg. all the cows are grass fed / pasture raised - very different fatty acid profiles etc. There is probably a stronger imperative to go on fully plant based diets in the USA compared to here, but I guess I don't believe the China Study gives the full picture after reading Taubes. "Plant based" can be heavily whole food /plant based but doesnt mean you have to eliminate all of natures best sources of protein.

m2kz

I hear what you are saying. Heaps of grain/corn fed to cows is bad for everyone... takes heaps of resources to produce them, and then they make a lot of methane to boot because cows are not meant to eat corn. In NZ the cows graze on grass. So I definitely agree with you on the resource front. But maybe if everyone just ate less overall , there would be enough for all of the world?

Jacqsie

If it's someones lifestyle choice for one of many reasons like my own then why feel the need to constantly bombard the girl for asking if there were any other vegans, plus she asked for help and insight...not to be told she was wrong. If people eat meat they eat meat, if they don't they don't plain and simple. My personal experience is that I'm vegan, 7 months now for me, and I could run circles around most of my friends who are meat eaters.....I am not saying it is because they eat meat that is this possible but just trying to help show that although I am vegan, like the many on this site that we are not malnourished and probably sit and stuff our faces with lovely healthy foods.

spamantha57

What's wrong with meat?

If you need a perfect source of natural protein, eat fish, shellfish, lean meat, grass fed beef, organic chicken etc.

Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes and you'll see the difficulty with being a vegan and how it contributes to many health issues.

Sorry, but I find the vegan and vegetarian movement can be a bit misguided by lack of credible science to support a non-meat diet. It seems ethically driven rather than nutrition driven. Sure veggies and fruit and nuts are good for you, but grain and legume based diets wreak havoc on your digestive system which was designed for eating protein from flesh.

Read that book and see what you think.. I was a vegetarian, eating a low fat grain based diet, and had high cholesterol, was gaining weight , and had such low B12 I needed to get vitamin shots from the doctor. Went back to meat / fish and got so much healthier.

Ugh..... :grumble:

Do you want someone telling you what IS wrong with meat? To go read books? To go research studies? What difficulties carnivores have & how it wreaks havoc on YOUR digestive system? How meat eaters are misguided, lack credibility, that your digestive system isn't made to process meat? That I was a meat eater, had health problems, and when I stopped eating meat I got better and rarely get sick at all anymore?

No?

Maybe you shouldn't tell that to vegans & vegetarians then.

m2kz

Yeah, watched it recently. I'm not convinced by the China Study. I guess that is why I brought it up... I don't think they isolate the 'plant based diet' enough - and it showed issues with non-meat eating diets..... that doesnt fully support a total plant based.

I'm just raising it because I was a bit shocked by the Taubes book.