Any vegans?
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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.
If that doesn't convince you perhaps you should talk to some vegans here on mfp and get their personal accounts on how a vegan diet has affected their health?0 -
I'm vegan! Well, I'm a fairly new vegan but I'm absolutely loving every minute of it.0
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I've been a vegetarian since birth, if I wasn't I'd be dead right now. Wouldn't have made it past infancy.
About 2 years ago I decided to "limit" myself even more, and I became a vegan. I don't miss animal products, the thought of consuming any animal products disgusts me.
I am also soy-free.
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Hi michcor
All the best with veganism.
I suggest you investigate quorn and beans.
most quorn is made with egg whites...0 -
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.
Vegans and Vegetarians most often choose to not eat meat (or dairy/eggs in the case of a vegan) because of animal welfare.
I am a vegetarian. I haven't consumed meat since June 2012. I am healthy... I get the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients I need (the only suppliments I take are a B12 and a flaxseed oil one).
What's wrong with meat? How about the fact that a lot of vegans and vegetarians don't feel right eating meat because they don't want to eat an animal. How about the fact of how those animals are treated? How they are slaugtered? Etc. There are a lot of things good and bad when it comes to meat... it depends on your views. Some it doesn't bother... some don't agree with the way the animals are treated and some want to help reduce their carbon footprint as raising animals for meat does create a lot of waste and pollution.
I don't eat meat because of how the animals are treated. I choose not to eat another living thing. I also knew that while it might be a bit more difficult I can get the nutrients from meats in other foods. I still cook meat in my house because my husband eats it and I don't believe he needs to eat the same way I choose to just because I cook (he does eat a lot less meat now that I don't eat it though). I have no issues with others eating meat, I choose not to. Just don't try to tell me that your way of eating is better than mine.
Just because you didn't become a healthy vegetarian doesn't mean everyone isn't. If you are proprely informed and eat the proper foods you don't need meat or fish... meat and fish don't make you healthy.
I have thought about becoming vegan however at this time it isn't in the budget for us as it would require far too many different purchases at our weekly grocery shop.
You should see the amount of incredible healthy vegans and vegetarians. Of course there is also a lot of unhealthy ones out there as well who don't eat the proper things. Understand and research whatever diet you choose to do so you know how to be healthy.
Also, I'm not a fan of Taubes... one can point out a lot of faults in his work. He is just another author trying to get rich on making some diet book whether it's good or not.0 -
. It seems ethically driven rather than nutrition driven.
And??? I am vegan, mainly for ethical and environmental reasons. I want a fairer, more sustainable world and i can do my bit by being vegan. I can survive and thrive eating this way, so i will. Yes, humans have evolved with the ability to eat meat but in this day and age it is a choice, i chose not to.
..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.
A vegan diet does not contain any cholesterol at all.
Of course you can gain weight, especially at first as your mind and body needs to adjust. It's up to you to gain, loose, maintain weight whatever your diet consists of.
I also struggled with B12 at first and had to have injections. It smartened me up - i now drink much more fortified soya milks and take supplements. Yes, this is one nutrient that you may have to supplement, ONE! Not a big deal!
I'm gald you go healthier. For me, veganism has nothing to do with my health.0 -
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.
That's why I transitioned over a year ago. Every once in a while I'll have a piece of meat, but that's almost never. If I do "break vegan" it's usually for sushi. So many good dairy free options out there.0 -
Vegan 3 years, vegetarian 13 years before that; yesterday was a big off day
but hopefully you'll like the other days, I added you. I personally don't eat much in the way of meat substitutes though, I've never once had any problems with my diet being deficient in anything, based on blood tests. The only health problems I've ever had was sore throats; even after having my tonsils removed. Haven't had a problem since I stopped eating foods that are designed for calves Based on my experience with meat diet, as a peskatarian, vegetarian, lacto vegetarian and vegan, I feel miles better as a vegan 0 -
Hi michcor
All the best with veganism.
I suggest you investigate quorn and beans.
most quorn is made with egg whites...
or cheese; not one single quorn product here is vegan, I hear they launched a burger last year but so far nothing here. Never liked it anyway though. Linda McCartney sausages are vegan though, but they're too realistic for me0 -
LOL. A Canadian company came up with a no peanut product that looked and tasted like peanut butter but the school board still banned the product saying it still looked like peanut butter. Same same but different. A real head scratcher.Hi michcor
All the best with veganism.
I suggest you investigate quorn and beans.
most quorn is made with egg whites...
Linda McCartney sausages are vegan though, but they're too realistic for me0 -
Hi michcor
All the best with veganism.
I suggest you investigate quorn and beans.
most quorn is made with egg whites...
or cheese; not one single quorn product here is vegan, I hear they launched a burger last year but so far nothing here. Never liked it anyway though. Linda McCartney sausages are vegan though, but they're too realistic for me
according to the website, quorn released a vegan burger (wow, 1 whole product) but I haven't seen it in the US as of yet.0 -
. It seems ethically driven rather than nutrition driven.
And??? I am vegan, mainly for ethical and environmental reasons. I want a fairer, more sustainable world and i can do my bit by being vegan. I can survive and thrive eating this way, so i will. Yes, humans have evolved with the ability to eat meat but in this day and age it is a choice, i chose not to.
..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.
A vegan diet does not contain any cholesterol at all.
Of course you can gain weight, especially at first as your mind and body needs to adjust. It's up to you to gain, loose, maintain weight whatever your diet consists of.
I also struggled with B12 at first and had to have injections. It smartened me up - i now drink much more fortified soya milks and take supplements. Yes, this is one nutrient that you may have to supplement, ONE! Not a big deal!
I'm gald you go healthier. For me, veganism has nothing to do with my health.
nutritional yeast contains lots of B vitamins0 -
Can I friend you too?0
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Hi~
I have been vegan since January 2011. My whole little family is as well. Feel free to add me :-)0 -
I think it's hard to say that one diet is suited to everybody. Every single person has a unique body that handles food differently. What works for you, ex: meat, doesn't work for other people like me. I feel 1000% healthier without animal products, but accept that this doesn't work for everyone. As far as credible studies are concerned, it's hard to get perfect studies in anything as they're so easily affected but external factors that sometimes, you simply can't avoid. For example, I think that mental health has a huge impact on physical health and it's hard to account for someones happiness in a study purely based on diet. As for me, going vegan was an ecological decision which had hugely positive health benefits. And if you eat a good variety of foods and know where you need to supplement, there's no reason you shouldn't be healthy doing it if you're willing to put the effort in.0
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Repeat.0
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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.
That's not entirely true. Sure, many people probably aren't getting adequate nutrition, which would lead to deficiencies. However, it's an individual thing - iron absorption varies from person to person and there are other factors outside of diet that go into various deficiencies. I don't think it's fair to say that anyone who has an iron or vitamin deficiency is doing something wrong or isn't well versed in nutrition.0 -
For anyone who is trying to sway you to eat meat for your protein, where do you think your 'meat' gets their protein from?
OP - feel free to add me, I've been vegan for 12+ years. Struggles to get your protein is a myth... there is protein in everything we eat. There are some sources that are more protein rich, of course, a few include quinoa, hemp, nuts (and nut butters) and lentils.
If you're looking for some good info regarding eating a plant based diet you could read Dr Joel Fuhrman's Eat to LIve. A couple other good sources of info:
The China Study
Crazy Sexy Diet
Diet for a New America
Have fun on your journey... remember it's a lifestyle not a religion... be kind to yourself...
...scatter joy...0 -
Search the groups for vegan groups.
Posting on a board that you're vegan will just get a bunch of people *****ing at you.0 -
Sorry it didn't work out for you but there are soooo many healthy vegetarians and vegans out there. I think someone is trying to find support not opposition.0
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Search the groups for vegan groups.
Posting on a board that you're vegan will just get a bunch of people *****ing at you.
I think this is really unfortunate. I think people should feel open to discussing differences without getting pushy about their own beliefs. Remember the saying, "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say it at all." Quite honestly, I don't understand why a non-vegan would bother to post on a topic aimed at getting to know other vegans only to say they don't agree with the lifestyle. Seems counterproductive.0 -
nutritional yeast contains lots of B vitamins
This is good advice.
Just wanted to add, that black beans can add some unique health benefits to your diet as well. (study -- http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1753-6561-5-s8-p21.pdf ) Magnesium, anthocyanins, high in folate. I am a huge fan of chickpeas as well.
I am not a vegan, but there is no reason to hate on other people for their lifestyle choices. The OP was asking for support, not a debate.0 -
I have been vegan since I watched Forks over Knives, perhaps 6 months ago.
The China Study surprised a lot of scientist at how unhealthy eating meat, dairy, and eggs really are.
Then I read Dr Joel Fuhrman's Eat to Live for more clarification.
The Vegan diet is the most healthy, disease resistant, and life sustaining choice of nutrition for humans.
We get most meat and dairy from cows, right? Where do they get all the protein and calcium? They are vegans!
I always thought that the egg must be a great food.
One egg can provide total nutrients to bring fertilized cell tp a baby chick.
Well, people do not need to grow feathers, scales, or horney beak.
The chicken egg provides great nutrition for baby chicks.
Then they look at the human body. We have long intestines like other plant eating animals.
When someone buys a hamburger, fries, coke, and cookies for lunch are getting virtually no nutrients.
They are apt to overeat because the body is starving for nutrients.
And the Paleo enthusiast, hunters and gathers, so early man must have eaten meat does not make sense.
To figure out what early man ate, you have to look at other primates--all primarily vegetarians.0 -
To figure out what early man ate, you have to look at other primates--all primarily vegetarians.
This is a bad reason to be vegan -- most primates are omnivorous. Even primates that seem primarily vegetarian, go out of their way to eat maggoty fruit, for example.
If you are because of ethical reason, that's fine... just not a good argument to use the distant past as a reason for your choices. (this goes for the paleo folks, too imo)0 -
Why do non vegans INSIST on posting negativity in a thread that is clearly directed at vegans? :explode:0
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Wow, never seen so many vegan cliches in one post before, kinda scary.I have been vegan since I watched Forks over Knives, perhaps 6 months ago.
The China Study surprised a lot of scientist at how unhealthy eating meat, dairy, and eggs really are.
Then I read Dr Joel Fuhrman's Eat to Live for more clarification.
The Vegan diet is the most healthy, disease resistant, and life sustaining choice of nutrition for humans.
We get most meat and dairy from cows, right? Where do they get all the protein and calcium? They are vegans!
I always thought that the egg must be a great food.
One egg can provide total nutrients to bring fertilized cell tp a baby chick.
Well, people do not need to grow feathers, scales, or horney beak.
The chicken egg provides great nutrition for baby chicks.
Then they look at the human body. We have long intestines like other plant eating animals.
When someone buys a hamburger, fries, coke, and cookies for lunch are getting virtually no nutrients.
They are apt to overeat because the body is starving for nutrients.
And the Paleo enthusiast, hunters and gathers, so early man must have eaten meat does not make sense.
To figure out what early man ate, you have to look at other primates--all primarily vegetarians. 0
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