are vegans healthy
smelton09
Posts: 2
Quick question: My boyfriend doesn't think that vegans can be healthy, and that you have to get your nutrients through meat and dairy. What does everyone else think?
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On the meat, I agree with him. On the dairy, not so much. That's largely because all dairy these days is homogenized bull****, not because dairy in and of itself is bad.
That said, I've seen it work for some. Most of them look like a sack of hammered dog**** though. I tried it once for six months, felt like ****, could hardly think straight, and bailed on that garbage. Protein in plants is very hard to come by, without a bunch of extraneous bull****.
Besides...look at the vegan powerlifter records and try not to laugh when you compare them to their meat eating brethren in the same weight class.0 -
Quick question: My boyfriend doesn't think that vegans can be healthy, and that you have to get your nutrients through meat and dairy. What does everyone else think?
I think if someone is educated, they can eat a healthy vegan diet0 -
ETA: I do think vegans can be healthy and fit if they take the time to educate themselves on proper nutrition. My sister-in-law has and she's a very healthy and active vegan.0 -
It depends what you eat as a vegan. Vegans who eat processed stuff are not going to be healthy. Vegans who eat lots of greens, veggies, & fruit, as well as nuts, seeds, and whole grains, are going to be healthy. For more information, you might consider reading The China Study, Eat to Live, Forks Over Knives, etc. There is also an Eat to Live group on this site.
I am not a vegan but have greatly increased my fruits and veggies and reduced meat and dairy considerably. I find I am healthier and I am finally busting through a plateau I've been on for some months. Good luck!0 -
I eat vegan probably 13 days out of 14. I don't call myself a vegan its just the food i prefer.
We start each day with a nutrient packed superfood green smoothie and go on from there! Without the smoothie i think we would struggle a bit and that has dried spirulina, macca powder and wheatgrass in it to name a few things.
I think it is perfectly possible to be a healthy vegan, but its perfectly possible to be a healthy meat eater too, alot of it is understanding food and using it to its best.0 -
Quick question: My boyfriend doesn't think that vegans can be healthy, and that you have to get your nutrients through meat and dairy. What does everyone else think?
Most of the vegans I know are also some of the healthiest people I know. As long as you get enough protein and healthy fat in, and you keep all of the rest of your macros and micros in check, I don't see why it wouldn't be healthy.0 -
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That is a loaded question. I think you first need to define what healthy is. If you are taking into account energy levels, blood work, etc. then I think vegans can be "healthy"....but it's rare. The amount of time and effort you'd have to put in to make sure you are getting complete proteins (complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids) would be almost impossible for most people. Essential amino acids are just that: essential. The ONLY sources of complete proteins are animal proteins...plant proteins are lacking 1 or more. You'd need to combine specific foods with each other, eat them at the same time as each other, and make sure you are getting the right amount of grams of protein to do so. That being said, vegetarians can be completely healthy. Eggs are one of the best sources of protein you can get. It is true most dairy is crap, but that goes the same for meat as well. When it comes to animal products people should be eating organic, properly fed, cage free, etc. Dairy can be great for putting on size (if that's your goal), but it's not necessary in a diet. Animal protein, in my opinion, is. I grew up ovo-lacto vegetarian and recently started eating chicken, turkey, fish, etc. I spent years studying nutrition and the more I learned the less information convinced me vegan is a good choice, especially if you're an athlete (which I am). The amount of energy I have now compared to what I had 5 years ago has changed drastically and my blood work is also perfect....hope that helps0
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This guys looks pale. His color is not good. Every vegan/fruitatarian whatever that I see in youtube videos or online has bad color. That says something to me.0 -
Bwahahahaha...yeah, that guy is Veganism's poster child for strength. It's a bad joke. He's one of the ones I was talking about in my first post, with comparing their strongest to that of the meat eaters in the same weight class.0 -
This guys looks pale. His color is not good. Every vegan/fruitatarian whatever that I see in youtube videos or online has bad color. That says something to me.
It's called bad lighting.0 -
That is a loaded question. I think you first need to define what healthy is. If you are taking into account energy levels, blood work, etc. then I think vegans can be "healthy"....but it's rare. The amount of time and effort you'd have to put in to make sure you are getting complete proteins (complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids) would be almost impossible for most people. Essential amino acids are just that: essential. The ONLY sources of complete proteins are animal proteins...plant proteins are lacking 1 or more. You'd need to combine specific foods with each other, eat them at the same time as each other, and make sure you are getting the right amount of grams of protein to do so. That being said, vegetarians can be completely healthy. Eggs are one of the best sources of protein you can get. It is true most dairy is crap, but that goes the same for meat as well. When it comes to animal products people should be eating organic, properly fed, cage free, etc. Dairy can be great for putting on size (if that's your goal), but it's not necessary in a diet. Animal protein, in my opinion, is. I grew up ovo-lacto vegetarian and recently started eating chicken, turkey, fish, etc. I spent years studying nutrition and the more I learned the less information convinced me vegan is a good choice, especially if you're an athlete (which I am). The amount of energy I have now compared to what I had 5 years ago has changed drastically and my blood work is also perfect....hope that helps
http://www.livestrong.com/article/261335-list-of-complete-protein-foods/Fortunately, for individuals who follow a vegan diet, there are plant-based foods that are complete protein choices, including soy products and quinoa, a protein-rich whole grain. Soybeans form the basis of many processed soy foods, all of which are complete protein sources, such as soy milk, tempeh, tofu, miso and edamame, or fresh green soybeans. According to the The World's Healthiest Foods a 1/2-cup serving of cooked soybeans provides 14g protein and 4 oz. or 1/2 cup of fresh tofu provides 9 to 10g protein. Soy protein isolate is a highly refined form of soy protein in which most of the carbohydrate has been removed. It may be used as a protein supplement in powdered form. According to the Soy Foods Association of North America, one scoop or 1 oz. powdered soy protein isolate provides 20 to 23g protein.0 -
I posted that link, and going raw vegan saved my life...
Whether you're vegan diet is healthy depends on what you eat.
If you're a vegan, and you eat mainly processed foods, you may be only slightly healthier than someone who eats a standard American diet.
But sticking with unprocessed vegan foods is the key to health... Avoid processed flours, meats, sugar, and processed oils.
I get all the fats though, nuts, seeds, and fruits and veggies... Avocados too...
I choose to be vegan because I believe meat and dairy is very unhealthy, especially dairy...
And humans are the only species that continue to consume milk after infancy.
I like animals, but over the years I've eaten more than my share, I was raised in Alaska, and meat was a part of every single meal.
And both my parents, and my health was ruined from eating, my mom died at 68 from a stroke, and my dad died at 68 shortly after his 2nd coronary by pass. I have CHF, congestive heart failure, and was a insulin dependant for over 2 years, until I went vegan...
My CHF is improving as well...
Do your own research, don't listen to anyone, including myself...
I wish you all a healthy life...0 -
I'm sorry, but the "complete protein" myth has been debunked. You can absolutely be a healthy vegan. It's pretty much the same as being a healthy omnivore, but instead you get your protein from plants and make sure you get a small amount of B12. I'm not saying that all vegans are healthy (oreos are apparently "vegan"), but it's just as easy (if not easier) to be a healthy vegan as it is to be a healthy omnivore. I'm not hating on your meat eating. Do what you want to do to be healthy, but don't use anecdotes ("most vegans I see are pale and sickly") or debunked science to make your case.
Edit: Also, feel free to check out www.veganbodybuilding.com or www.nomeatathlete.com. Vegan athletes are starting to come out all over! Elite ultrarunners, triathletes, NFL players, bodybuilders, and several MMA fighters.0 -
as long as you eat a varied diet and include lots of pulses and nuts then you should be ok. If like me you don't eat Quorn or Tofu etc you need to make sure you take Vitmain B12 supliments.0
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If you take a small random sampling of vegans of course you are going to find many that are not healthy. It's not different than a random sample of omnivores. There are many unhealthy, easy vegan options just as there are for other lifestyles. However, if you are educated and involve yourself with the vegan community, you will find that there are people (who happen to be vegan) that are very healthy and take an active role in their personal well being. I can't say if veganism is the best diet out there, but is sure is one of the best diets for the planet. I am not a vegan but my SO is one and I know several. They get a lot of hell from people but omnivores should be thanking them. It takes far fewer of the planet's resources to maintain a vegan diet than a meat inclusive one. There are so many more people who could be fed on the grain that goes to feed one cow.0
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Of course they can. But you'll have your vegans who aren't healthy as well as you'll have your meat eaters who are disgustingly unhealthy.0
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All bias aside, as I've said before, I encourage everyone to go Vegan. It means that the law of supply and demand will make the meat I eat cheaper, and if the meat industry were to go under, I could always just kill animals myself.
Yes...I am now envisioning a utopia...one where everyone besides me subsists on soy products and the men's testosterone levels drop abysmally, allowing me to claim alpha male status. Eh...I can hope that everyone is gullible enough anyway. Everyone has to have a dream.
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Being vegan can be healthy or unhealthy just as much as not being vegan. You'll be healthy if you take the time to get some information about what you're putting in your body. I'm been vegetarian for over 14 years and I'm not lacking iron or B12 at all, on the contrary - my last blood work I had too much of those. Also, there are many people I know personally who aren't vegetarian but are still anaemic.0
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You can be as long as you take the time to really learn about the nutrition you need and ensure you eat a balanced diet. I have a good friend who has been vegan for 15 years, including through two healthy pregnancies and both babies were 8-ish lbs each. Clearly she knows how to be healthy on a vegan diet, but I've known people who were vegan and not healthy. Its just like any sort of particular diet/eating lifestyle where if you eat the right things, you're healthy.0
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Most people who decide to become vegan and dont do it properly will be unhealthy. Mostly because they decide to eat all the processed pretend animal product stuff rather than exploring the wide world of new foods.You have to know what things you can get your nutrients from. You can be completly healthy as a vegan without even taking supplements except you should take B12. Caveman would get their b12 from soil because most of the stuff came from the ground but no since everyhting issuper clean before you eat it now you can really only get it through meat with out supplements. There is so much information out there on how to do it right. There are also vegan body builders!0
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You can be vegan and unhealthy and vegan and unhealthy. Just like any other diet. I stick to eating clean whole foods as much as possible. But there is nothing you need from meat and dairy that you can't get elsewhere. I mean, do people need rat milk? Of course not, so we don't need cow's milk. If you couldn't be vegan and healthy then no one would be vegan.0
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I see a lot of people posting that being vegan and healthy is 'rare' or that 'most vegans' are unhealthy. I was just wondering where you got those statistics. Anyone mind sharing their source? Thanks!0
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*insert celebrity-eating-popcorn picture here*
I will add, it's sort of like asking if people who only eat red meat are "healthy"...It's not difficult to get nutrients, yes it means more COOKING and prepping with veganism sometimes, but it's really dependent on the person. I know some vegans who only eat vegan junk, and I know ones who eat super well and have shiny skin and muscle etc.0 -
I think the vegans' better health is an illusion, because vegans may concentrate more on fruits and veggies which are healthy and everyone should eat them anyway. You shouldn't compare a vegan who pays attention to his or her food and an average meat-and-potatoes eater. I don't know if the non-animal protein problems are a myth, but I wouldn't want to risk my brain function trying it out.0
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Quotes from "'Complete' Protein?" by Charles R. Attwood, MD, FAAP:
"Proteins are composed of amino acids, 12 of which are manufactured by the human body. Another 9, called essential amino acids, must he obtained from food. Most animal products, such as meat and dairy products, contain all of the essential amino acids and have been designated as containing complete proteins. Most proteins from vegetables also contain all 9 essential amino acids, but 1 or 2 may be low in a particular food compared with a protein from most animal sources. Beans, however, are rich sources of all essential amino acids.
The old ideas about the necessity of carefully combining vegetables at every meal to ensure the supply of essential amino acids has been totally refuted. Modern nutritionists, after observing populations of strict vegetarians who were healthier and lived longer than meat-eaters, now realize that all essential amino acids may be obtained from a variety of vegetables or grains eaten over a one-to-two-day period. This should be a great relief to you as a parent. Even the variety is not as critical as once thought.
To wrongly suggest people need to eat animal protein for nutrients will encourage them to add foods that are known to contribute to the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and many forms of cancer, to name just a few common problems."
Again, I'm not trying to say that vegan diets are healthier than others, but you don't need to put in any more effort into being a healthy vegan than a healthy omnivore would.0 -
I recently became a vegan and I have never felt healthier. Its just like any other way of eating; you need to make sure you are eating varied foods, etc to get in all the proper nutrients. But now this is something I don't even think about, and Im naturally eating clean, unproccessed foods so as a result I feel a lot more energetic, etc. Its nice feeling like you are fueling your body with the right stuff
I have no problem with people who eat meat, everyone should do what they see as best for them. However I never understand why there is this obsession with meat being "necessary"; Im easily getting my protein and vitamins in, and without that sluggish effect I used to get when I ate meat! But people around me are still insisting that Im going to drop dead at some point ahaha.0 -
I do eat vegan most days of the week but I am not a vegan - and I don't eat any of that processed fake food crap you often see stores selling to vegetarians. THAT would be the unhealthy way to go vegan. Some days I have a little lean poultry or fish if I need a little extra protein - long run days, etc. I have a digestive disorder that pretty much requires me to stay away from all red meat, eggs and most dairy (aged cheeses seem to be fine), so being vegetarian would be a healthy option for me, personally. I'm not an ignorant consumer, and I know what foods are healthy and what nutrients I need. My blood sugar is excellent, cholesterol is in the healthy range, iron levels just fine, BMI and bodyfat right where I want them, and I don't eat animal products most days. If you do your research and make wise choices, there's no reason vegans can't be healthy, too. I'm ok with people eating meat, but I really think most people eat way more than is healthy. Just my opinion. :flowerforyou:0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6oJA_xhTa8
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