About Vegan/Vegetarianism (some facts and myths explained).

Hello! I am a senior at MSU Denver currently working towards a Registered Dietitians degree, I am also a tutor for the nutrition department. I'm here to help dis-spell some myths and share the real facts about a plant-based diet! Please ask any questions and I will answer them as best I can

There are many reasons that people go vegan or vegetarian, people do it because they are compassionate towards animal life, they want to cut down on their environmental impact, or economic reasons. A plant-based diet doesn't fit everyone's lifestyle, but it's always a good idea to eat your veggies!

Here are some things that I get asked all the time by people considering or questioning a plant-based diet:

-Isn't it expensive to go Vegan/Vegetarian?
No! It's very affordable to eat plants and plant products, and the benefits to your health with save you money, time, and grief later. This myth comes from the thought that one must purchase expensive supplements and vegan-specific products. You don't need to spend more money on products that are marketed as vegan when many mainstream brands already have products that just aren't specifically noted to be vegan. You don't need to buy specialty protein powders or add-ins for your food. Just eat normal food. Organic, extra-firm tofu is protein packed and typically less than $2 a package, and most veggies and fruits are very affordable as well.

-Vegetarians/Vegans are automatically super-healthy or super-unhealthy.
This is a somewhat complicated myth because it comes down to an individuals diet. Oreos, french fries, tequila (and most booze), soda, 7-11 slur-pees, Nutter Butters, tons of candies, Taco Bells bean burritos (sans cheese) ,and many cake frostings are all vegan! Obviously a diet rich in junk food vegan or not is terrible for your body and nutrient poor. The best plant-based diet includes a wide array of un-processed vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, legumes, and grains.

-Do I have to eat organic?
No, organic is great for the planet, but if your eating a ton of fruits and vegetables you'll be benefiting your health.

-How can you get enough protein?
By eating food! There are many plants that are packed with protein. A few examples are: Soy beans, Legumes, Lentils, Quinoa, Hemp seeds, and Spirulina. Even extreme athletes can get more than enough protein from plant sources. One thing that should be considered is that veggie athletes need about 0.1-0.2 g of protein per kg of body weight MORE that meat-eating athletes. Why? Because plant foods are less-digestible due to the amount of fiber they contain, you simply must eat a little bit more to get the same amount of nutrients. Another thing to be aware of is that most single sources of plant foods do not contain all of the essential amino-acids so they must be eaten in combination. For example, rice and beans make a complete protein, so does peanut butter and whole-wheat bread, and Hummus (chickpeas and tahini), just to name a few. These must be eaten in combination within the same day, but do not need to be within the same meal. Two complete plant-proteins are quinoa and soy.

-What about B-12?
If you are going to be a strict vegan and cut out all animal-products then take a supplement. Contrary to popular belief, you really can't get enough B-12 from things like wheat-grass, nutritional yeast, or spirulina. Just take a supplement. You don't need to take one everyday, your liver is capable of storing YEARS worth of B-12, but it is essential to your health.
If you are going just vegetarian and still eat eggs, dairy, or even fish, then you will most likely be getting enough B-12 in your diet.

Some symptoms of B-12 deficiency are: Fatigue, Weakness, Light-headedness, Lack of Focus, Nervous system issues such as numbness or tingling.