Vegan Education Needed

I am a vegan. I take vitamins daily. The only thing you can not get from a plant based diet (I have been told) is B12 and B6 so take a B complex vitamin. There are tons of protein in beans, spinach, broccoli, tofu, nuts, peanut butter, etc.

For tofu: shop around and try lots of different tofu if you haven't before....there are so many different tastes and firmness and everything....there are some awesome products out there,

Best of luck and message me if you have any other questions!

nuts, soy (so many forms...tofu, soybeans, soy flour etc), beans, legumes; these are some of the more major forms you can get protein from.
I was an octo/lavo veggie like you for a very long time, almost killed me. I started eating meat again at the direction of my homeopathic dr (who was a veggie himself). Please be careful!

I was an octo/lavo veggie like you for a very long time, almost killed me. I started eating meat again at the direction of my homeopathic dr (who was a veggie himself). Please be careful!

I second this advice. I, too, was an octo/lavo veggie like you when I was in high school. I didn't quit for health reasons, but even that lifestyle was just too difficult for me and I ultimately failed.

I think that your question has been answered, but I wanted to say great job being vegetarian, and YAY for considering vegan!

:flowerforyou:

My protein usually comes from beans, whole grains, veggies, and nuts.

I am a vegan. I take vitamins daily. The only thing you can not get from a plant based diet (I have been told) is B12 and B6 so take a B complex vitamin. There are tons of protein in beans, spinach, broccoli, tofu, nuts, peanut butter, etc.

For tofu: shop around and try lots of different tofu if you haven't before....there are so many different tastes and firmness and everything....there are some awesome products out there,

Best of luck and message me if you have any other questions!

Marmite is a very good source of B vitamins, don't think you can get it in the USA and it is a VERY acquired taste... can't see anything on the ingredients that wouldn't allow it to be vegan, but don't really know enough about it.

http://www.marmite.co.uk/love/nutrition/ingredients.html

I am considering becoming vegan for the sake of greater health.

Just a question (and not a very helpful one). Why do you think being a vegan is better for your health? Personally I think that a myth. Yes, you can get all the nutrients on a vegan diet that you can get on an omnivorous diet, but it is not especially 'healthier'.

nuts, seeds and beans are probably your best sources of protein if you do decide to go vegan.

I read some forums previously about clean living and read a story about former President Clinton's health change after two heart surgeries that was contributed to his change to a vegan meal plan.

Lots of raw foods does the body good. I have been doing well as a vegetarian. So, now I am considering taking the final step to healthy heart without the temptation of eating the wrong meat or too much cheese (since really I do not eat meat anyway).

It is a personal healthy change but want to make sure I have information before proceeding.

I am a massive fan of clean eating but then I've never really been one for processed foods. The reason I asked about health is that you can be just as unhealthy a vegetarian or vegan as you can an omnivore unless you pay attention to your diet, so I don't think it necessarily an automatic given that it is healthier to be vegan (there are no doubt arguments from both sides, and we could also talk about the wider envronmental issues of both sides).

I think the best things anyone can do for their health are eat good quality foods in season, whether vegan or not. Plenty of vegetables and foods you can just eat straight away from the field. I'd be wary of too much soy or 'fake meats' (I had a homemade quorn chili for lunch because chili is the only way I can make that quorn mince exciting!!!).

There are probably some very good vegan forums around that can give you specific guidance on nutrients - the only thing I know about from a vegan diet is the B12 issue.

I cut dairy from my veggie diet about 10 weeks ago, and like you I thought the main issue would be getting enough protein. But from what I've read so far it seems just as important, if not more, to ensure you're getting enough B12 in your diet. Am in the UK and if you view my diary you'll see I'm a bit of a Marmite addict; it's a yeast extract, a by-product of the beer-making industry. Not sure whether to worry about its salt content as I rarely add salt when cooking (prefer black pepper, herbs, spices etc) and don't eat that many salty processed foods, but I probably eat too much of it.