Looking back, I think this year has been amazing in the leaps and bounds I have taken to get my health on track. I started at a gym and began dancing on pointe again. I've lost about five pounds and my acne has cleared up a lot. I've tried new foods (dragonfruit and starfruit were two of the strangest), traveled in several cities eating vegan, and have started cooking new awesome foods at home. I have started to veganize my life by buying clothing that is vegan, doing my project 10 pan/ project ? pan to use up my non-vegan and non-cruelty-free cosmetics.
To celebrate my one year anniversary, I am going to talk about some of the questions I get the most as a vegan.
Where do you get your protein?
This is the most frequently asked question I get. What most people don't seem to get is that unless you are eating straight up oil, you are getting protein in you food. It may not be huge amounts (you will get more from beans than from watermelon, for instance), but you will be getting protein. I, personally, eat a lot of beans. This is not because I am worried about my protein. I just really like beans. I've always loved beans. Red beans and rice is one of my favorite foods. I also eat a lot of veggies and tofu. That's where I get my protein. I do occasionally use soy protein powder in a smoothie, but about 5 times a year. (Mostly I do this to get my mom off my back about my protein consumption.) My favorite protein rich foods: spinach, kale, avocado, black beans, kidney beans, almond butter, cashews, and almond milk.
Where do you get your calcium?
If you eat green leafy veggies, you will get your calcium. You will not suddenly get osteoporosis if you do not drink milk. Actually there have been studies done that say drinking milk can make osteoporosis worse. My favorite calcium rich foods are: kale, turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, tempeh, fortified non-dairy milks and juices such as orange juice, soybeans, almond butter, and dried apricots.
I don't like tofu... how can I be vegan?
You don't have to eat tofu if you don't want to. I know many, many vegetarians and vegans that don't really like tofu or hate it. It's up to you what you want to eat. Don't like it? Don't eat it.
Can I be vegan if I still wear leather?
Well... no. Leather isn't vegan because it is animal skin. But take a look at your labels. A bunch of clothing and accessories that seem to be leather are fake. Most of my "leather shoes" are man made materials only. Veganism is a lifestyle, not just a diet, so wearing leather would be inappropriate.
Why are you vegan?
I am vegan because I no longer wish to consume or purchase products that lead to animal suffering in any way. End of story. It is really that simple. I made a decision and I will stand by it.
Where do you get your iron?
Like calcium and protein, leafy green are a must. The only vegans who should be worried about iron deficiencies are menstruating women and people with iron absorption disorders. My favorite iron rich foods are: spinach, tofu, kidney beans, black beans, tempeh, and turnip greens.
Aren't you eating a lot of carbs?
Yes, I am. I eat lots of carbs. Many fruits and grains and carb filled. That is converted into quick energy in your body so you can use it easily when you are running around like a maniac at the gym. Carbs are not the enemy... which leads to:
Don't carbs make you fat?
Actually, no. Not unless you eat WAY too much and lead a completely sedentary life. In the words of Durian Rider and Freelee the Banana Girl "Fat makes you fat!" Think about it. If you are what you eat, and you eat tons of fat laden foods, you will be holding more fat in your body. Also, exercise has a lot to do with how your body looks and how much "fat" is on your body (there is a lot of water retention with salt consumption that can look like fat, but it isn't).
Why don't you eat eggs? They aren't really animals.
This one is really hard for some people. It is an egg. It is the product of an animal, therefore I do not eat it. I think an egg is the promise of life for another sentient being and therefore shouldn't be eaten.
Isn't being vegan really unhealthy?
It can be, actually. If you eat only pasta, potato chips, and cookies, then it is unhealthy. Junk Food Vegans are a thing. But, just because you are vegan doesn't mean you are unhealthy. That makes the presumption that eating meat and cheese is what makes the Standard American Diet (SAD) healthy. The phrase is "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", not "a lamb chop a day". Fruits and veggies are good for you, so no, it doesn't make sense that eating a plant based diet would suddenly make you unhealthy.
Don't vegans eat fish?
No. Neither vegans nor vegetarians eat fish. Pescetarians eat fish.
Vegans eat shellfish, right?
No. Vegans do not eat animals at all, including shellfish.
So vegans are just militant vegetarians, right?
No. Vegetarians eat milk and/or eggs and honey. Most vegans (the ones I know at least) are also not militant. Most vegans are actually pacifists. It goes hand in hand with not causing suffering or death. Vegans can get really excited about spreading the vegan message, which can include some pretty graphic pictures of factory farming. These can be really scarring and I think posting warnings before viewing should be mandatory. But, I'm not going to go hurt people because they eat meat. That would be against my moral code.
Why are vegans so outspoken?
Watch TV for 1 hour. Write down every reference to animal based foods in the show and the commercials. Also, write down every time you see someone wearing leather, wool, silk, fur, or feathers. Do you see why some vegans feel like they need to be outspoken? It is impossible to listen to the radio, watch tv, go out shopping, or look at a webpage without seeing advertisements or product placement endorsements for animal products. When the radio starts talking about how wonderful the "big, juicy, all-angus beef" bacon cheeseburger is, I feel sick because I know that someone on their daily commute is going to hear that, pull off the highway, and buy a burger. That burger will include the deaths and suffering of cows (the patties and the cheese), pigs (the bacon), and chickens (the eggs in the mayo). When was the last time you heard a commercial for celery? This is why vegans are outspoken. Because we feel like we're fighting an uphill battle against the industrial giants of the world. We think pain and suffering is wrong, so we are outspoken to stop it.
Is it ok if I eat this burger (mac n' cheese, bacon, sushi, etc) in front of you?
Sure. I'm not going to eat it. As long as you don't stick it in my face and taunt me with it, I'll be fine with it. I have no control over what you put in your body. STOP ASKING ME THIS QUESTION!
(Person eating a cheeseburger) Do you want a bite? Are you sure?
No I don't. Yes, I'm sure. This is actually a really insulting question because you are assuming that someone's choice to abstain from certain foods is some sort of painful sacrifice. I no longer see animal products as a viable food source. So yes, I am sure. And no, I won't change my mind. I have gone hungry at events where they didn't have foods I could eat. I just waited and ate later. It won't kill you to go hungry for a few hours.
Why don't you eat honey? It doesn't hurt the bees to make honey.
Actually it can. Bees are usually smoked out of their hives in commercial honey production and many bees are killed. Also, honey is nectar that has been converted in order to be stored for later use when nectar is scarce because it is what bees eat. So, not only is it produced by bees (it is regurgitated nectar), it is their food source. That is exploitive and harmful to the bees, and therefore not vegan.
You have tons of pets, right?
Actually, I don't have any. My brother has a leopard gecko that my mom and I take care of since he is at college, but I don't have any pets. I do love animals, and I've always wanted to rescue and adopt animals, but that is not a viable option at this time in my life because I'm living with my parents who don't want pets in the house (besides the gecko that already lives there). I know many vegans that have pets or don't have pets for various reasons.
So you are a tree-hugger?
Well... yes! I am tree lover and hugger. I'm a big plant person and I love getting my hands dirty. I love trees and I enjoy studying about them. I also keep house plants, including a small tree, and I have been know to hug trees. Look up extreme tree hugging on YouTube and you will see some great hugging happening. I feel upset when trees are cut down, and I try to plant more green growing things when I can.
When do you think you will go back to eating meat?
I don't plan to eat meat again. Ever. When I went vegan, I went vegan for life.
I would go vegan, but I can't give up bacon. How did you give up bacon?
I stopped eating it. I ate other things instead, like beans and salad. Don't try fake meats right after you just give them up because they will not measure up. I have eaten veggie meats since middle school, so I was used to the taste and texture.
Veganism is cool. Where can I learn more about it?
Youtube, Google, Facebook, Pintrest, Tumblr, and other online sources are amazing resources for learning about veganism. Shelfari, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other book review sites are helpful when you are looking for books on veganism. Also, find vegan bloggers or vloggers that you like. You will learn much more when you feel like you have some sort of connection to the person writing. My favorite things to search for in google:
Vegan/ Vegetarian Restaurants in my area
Vegan social groups in my area
Vegan/ Vegetarian friendly clothing in my area
Vegan (insert food here) recipes (read the comments and/or reviews of the recipe before you make it, not after!)
I eat out a lot. I can't go vegan.
I eat out a lot too, in an area where seafood and cream sauces are used in most dishes. Eating out at restaurants can be hard, but the more you go to the restaurant, the more they will do to make the customer happy, especially if you are a return customer. Many restaurants will do substitutions. Also, if you know that you are going somewhere specific, look up their menu online or call them ahead to ask if they have any vegetarian or vegan friendly dishes. If you can't find anything on the menu but French fries and a salad, then get that and stick some dried fruit in your purse/ bag/ briefcase/ car/ gym bag for later. Eating out being hard is not an excuse to not become vegan in the first place.
What is your favorite vegan food?
Red beans and rice. Or Spaghetti with Marinara. It depends on the day. These were my favorite non-vegan foods too. I just took out the meat and cheese and, tada! It still tastes great and is vegan.
I'm a picky eater. Can I go vegan?
Sure... it might be harder trying new foods, but there are some foods I've never liked: grits, acorn squash, and grape jelly. You don't see me eating them all the time, do you? You might even find awesome new foods you never would have tried because you went vegan.
Thanks for joining me on this awesome day! Be Happy, Be Healthy, Go Vegan!
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