"Being Vegan" or "Going Vegan" means different things to different people. Fundamentally, being vegan means not consuming anything made of or coming from an animal. If you're vegan, you're probably opposed to using leather and furs. For many people, veganism is more than a diet - it's a way of life. Veganism incorporates many beliefs, such as caring for the planet, protecting animals, reducing or eliminating waste, and only putting pure, healthy foods into our bodies.
For me, the decision to change to a vegan diet was based on a number of factors. Years ago I watched the famous Morgan Spulock documentary, Supersize Me. I was disgusted by this film and swore off McDonald's. I didn't decide to "go vegan" at this point, but it got me thinking about nutrition and how it, or the lack of it, can really affect our bodies. I had a salad that night for dinner.
Not long after I discovered that my cousin, whom I hadn't seen for many years, was marrying a man who was vegan. Vegan food was served at their wedding reception. If someone in my family was vegan, maybe it wasn't as weird as I initially thought it was. My cousin told me about one of her favorite places to eat vegan food, which coincidentally was not far from my place of employment. I decided to try it. The food was delicious - broccoli, carrots, brown rice and some type of bean patty - and it was healthy and flavorful. I also picked up a vegan cookie on my way out.
Not too long after, I discovered the book Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. In his book, he writes about the impact diet has on health. We know all of this - poor nutrition can lead to being overweight, which leads to other health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and countless other preventable diseases. Dr. Fuhrman asserted that all these problems could be slowed and, in some cases, even reversed. I also noted that while he does provide some recipes containing lean meats, his primary focus was on plant-based foods, as they are the most nutritionally dense. Across the board fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes are more nutritionally dense than any meat, fish or processed foods. (Nutritionally dense foods have a high number of nutriets in relationship to the number of calories.) Dr. Fuhrman does not claim that these foods should be eliminated, but he certainly makes a strong case for a plant-based diet. He also references the popular China Study, which is very pursuasive research. As discussed by Dr. Fuhrman, the China Study examines the eating habits of people living in many different geographical areas of China, some of which have access to meat and processed foods and some that only have access to plant-based products. The latter overwhelmingly had lower rates of disease, smaller waistlines, and longer lifespans.
As I began to transition away from meat and other animal products, I found I was loading up on less-than-healthy, non-meat foods. These, unfortunately, included potato chips (they're technically vegan), cookies and brownies that I would cook with vegan substitutes, bread, tortillas, and processed "meat-replacements" like Chik'n, Boca Burgers, and non-dairy cheese. While there is nothing inherently wrong with these foods, and I still partake of them on occasion, they're NOT the foundation for a healthy, vegan diet. I began researching vegetarian and vegan recipes online. Some of the stuff I made was okay, and some of it the dog wouldn't even eat. I needed help.
As if my horrific attempts at vegan cooking weren't bad enough, I continued to gain weight, despite claims that a vegan diet helped you lose weight. I was confused. I wasn't eating meat, so shouldn't I be losing weight? Well, recall I was eating a lot of empty calories in the processed foods and was eating very few fruits and vegetables. Duh. There's the problem. I had that "ah-ha!" moment when I connected the obvious dots before me and fully realized what being vegan was really all about.
I found Vegan Coach and my unsung hero, Sassy Knutson (author of Vegan Coach). I began devouring her website, learning the ins and outs of vegan cooking. Rather than just providing recipes, she teaches you how to cook. She talks about nutrition specific to vegans and how to prepare a balanced meal. Sassy ROCKS! I highly recommend checking out her website.
So, I think I've finally gotten it right. I'm starting to lose all that weight I put on from "doing vegan wrong," and I feel great. I sleep well, I have more energy, and my clothes are starting to fit better!
This doesn't mean that I NEVER touch an animal product. When dining with family or at a restaurant there are occasions when completely abstaining from animal products may be difficult. I think I was pretty obnoxious when I first started adapting this lifestyle. I even went as far as to talk crap about what everyone else was eating, which is, I think, a common mistake amongst those of us newly embarking down the vegan path. The vegan lifestyle should not consist of putting others down because their views and diets are different from ours. I think being understanding and accepting for everyone's point of view is more important than strictly adhering to an animal-free diet. That being said, though, I still take one of my vegan dishes to share at family functions. I'm still working on how I talk to family and friends about being vegan, but I'm making an effort to maintain positivity. Hey, none of us are perfect. :o)
Objections to Veganism
I hear a lot of objections when people learn that I primarily follow a vegan diet. Some are legitimate, while others just make me laugh.
Objection Number 1: I'm going to die anyway, so shouldn't I just enjoy my food?
Well, yes, that's true. We are all going to die someday. I might get hit by a truck on my way home from work. But, that doesn't mean I'm going to go stand in the middle of the freeway. Likewise, I'm not going to put harmful foods and processed products into my body and risk developing diabetes or cancer based on that rationale. I love life, and I want to live it to the fullest for as long as I can. I don't look at following a healthy diet as forbidding, I see it as empowering. I am always learning new flavorful ways to prepare food that don't rely on heavy, unhealthy animal products.
Objection Number 2: You'll never get enough protein.
This is a valid concern to those who don't fully understand nutrition, and let's face it, short of extensive research or a degree in nutritional science, most of us don't. As a society we are trained to believe that protein comes from chicken, beef, fish, eggs, and dairy. While these certainly are sources of protein, there are plenty of other sources of protein which do not come from animals. Nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, soy, and even fruits and vegetables all contain a sufficient amount of protein without the saturated fat and other negative effects that come from eating animals (think about how you feel after eating a large steak and potatoes - nap, anyone?).
Objection Number 3: You're eliminating so many foods from your diet.
Yes, I am pointedly eliminating foods that are not good for me. I have also opened my world to a whole new set of recipes and foods I would never have otherwise tried. For example, I have tried many different squashes, like the Delicata squash, which is now a personal favorite. I eat flax and hemp seeds (which I never would have tried before), I have eaten kale and swiss chard, and I have learned to cook beans. I don't see it as limiting myself, I see it as having opened up a whole new world I never before knew existed.
Objection Number 4: It's too hard to not eat meat when the rest of the world does.
This is actually true, except for the "too hard" part. It is difficult to eat a plant-based diet when so much of the world focuses on convenience foods, including fast food and highly-processed prepackaged meals. However, there are more and more stores and restaurants that are catering to those of us who abstain from partaking of animals. Just the other day I found Earth Balance, a soy-based butter spread, in the dairy section of Wal-Mart - the absolute last place I expected to find it. I've learned to love cooking (I loved it before but I love it even more now), and I love knowing what is going in to my food. So yes, it's difficult, but it's not too difficult and it is completely worthwhile.
Objection Number 5: Eating healthy is too expensive.
Fruits and vegetables are expensive, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they're "too expensive." First and foremost, meat is expensive. Some items I've seen in the butcher case are upwards of $8 or $10 per pound! I've never encountered a vegetable or bean that costs that much. Fat is certainly cheap, as evidenced by the lower cost for the 27% fat ground beef and less-pricey chicken thighs. Brown rice, on the other hand, can be purchased for about 89 cents per pound in the bulk section of my health food store. I can get four pounds of Quinoa for $10 at Costco. Beans are never more than $1.50 per pound, and they double in size when cooked. Meat usually shrinks when you cook it. Hmm. The trick with fruits and vegetables is what you've probably heard before - buy what's in season, buy locally whenever possible, and buy what you're going to eat. It's that simple. I buy nuts, seeds and beans in bulk, which is not only less expensive but also reduces waste that ends up in our landfills. I can make a pitcher of oat milk or almond milk for pennies on the dollar compared to a gallon of cow's milk, although I will be the first to agree that the commercially processed non-dairy milk is quite pricey.
Thanks for joining me on my journey from omnivore to Vegan. If you have any questions or comments please post them - I'd love to hear from you.
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