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Ask a Vegan

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#1 · (Edited)
Have questions about a vegan diet? Ask here.


The purpose of this thread is to share information about eating a plant based / whole food diet.

I'm happy to answer any questions, and know that there are several vegans (and almost vegans) here at PerC who may also be happy to help.

Please read through the thread before posting your question. It may have already been answered.

Discuss only the vegan diet here, not the vegan lifestyle in general.


Please note:

Please don't post negative, anti-vegan comments or criticize vegans or vegan diets.
If you wish to debate the merits of a vegan diet, please start a thread in the debate forum.
 
#4 ·
Why be Vegan?
Difficult?
Do you guys "cheat"?
Do you think it would be better if the entire planet was raised vegan?
Please ask specific questions about the diet. This isn't a debate about the merits of worldwide veganism
 
#5 ·
Is it hard to maintain a full and healthy vegan diet?

How much knowledge is required on what to eat to maintain a diet that has everything the body requires?

How hard did you find it to change your diet to a vegan diet?

How would you compare it to your previous diet..what do u notice that is different?
 
#8 ·
Is it hard to maintain a full and healthy vegan diet?
It can be difficult at first, as with anything, you will be making changes. It took me a month or so to get into the swing of it, where I wasn't really thinking about it ... just eating.

How much knowledge is required on what to eat to maintain a diet that has everything the body requires?
You do need to make sure you eat a varied diet that includes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, and you do need to take a vitamin b-12 supplement. (animals store b-12 - you get it when you eat their flesh, there are few good plant sources) But, after a while, it becomes the new normal. If you are already eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, the only real change you will make is using dairy substitutes and substituting your meat sources with a plant-based source. The most common question I hear is "where do you get your protein?" (whole grains, beans, legumes, tofu and even small amounts in fruits and veggies) You'll get enough on a vegan diet. If you work out a lot and require more protein to build muscle, just eat more protein. I work out every day and do fine on the diet. There are vegan body builders.

How hard did you find it to change your diet to a vegan diet?
It's not that difficult, but you should educate yourself first with basic information. If you have trouble with the thought of giving up all meat and dairy all at once, you can ease into it. Give up one thing at a time ... ease into it.

How would you compare it to your previous diet..what do u notice that is different?
I posted this in another thread:

In about 2 months, I lost about 15 pounds which brought me down to a healthy weight, and have kept it off. I had been trying to lose that weight for years.

My choloesterol went from 192 down to 158 (last checked about 3 months ago)
My fasting glucose went from 98 to 90

My joints stopped hurting, I sleep better, feel better, look better and have way more energy.
 
#7 ·
Have questions about a vegan diet? Ask here.

The purpose of this thread is to share information about eating a plant based / whole food diet.

I'm happy to answer any questions, and know that there are several vegans (and almost vegans) here at PerC who would also be happy to help.


Please note:

Please don't post negative, anti-vegan comments or criticize vegans or vegan diets.
If you wish to debate the merits of a vegan diet, please start a thread in the debate forum.
Just read your other post about how you became vegan overnight! Wow, that's great! I think the biggest thing stopping me (and likely others) is having a broad knowledge of what you can eat that will still satisfy you. WHen I first did the Clean Program I really struggled b/c I just assumed I couldn't eat anything! By the following year when I did it again, I had done so much reading and learning about all the different foods you could eat and now have a whole binder full of recipes!! Needless to say, my second time around was super easy. I feel I need to do the same thing with veganism as it is something I am interested in. I think I have one foot in the door with the binder of recipes I started (not all vegan but many are, or can be).

Oh...and one other thing stopping me is the thought of vegan mayonnaise and vegan cheese. Blehk.. LOL

Are there any resources you would recommend for recipes?
 
#9 ·
I will disclose that I had a couple of nights the first few weeks when I first started where I ate a few bites of meat off my hubby's plate. But, I lost my taste for it quickly. At the end of the second week, I tried a bite of chicken breast and spit it out. Haven't had any meat since.

I'm not a big fan of vegan mayo or vegan cheese either. I like and use vegan sour cream, though. If I eat a veggie burger, instead of vegan mayo, I will smash up an avocado or spread hummus on the bun.

As far a recipes: I usually just take a regular recipe and re-think it as vegan. I'll substitute portobella mushrooms, beans and rice, or tofu, or a bean, tofu or soy-based product. So spaghetti with meatless meatballs, cheeseless enchiladas stuffed with beans, rice, corn, olives and topped with soy sour cream and tomatoes, etc.

My favorite recipe? Portobella mushroom tacos. I just chop them up and saute them with garlic and onions, seasonings. Add steamed kale and tomatoes, avocado and salsa in soft shell tortilla.
 
#10 ·
My wife read somewhere that a healthy diet requires at least 350 grams of vegetables a day. We eat a lot of veggies for omnivores but we don't think we eat quite that much. As a vegan, do you think you eat that many vegetables?

What we do is try to eat as many different ingredients as possible in every meal. Most of these are vegetables, but each in smaller amounts. We also eat very small portions of meat when we do, which is hardly every day. We are both lean and fit, though our cholesterol could be lower.

Dinner I made tonight had garlic, ginger, yellow onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, broccoli, bean thread noodles, and shrimp, plus a salad of kale, lettuce, arugula, cucumber, grape tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and balsamic vinegar. So 17 ingredients if I count the vinegar. That's about usual for us. I could easily be vegan and we are some days. Kind of hard to convince her to go all the way vegan.
 
#13 ·
My wife read somewhere that a healthy diet requires at least 350 grams of vegetables a day. We eat a lot of veggies for omnivores but we don't think we eat quite that much. As a vegan, do you think you eat that many vegetables?

What we do is try to eat as many different ingredients as possible in every meal. Most of these are vegetables, but each in smaller amounts. We also eat very small portions of meat when we do, which is hardly every day. We are both lean and fit, though our cholesterol could be lower.

Dinner I made tonight had garlic, ginger, yellow onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, broccoli, bean thread noodles, and shrimp, plus a salad of kale, lettuce, arugula, cucumber, grape tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and balsamic vinegar. So 17 ingredients if I count the vinegar. That's about usual for us. I could easily be vegan and we are some days. Kind of hard to convince her to go all the way vegan.
That salad sounds good. If it was a medium(ish) sized portion, that was probably 2 servings of leafy greens, and one serving of veggies. The shrimp dish depending on the serving size was probably 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cooked veggies - 1 or 2 servings.

I don't weigh my food, my point of reference is a cup. So volume, rather than weight.

In terms of a serving of vegetables, generally a serving is one cup, raw or 1/2 cup, cooked.
Salad greens are measured as a raw vegetable, one cup, firmly packed.
I don't actually measure it, I just kind of "eyeball" it. You get a feel for it after a while.

I eat 4 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of dark, leafy greens a day.
That sounds like a lot, but it is easily accomplished like this:

Two cups (that's about 2 fistfuls) of dark leafy greens (kale, arugula, spinach, swiss chard, collard or mustard greens, romaine lettuce) as a base for a salad, topped with a cup of raw mixed veggies with lunch. (that's 2 servings of greens, and 1 serving of veggies)

One cup of cooked vegetables served with dinner (that's 2 servings of veggies)

One cup of raw veggies as a snack. I like to cut up fresh veggies and use hummus as a dip. (that's 1 serving of veggies)

As a side note, my husband isn't a vegan. He still eats meat and dairy, though much less than he used to. He eats what I fix for dinner (vegan). If he wants to have dairy or meat, he generally takes a purchased frozen entree to work to eat at lunch, but he does also eat frozen vegan or vegetarian meals at lunch. Every once in a while, he will request that I cook him a piece of fish or chicken for dinner, but it's becoming more and more rare. I don't think he'll ever go completely vegan, but he enjoys the vegan meals, and likes eating in vegan restaurants.
 
#11 ·
I enjoy vegan food, and I'd like to introduce some vegan meals in my weekly diet plan (esp. dessert). Are there any specific dishes that would be easy to prepare (accessible ingredients etc.) for someone new to veganism. My partner is vegetarian. I eat meat, but my diet is mostly vegetarian. So, I am very familiar with vegetarian cooking. Hopefully, vegan dishes won't be too complicated for me lol.
 
#17 ·
Sorry, but I can't help you with dessert. I don't eat many sweets. I try to avoid sugar. If I go to a vegan restaurant that serves dessert, I might have a few bites, or share a dessert, but generally fruit is my dessert of choice.

The difference between a vegan and a vegetarian diet - instead of dairy as the main protein source, protein in the vegan diet comes from whole grains (as with vegetarian) and from beans, legumes, lentils, peas, soy, nuts and seeds.

I tend to make simple things. Like this:

I just cook a batch of lentils, or beans and keep them in the fridge along with quinoa, and brown rice. Then at meal time, I just and throw some lentils and quinoa, or beans and rice in a wrap with some kale and tomatoes, or heat it up and serve it with some steamed veggies.

I'm not much of a cook. I don't really use many recipes, I just throw things together.

Anyone else care to share some recipes?
 
#12 ·
Not specifically diet related so I hope it's acceptable, but do you find that you have to eat more often?

I'm not vegan (or even vegetarian) but I lean toward fruits, vegetables and whole foods, and I find it incredibly annoying that my family basically shops with the intent of having one huge meal a day, which I just can't do.

I can't stuff myself and go hungry the rest of the day like they do, I need a fruit or vegetable every few hours but we just aren't set up for that.
 
#15 ·
Vegan or not, eating smaller, more frequent meals is preferable to eating 2 or 3 large, heavy meals.
Much better to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

If your family won't buy fresh fruit, maybe you could buy frozen.
Frozen fruit is a good substitute for fresh, because it's frozen right after it's picked, it retains nutrients.

I eat 5 or 6 times a day:

breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 or 3 snacks.

usually my snack is a piece or serving of fruit with a few nuts, or some popcorn, or a fruit smoothie

The smoothie is usually my after dinner snack. We eat an early dinner (5:00). I have the smoothie about 7:00
One cup soy milk, 1 tablespoon flax seeds, 1 cup frozen mixed berries.
 
#19 ·
I don't care for tempeh. Don't eat it.

Omega 3 research is currently a hot topic with vegans. I get my info from Jack Norris. He is a registered dietitian who is also a vegan. He is the co-author of the go-to manual on eating a plant based diet: Vegan for Life (co-authored with Virginia Messina, also a RD) If you are interested in eating a plant based diet, this is where to start. The information is nutrition based, not life-style based. (It's not about killing cows and chickens, it's about your digestive system)



From his website, here is the opinion as to omega 3s, EPA and DHA;

Jack Norris RD» Blog Archive » Omega-3s in Vegetarian Diets (it also pertains to vegans)

This is where the definition of "vegan" becomes important. A true vegan would not take a fish oil supplement because they shun all animal products in food, don't wear leather, or use products tested on animals. If you are not comfortable with that, but still want to eat a mostly vegan diet, don't label it as vegan. If you would like to supplement your diet with a fish oil supplement, do so. Call it a plant based/whole food diet.

I eat 5 or 6 servings of whole grains daily: whole grain bread, (I eat flourless sprouted grain bread- shown below)

brown rice, quinoa, steel cut oats, and other whole grains. A serving is one slice of bread, 1/2 cup cooked grains, I cup cooked oatmeal.

The phytic acid issue ... I soak my lentils, sprout them. This greatly reduces the amount of acid. Because it may interfere with the absorbtion of certain minerals, I take a multivitamin to insure that I am getting the minimun RDAs.

As discussed in other posts, do whatever works for you. It's hard for some people to give up meat all at once, or at all. Pick one day a week where you don't eat any animal products - Meatless Mondays, or stop eating breakfast meats, try eating less meat overall, give up one animal at a time, work into it slowly. Do whatever works for you. Just make sure you replace the meat with other plant based protein souces. Being vegetarian or vegan isn't just about fruits and vegetables.
 
#16 ·
@MsBossyPants

They buy fruit and veggies, probably even more than some households do. Problem is that it's treated as an extra rather than a main. So it's like meat is the bulk and the other stuff is for sides, but what I'm looking for is the inverse.

What you do sounds pretty much like what I do but at that rate I go through it fast, in comparison to the rate that it is bought.

When I lived closer to a market I'd food shop every 1 to 3 days, walking, but now it's a pain because its further away and I don't like cars. And they pack the regular freezer and the full sized one in the basement with meat - mainly for my dad. -.-
 
#23 · (Edited)
dark leafy greens, beans, edamame, calcium-set tofu, almonds, sesame seeds, tahini (sesame paste), ... average about 100mg a cup. (Some have a bit more, some a bit less)

... fruits and veggies also contain calcium. For example, there's 60mg in an orange, 120 in 1/2 cup of figs, 90 in a cup of sweet potato.

I also drink or put in my ceral or oatmeal, or in an iced coffee or in a smoothie, soy or almond milk. Depending on the manufacturer, it's fortified with between 250 -400 mg per cup. Some orange juices are also fortified with calcium.

I also take a multi-vitamin daily which contains 200 mg.

It's easy to hit the 1,000 miligram target just by eating a variety of calcium rich and foritified foods. For women over 50 (post meno), the recommendation for calcium is between 1200mg and 1500mg. A calcium pill supplement may be needed.

If you mean is it expensive to eat vegan, no. Everyone should be eating the recommended servings of fruits and veggies. So that shouldn't be an added expense.

The difference in the rest of what I eat - I'm basically substituting tofu and beans and lentils and hummus for meat and cheese. All of these things are very inexpensive per serving. The most expensive items in a non-vegan's shopping cart are the meats, fish and cheese.
 
#21 ·
I am actually not looking to go completely vegan but I was interested to see your response. Unfortunately it was no new information.. except I didn't know that seaweed had trace amounts of omega3s. I'm not against eating fish (unless it's farmed) so I eat mackerel for my omega3.

Do you ever feel bloated at any time of the day? I assume you don't eat any gluten products.

If I may ask another question, typically what vegetables do you eat as a 'staple' or 'base' to keep your minerals/vitamins in check and things like general energy and fiber up to standard also?
 
#24 ·
Fresh caught oily fish is a good source of omega 3s, agreed.

I don't look for gluten-free products because I don't eat a lot of canned or processed or packaged foods. And I eat more other types of grains than wheat products. Brown rice and quoina. It's not really an issue for me.

I don't bloat. I used to bloat when I ate cheese.

I eat a variety of veggies. Generally the darker the color, the more nutrients they contain. I eat about 2 cups of dark leafies (I love kale) and at least 4 servings of veggies a day. I eat a variety of veggies. The key to meeting your vitamin and mineral needs is to vary your diet. I do a lot of stir frys with mixed veggies.

Virtually everything I eat contains fiber. (fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans). Getting enough fiber is not a problem for vegans or vegetarians who eat properly.

As far as energy. I have much more energy eating this way than I had when I ate meat and dairy. After a meal or snack, I feel full, but never bloated or sluggish a few hours later like I did before. If you eat several small meals throughout the day, it keeps your blood sugar levels even.

My diet consists mainly of fresh, plant based, whole foods. I don't eat sugar, and I avoid prepackaged, processed foods.
 
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#26 ·
@MsBossyPants
Ever tried bulgur? Its supposed to be good fiber and protein, and you can make tabbouleh with it. Which is basically bulgur, parsley, mint, tomato, garlic, and onion (depending how you make it) with lemon juice. You can also add olive oil and some salt.
No don't eat it.
 
#28 ·
I eat a lot of quinoa.

I like to chop fresh herbs, tomatoes, scallions, cucumber (and whatever else I want to throw in there)
toss it in bit of olive oil, lemon juice (or balsamic vinegar) and serve it on a bed arugula topped with chilled quinoa.

what's your recipe ?
 
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#34 ·
So do I. More fun that way. ;)
 
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#30 ·
I grew up with a brother that was vegetarian, and for the most part still is, though I think he's more of a meat minimalist, I have an uncle who is vegetarian, and an aunt and uncle who are meat minimalist. What is the difference between veganism and vegetarianism of like don't eat meat,that I'm more familiar with?

Do any of you like cauliflower curry, and if you do, how do you get past that atrocious smell that comes from cooking it?
 
#35 ·
What is the difference between veganism and vegetarianism ...
Also what's the deal with a raw food diet, is that part of Veganism?
The word vegan comes from vegetarian

In general (there are subsects):
Vegetarians do not eat animal flesh, but do eat dairy products and eggs.
Vegans do not eat any animal flesh or anything that comes from animals. (no dairy, no eggs, no honey, no refined sugar that is processed using cow hooves, beers that are filtered through fish bladders, gelatin made with boiled animal skins and bones, the red dye cochineal (crushed insects) etc)




Raw food diets are not specific to vegans. It merely means that no processed food is consumed and food is generally eaten raw, or not heated above a certain temperature. A bit more to it ...here is the Wiki link:

Raw foodism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




I believe there are varying degrees of vegansim. Other vegans will disagree with this statement, but it's my opinion.

Other vegans may not consider me a true vegan, whereas meat eaters see me as a vegan because I avoid eating animal products. To appease my fellow vegans, I'll call myself vegan(ish). If I had to put a percentage on it, I'd say 98%. Every once in a while, I'll have a beer, or if there is no vegan option, I may eat a piece of bread in a restaurant that may have some dairy in it.

If you want to eat a vegan diet (plant based, whole food), in my opinion, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. If you make a commitment to change your diet to not eat any animal products, but once in a blue moon do, it's better than deciding to not make the effort at all. If you absolutely HAVE to eat that marshmallow, it's not the end of the world.

Don't get hung up on the label ... call yourself vegan(ish) or some other name, or simply say that you favor a plant based diet.

Just do the best you can. Be conscious of what you are eating.
 
#31 ·
I love cauliflower in my curry. What are you doing that smells bad? Curry should be cooked long and slow. It is a technique, not a flavor in and of itself. If you use high temperature it ruins the blending of flavors that makes curry so delicious.

Vegan means no animal products whatsoever. Vegetarian does not.
 
#32 ·
I didn't do anything, but my older brother would brew up potatoes with cauliflower, he did this a lot in his 20s. stunk up the whole kitchen. For Father's Day, the whole family had black bean burgers, that some had topped with bacon. Which my older brother asked. I thought it defeated the purpose.


Also what's the deal with a raw food diet, is that part of Veganism?
 
#36 ·
I think I like using the Amy's meals, and CederLane , and other Veggie Meals,as an accompany to my meat eating. I think I've given up milk for Soy/Silk, even though I'm not the one in my family that is lactose intolerant. Soy/Silk is the bomb.
 
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#37 ·
@MsBossyPants

Thanks for creating this thread. I've been a vegetarian for nearly a decade, and I'm seriously considering veganism. I'm already almost there, in a lot of ways; it would be, on the whole, a pretty natural and smooth transition. Anyway . . . here's a sort of inquisitive ramble which may or may not lend itself to being “answered” with a response, per se:

I don't eat a great variety dairy foods (and haven't been drinking milk since even before I became a vegetarian), which are all that keep me from being considered vegan. All I'd need to do to eliminate dairy from my diet—with one exception, as I will discuss—would be to forgo the occasional yogurt, more or less.

My problem is that I eat a lot of cheese, however, and I enjoy it very much. “Giving up,” this source of enjoyment in and of itself, isn't so much the problem, though, exactly, as it is finding an acceptable substitute(s) for how I use it. Basically, I use it for flavoring all across the board, because I am a picky eater who will not eat many “traditional” sources of supplemental flavor and cheese is something I, like I said, actually enjoy. So, I don't know . . . I guess I'm wondering if you (or anyone else) have any suggestions for a probable prospective vegan as far as this cheese dilemma goes?

Oh, and one other semi-related thing: I'm not a big salad person. I can't stand eating leafy vegetables plain, but again, I'm not a fan of traditional complements to salad-ish-based meals—dressing, namely. I might even put cheese on salad in certain situations. XD But I'd like to incorporate more of these foods into my diet, and if I'm not mistaken, dark, leafy greens are pretty important for vegans. Any thoughts?
 
#39 ·
As a reminder to you and others who will read this:

You won't be able to just eliminate cheese. Right now, cheese is probably your biggest source of protein. If you decide to give that up, you will have to make sure that you are getting enough protein in the form of whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, legumes, and tofu.

I used to loooooove cheese. Not so much the bland ""American" type cheese, mozzarella or a cheesy sauce, but a nice slice of flavorful Swiss or a bold gorgonzola sprinkled in a salad. Like you, I gave up milk long before going vegan, and for me, yogurt was never a favorite. Still, it was hard for me to consider giving up cheese. I haven't found any sort of cheese substitute that I like all that much. I just go without. The only "fake" dairy product that I regularly use is vegan sour cream. The texture and taste are pretty good. If you can't give up cheese completely or find a substitute you like, the compromise may to opt for bolder flavored cheese and use less of it.

Does anyone else out there have any suggestions for a good cheese substitute?

As far as the leafy greens thing ... Since I eat a lot of beans, I make a lot of soups from scratch. When the soup is cooked, at the very end while it's still piping hot, I will stir in bite sized pieces of dark green leafies. The heat from the soup will wilt them down and soften them. This works great with fresh spinach. For some of the bolder flavored greens such as kale and swiss chard, you may want to steam them separately, rinse them, then add them (this will steam off some of the raw greens smell so that it doesn't end up altering the taste of your soup. I don't know the science of why that works, but it does.) It's a great way to eat your greens without having to eat a salad.

FYI, I don't use salad dressing, either. A lot of dressings use lecithin which is derived from animal flesh or eggs. For dressing, I like balsamic vinegar or the juice of a fruit. Last night I had a steamed kale salad topped with sliced nectarine and walnuts. I used a knife to cut away the outer flesh of the fruit leaving some pulp around the seed. Then, I squeezed the pulpy seed to pull the juice out - directly over my salad. Try it with orange, or any other citrus, or soft fleshed fruit - mango works well also.

Another thing I do is to make whole grain wraps. I load them up with my protein and then add a generous amount of arugula or fresh spinach, it's like eating a small side salad without having to eat a salad by itself.

I also like Kale chips. Here is a video on how to make them:




My tips: Experiment with the amount of olive oil you like, and with baking times (ovens vary).

Also, after washing and drying my kale, I put it in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, pour the oil into the bag, press much of the air out, seal it, shake and lightly knead the bag to get good coverage of the oil. Then, just dump the bag onto the baking tray, and spread the kale around with a wooden spoon. This way, your hands don't get all oily and sticky. ;)
 
#38 ·
What are the best/favourite foods you eat for your B12 intake? And same for iron?
 
#40 ·
Thanks for the question, @Sonny . By asking the questions, it shows that you are very aware that both of these are important. I'll give the long answer here for others who may not know this.
@Sonny , if you want to skip the lecture and head right to your answers, go to the red type

For anyone who doesn't know this:

B12 is vital. A deficiency can cause severe health issues.

Animals (us included) store B12 in their bodies. When you eat an animal or a product from an amimal, you eat and aborb their stored B12. B12 is not available in most vegan food sources. There is some in kelp or seagreens, and a few other sources, but it's been found that the amounts vary widely. Your best bet is to supplement.

Since vegans use milk substitutes, they are fortified with the B12 and calcium you would normally get from milk. (most, but not all are, check the label)

I also take a B12 supplement. I take this one from COSTCO:

It contains 100mcg of B12 (and other vitamins). It also contains 9mg of iron (1/2 the RDA)

Iron is available in vegan food sources, but is less well-absorbed than from animal sources. Eating a vitamin C source at the same meal will boost iron absorption (it contains acid, which helps break down the iron and make it easier to absorb) .

Conversely, calcium is an acid absorbant. (This is how Tums works. It's an antacid- it decreases the acid in your stomach) Taking a large dose calcium supplement at the same time as your iron decreases the absorption.

I usually take my B12 with a piece of fruit (vitamin c) and later in the day, I take my multi-vitamin also with fruit. The multi contains 18mg iron (the minimum daily recommendation) . Between the 2 pills and my diet, it's plenty.

You can also cook in a cast iron skillet (the food absorbs the iron in the skillet).

Coffee (caffeine) drinkers: Try not to have the beverage with your meal. it inhibits the absorption of iron.

Here's a list of vegan iron sources:





Sources of iron in a vegan diet generally come from seeds, beans, soy and fortified grain products. It's a little bit here, a little bit there, it adds up. This is why it's so important to eat a variety of foods, so that you don't become deficient in any one vitamin or mineral.

Getting enough B12 and iron isn't generally a concern to vegans who eat properly and/or supplement.
 
#41 ·
Regarding iron: Funny, because before I went vegan I was anemic. I was prescribed iron supplements with awful side effects. Gradually I decided to give up all pharmaceuticals, and as I went vegan (although not for health reasons) I felt way more energetic than I did when I was required to take the iron supplement. Eating your greens everyday can do wonders.

The only supplement I do take is the B12; not even heavy on it, about 25mcg a week

So, I definitely agree with @MsBossyPants , b12 and iron deficiencies are most certainly not ''a vegan thing'', if you're the right and right amount of plant foods
 
#42 ·
#43 ·
Has anyone ever tried making nut cheese? I have seen a few recipes and it seems interesting (more like a cheese spread). I keep telling myself I am going to try it but haven't yet.

This might be a good cheese substitue....?

Pepper-Crusted Cashew Cheese with Herbs (gluten free, vegan, raw,*ACD) - Affairs of Living - gluten-free, allergy-friendly, and whole foods recipes, resources, and tips
I haven't tried to make anything like that. Sounds like it might be good, though.

Probably "cheese" more for the cream cheese texture, rather than the flavor.

If you make it, please share with us what you think of it.
 
#45 ·
In place of milk I use almond or soy milk in my coffee, oatmeal, and smoothies.

I don't care for any of the cheese substitutes. I think it becomes almost reflexive to put cheese in, and sprinkle it on everything. I just do without. After a while I just lost the taste for it. I do use vegan sour cream occasionally - a dollup in my chili, a bit on a burrito. But, I could go without and not miss it too much.

I stay away from baked goods such as cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. that would require an egg substitute. Baked goods tend to be calorie laden and don't provide much nutritional punch, and I've never really liked eggy dishes, custards, or even just eggs by themselves. So, no egg substitutes.

I do occasionally use some of the "fake meats". I like the "Gardein" brand:
Link to website: gardein, deliciously meatless foods
I only eat them once a week or so.

All of these products are processed in some way. I think which substitute products you use is a matter of personal preference, but in general, it's best to try to stick to whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible.
 
#47 · (Edited)
Withdrawal? No. Craving maybe, as with anything you give up, but withdrawal? No.

As stated before in this thread, I was a cheese addict. I looooved me my cheese. Here is what I noticed when I gave it up: I lost the bloat in my belly and lower abdomen. I'm not lactose intolerant, but dairy made my belly bloat. After meals, I would always feel bloated when I ate cheese. As soon as I gave up dairy, within a few days, I felt better. It's the kind of thing you figure out this way: You're not aware of it until you notice it's not happening anymore (I hope that makes sense)

Also, I used to occasionally have acid reflux, and couldn't figure out what was causing it. I now know it was the cheese. Since giving it up, I haven't experienced it.

For what it's worth, I have friends who have given up dairy who report the same sort of anecdotal evidence.
 
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