For those who have never heard of the term ‘vegan’ basically it means being a strict vegetarian. So while vegetarians still consume dairy products and eggs for example, vegans do not. A vegan does not consume any animal products; no cheese, dairy, meats, eggs, fish etc. etc.
So what do vegans eat I hear you say? Well, everything that doesn’t
contain animals! It’s really not as hard as it seems. I often hear people say “oh
but I could never stop eating [insert favourite animal-attained product]” but
honestly there is so many animal-free substitutes these days that even I’m
amazed! You would not believe the things that companies have come up with- fake
bacon, chicken, and any other meat you can think of, soy cheeses, dairy-free chocolates, the list is never ending. And the endless
possibilities that soy can produce is actually astounding! I don’t understand
why more people are NOT on the soy/tofu bandwagon. This product is really
amazingly versatile.
I'm working on a new page for a list of how to gain proteins
and essential vitamins and minerals which I will be sure to let you know of in
due time. Because this is probably the most asked question I get regarding the
whereabouts of protein now that I’m not getting it from meat. I should point
you all in the direction of the “Skinny Bitch” series of books (by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
[here is their website]). They are seriously so full
of information regarding a meat-less and animal-free lifestyle it’s not funny.
Here is an excerpt from their book Skinny
Bitch: Bun in the Oven talking about proteins:
Whether its
milk, cheese, eggs, chicken, pork, beef, or fish, animal foods are the only
ones that have cholesterol. They also contain fat and saturated fat. And that’s
in addition to all the bacteria, hormones, steroids, pesticides, chemical
pollutants, and antibiotics! Um, so why do we eat them- for protein? Yep so
basically, we risk heart disease, obesity, diabetes, all sorts of cancers, and
our health because we’ve been brainwashed into thinking these are the only
foods with protein. But we can easily obtain adequate protein by eating a
variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
If you have an interest in where your food comes from or what
it is made up of these books are really informative. They take a bit of a “punch
in the face” approach to their writing but it’s really straight forward
reading. I am in no way trying to persuade
a vegan diet. I too had concerns about vits and minerals and adequate nutrient
intake when changing to a vegan diet so that is why I have done some research
and appeased my own mind. I know now that my health will not in any form be
lessened due to the absence of animal products.
p.s. sorry to add the animal pictures, they were just too adorable!
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