How does being a vegan work?

Question

I would prefer to get answers from people who are strict vegans, since they can answer from experience. What I mean is, if you don't consume anything that comes from animal (including milk and eggs) then how do you eat such things as bread, cookies, cakes, pizza, etc.? Those things usually contain milk, cheese and eggs. I know that there are alternatives for meat such as tofu, vegie burgers and such, but I just don't understand how you would avoid milk and eggs. How do you get your protein and calcium intake?I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just trying to understand. Please, serious answers only.

Answer 1

"What I mean is, if you don't consume anything that comes from animal (including milk and eggs) then how do you eat such things as bread, cookies, cakes, pizza, etc.?"

- Bread can be found quite easly that does not have milk or eggs in it. Cookies can be made Vegan ( "Vegan with a Vengance" has a great Cholate chip cookie respie). Pizza can be made with no cheese, you just put a bunch of veggies on it. My favorate toppings are spinage, mushrooms, and tomatos.

"I know that there are alternatives for meat such as tofu, vegie burgers and such, but I just don't understand how you would avoid milk and eggs"

-I'm not really sure how to explain it to you without having you follow me around for a day. I really don't eat much tofu or veggie burgers. It's really just as simple as learning the names of the ingerdenits you choose to avoid and scaning lables real quick before you buy something. It becomes second nature after a wile. No big deal really.

"How do you get your protein and calcium intake?"

-Protein is presnet in almost everything a Vegan eats, you do not have to go out of your way to get protein if you are eating a blanced Vegan diet. Calcium is a simmalar situation. Contrarry to what the dairy indsutry would have you belive, milk is not the only nor the best sorce of calsuim. Think of it this way, the cows don't carry around glasses of milk to get their calsuim do they? Of corse not, they get it from the grass they eat (or should be eating but thats a diffrent issue intirely).

"I'm not trying to be rude"

- And your not. Thank you.

I hope this was helpful. If their is anything that need more clarification just let me know.

Answer 2

First of all, what are you finding hard about going vegan? Are you having trouble thinking of different things to eat? Are you missing your old dairy-containing foods? Are you finding it simply too expensive or are you facing pressure from the people around you? These are issues I came up against, but I don't know what your situation is, so I can't give specific advice. I don't think anything we say will make you feel better, simply because once you know how things are, you can't really forget. But it's possible that right now may not be the best time for you to switch over to being vegan. Everyone's working on a different time-line and that's okay. I mean, the day I decided to become vegetarian, I actually ate meat because I wasn't prepared. A few days later, after reading up on the vegetarian diet, I was able to make the switch. I actually tried to go vegan right away, but that did not work out, and I went back to eating eggs and dairy. After about six months, I slowly phased these foods out and have been following a vegan diet for almost a month now with no issue. So, from someone who's just made the switch, I encourage you to keep veganism as your goal, but go at the pace that feels right to you. Remember that every little effort you make helps - even if non-vegetarians ate less meat, it would help, so think how much more you're doing with a vegetarian diet!

Answer 3

Protein and calcium are in alot of other foods so that's not even an issue if you know nutritional levels of foods. As far as items that usually use milk and eggs, there are vegan versions and substitutes.

For example, I'm vegetarian but prefer to eat vegan alternatives like Earth Balance spread and Van's organic waffles and you know what? You wouldnt be able to tell that those items were vegan at all.

Answer 4

You can get some vegan cakes, chocolate, biscuits although you do you have search for them. Hee in the UK there are quite a number of specialist places that do vegan products like you mentioned. If you live in the UK and want some addresses let me know. Otherwise a lot of vegans do tend to cook from scratch, repacing the usual ingrediants with animal free ones. Looking in vegan recipe books will help. At least cooking for yourself will let you see what's in your food, which is a real advantage.

Answer 5

You bring up some great points. A true vegan will not eat any animal products, so they will get their protein and calcium from alternative sources such as fruits, nuts, vegetables, and soy (soy milk, soy cheese, tofu, etc.). A person who chooses not to eat meat, poultry, or fish but will consume eggs and dairy is actually a lacto-ovo vegetarian, not a vegan.

Answer 6

You tend to have to make a lot of food from scratch and search carefully when buying things to check if they are vegan. Protein is easy to get from many products including pulses, beans and nuts, Calcium is slightly harder but is added to some brands of soya milk which makes it easier. If you want more detailed information go to : http://www.recipesforvegans.co.uk/vegannutrition.html

Answer 7

youcan not eat enything from an animal like milk eggs enything but you should become a vegan i am a vegan it is esay

Answer 8

I think there is a form of veganism that allows you to eat as much McDonald's as you want.

Go with that form.