I want to become a vegan, but I need help because I dont know if I should become one and if it is healthy?

Answer 1

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

“Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence. Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.“

-ADA’s and Dietitians of Canada position on Vegetarian and Vegan diets

Eat a variety of "whole foods," with plenty of beans, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid unhealthy foods like trans fats, which are usually listed as partially hydrogenated oils. Deep-fried foods often contain trans fats. Choose margarines that use nonhydrogenated oil, like Earth Balance or Smart Balance. Although a diet consisting of Coke and French fries is technically vegan, you can't be healthy if you eat nothing but junk food. Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is produced by bacteria, and some experts believe that vegetarians used to get plenty of this vitamin from bacteria in drinking water. Since drinking water is now treated with chemicals that kill the bacteria, it's important to make sure that you get enough vitamin B12 from fortified foods (like most brands of soy or rice milks, some breakfast cereals, and many brands of nutritional yeast) on a daily basis or by taking a sublingual B12 tablet of 10 mcg per day


Iron-beans, dark green leafy vegetables (like spinach),whole grain breads, Also eat something with vitamin c when you eat something with iron, it increases absorption

Calcium-dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, soymilk)

Protein-Isn't really hard to get, just eat a variety of foods, good sources are beans, brown rice, nuts, whole grain breads, soy foods

Omega-3 fatty acids-flax seeds/oil,walnuts,canola oil

Zinc-pumpkin seeds (best source), beans and lentils, yeast, nuts, seeds and whole grain cereals

Selenium-Brazil nuts are a particularly good source of selenium, so try to eat a couple every day. Eating a small bag of mixed unsalted nuts can be a convenient way to get your daily selenium intake, but make sure it contains Brazils. Bread and eggs also provide some selenium.

Vitamin D- Vitamin D, often called the sunshine vitamin, is another common deficiency in those not drinking vitamin D fortified milk. Synthetic vitamin D is added to both cow’s milk and most brands of soy milk today.

Vitamins A (beta carotene),C, K, E and Folate-variety of fruits and veggies

Iodine-Iodine is a trace mineral that's important for healthy thyroid function. Table salt is the most common and reliable source of iodine in Americans' diets. (However, sodium in processed foods usually does not contain iodine.) If you don't consume table salt, you can get iodine from a multivitamin or from kelp tablets.

Answer 2

Because dairy is in so many foods so without knowledge and preparation its a little hard at first to shop If they knew the life of the dairy cows and the baby calves destroyed so that people could have milk instead, then they would be vegan The health vegetarians would also turn vegan if they knew how bad milk is for your health plus links to breast cancer

Answer 3

Omnivore. Homo sapiens sapiens is an omnivore. We need nutrients from both the plant and animal kingdom to be healthy. You can, with dedication and a careful diet, be a dietary Vegan. There are so many worse wacko ideas out there. (and yes I'm saying (to be PC) that it is "out of the mainstream"). ANyway, if you're rich, intelligent and independent then you certainly can be healthy on a Vegan diet. If you rely on things like YA for your information, then I wouldn't advise it. Incidentially, the choice of going Vegan will impact much of your life and lifestyle. As long as you can afford it (in both time and money) its your choice.

Answer 4

Do it, only after doing research on it, and you feel as though then it would be right for you.

It's perfectly healthy. For those who say there isn't protein or enough protein in a non-meat diet, they need to also do their homework.

I'm a vegetarian, but, not a vegan. Not sure, if I'm ready to make the commitment just yet. It takes discipline.

I also have a lean, muscle toned body. That's just the way I like it too.

Answer 5

Im a vegan and have been for years. The only probelm you might have is feeling sick or fluish like when the toxins start comming out of your system. So start off slow and work your way into it. Not only will you start feeling better but you will probably loose weight and get healthy skin and hair too :)

Answer 6

if you are going to be a vegan you need to do it for the right reason. you have to do it because you care about the welfare of your fellow non human beings on the planet,spiritually and ethically and morally. if you are doing it to "be healthy",its basically pointless./ i was a vegetarian for eight yrs. and when i did it because it was about compassion towards animals and less about my health, it worked incredibly well./ better do some studying and maybe get some good cookbooks(there's some with simple recipes) Good Luck

Answer 7

Don't totally cut out meats because it can become a lack of protein which is unhealthy. You can just cut out red meats and only eat fish or chicken which is healthy. You want protien so don't go vegan!

Answer 8

it is very healthy, i would advise u to become a vegan if u really want to

Answer 9

It is perfectly healthy and cruelty free but it's going to be hard to resist those juicy steaks and chops with the trimming.

Answer 10

I don't think being vegan is best for you. You can live, this is true. But, I don't know... all the vegans I've met are very VERY thin, with little to no muscle, and are always tired and lethargic. However, it's true that their minds are very clear and they're generally smarter than they would have been, but I don't think it's worth it.