From Vegetarian to Vegan.?

Question

I want to switch from Vegetarian ((1 year so far)) to Vegan, but I haven't really tried Vegan food, and my mom thinks that it will be best for me to wait until I turn sixteen or seventeen ((I am fourteen)). Do you think that I should try it, or wait a few more years before experimenting?

Answer 1

I went from meat eater to vegetarian to vegan in a matter of months. For me this worked, primarily because i researched which vitamins/minerals vegans most often have trouble getting (B12, iron, calcium, iodine, and D) and sources of these (like nutritional yeast for B12).

Especially since your are still growing and developing, I would suggest doing lots of research (just googling "vegan" can even be a good start, hehe) first.
The things you should be most concerned about considering your age and nature of the diet are 1. omega 3s (there is a very good vegan supplement called v pure that has all the omega essential fatty acids) 2. B12 (get from nutritional yeast or fortified foods like soymilk and 3. Iron- pepitas (pumpkin seeds) have a lot of iron in a small serving!!! If you choose a iron supplement, read dosing carefully since too much iron is very toxic.

After researching, try going vegan for a month and see how it feels.

Answer 2

A properly planned vegan diet can be perfectly healthy at any age. And of course you've tried vegan food - haven't you ever had spaghetti with tomato sauce? Anyway, you owe it to yourself to do some research on nutrition (and you can give your mom some reassurance that way, too.) Pick up a copy of "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina; the information is pretty in-depth so your mom might have to go over it with you to make sure you both understand it, but it's really good. Then, pick up a couple of good vegan cookbooks for inspiration. "Vegan with a Vengeance" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and "How It All Vegan" by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer are both really good. There's no downside to trying it out for a month or so. You'll either find that you love it or that it's too hard for you to stick to. If it's the latter, there's no reason why you can't try again later when you feel more prepared.

Answer 3

I'm not really sure what "vegan food" you're talking about, other than soy milk, of course. I mean, I've been vegan my whole life and eat burritos, pizza, and pasta just like anyone would.

It'd be great if you tried it though. You'd probably be surprised at how easy being vegan is. I don't know if it's picky vegans or uninformed omni's, but I sometimes get the impression from the VV section that being vegan is somehow a hassle and makes it hard to enjoy life, whereas I've never gone to a restaurant and not been able to enjoy a full meal!

Please remember that veganism is a lifestyle, not just what you eat. Vegans don’t wear leather, fur, or wool, buy products from companies that conduct non-required animal toxicity tests:
http://www.caringconsumer.com/pdfs/companiesDoTest.pdf
Or frequent zoos, rodeos, circuses, or other places where animals are held in captivity or forced to perform.


Good luck!

Answer 4

my parents dont want me to become vegan either, they weren't happy about me becoming a vegitarian, but slowly work into it

slowly start replacing non vegan foods with vegan substitutes, and do a lot of research on what can and cannot be eaten

Answer 5

I am sure you have had vegan food and not thought about it - spaghetti with a simple tomatoe and onion sauce or rice with vegetables. or potatoes with margarine or chips or hash browns or french oinion soup, tomatoe soup, cauli flower soup, sorbet, roast with out the meat just the vegetables,just try a few things.

Answer 6

You know what you want. I say go for it! Have you heard of Amy's brand? Most of their stuff is vegan (and delicious!). I suggest you get a book to get yourself educated and motivated!

And here's some websites for you::::

http://www.goveg.com
http://www.happycow.com
http://www.vegetarianteen.com (mostly about vegans and raw foodists)
http://www.veganteen.net
http://www.chooseveg.com/vegan-food-pyramid.asp
http://www.cosmosveganshoppe.com/
http://www.thevegetariansite.com/

good luck!!! =D

EDIT: ps: smarties are vegan!

http://www.peta.org/accidentallyVegan/

Answer 7

You should see what your diet needs to be as a vegan. Will you get enough B-12 somehow? You might need one or more vitamin supplements.

Answer 8

This really involves a switch from dairy products to soy- or non-dairy products

Answer 9

Think about how much food has animal byproducts in it. Think about how much food doesn't have animal meat in it. HUGE DIFFERENCE!!

Answer 10

Your age is irrelevant. It can be just as beneficial for you no matter how old or young you are.