Anybody here vegan?

[JazFusion]

I've been thinking about going vegan, but I have a few questions to ask.

TIA

[Menolly]

JF, I'm not even vegetarian, much less vegan, but I love the Fat-Free Vegan site.

Also, Marvin (Tazz) was vegan for awhile. I don't know if he returned to it or not, but he might be able to answer your questions whenever he gets to the Watch.

[sgt.null]

i was vegie for awhile. i know eat fish & poultry. can i help maybe?

[JazFusion]

I was just wanting to know what to eat when you're vegan, since you can't eat any animal by-products. What do you do for breads and cereals, etc.? How cost effective is it being vegan vs. not?

For now I'm going to go vegetarian, but eventually I'd like to go vegan.

Menolly: that site is great! Thanks!

[sgt.null]

i hope these help.

thevegandiet.blogspot.com/

www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

www.vrg.org/nutshell/vegan.htm

sites julie and i have used.

[Menolly]

Be sure to stay on top of your complete protein combinations, JF. Beans and rice, tofu and rice, etc. I am sure there are others I am unaware of, but I understand getting complete proteins is a major hardship on vegans.

I love adding cubed tofu to fried rice. And of course moros y cr-stianos and red beans and rice are excellent options as well.

[Wyldewode]

Jaz, I do vegan or vegetarian from time to time. I'd be happy to help answer questions.

[Wyldewode]

Jaz, I put a lot of vegan recipes up for you in the Vegetarian Recipes thread. Hope this helps!

[drew]

When I went Vegatarian a few years ago...well more like ten years ago...I never really understood what the difference was between vegatarian and vegan.

Like, vegatarian means you don't eat meat, and vegan means you REALLY don't eat meat?

I not only gave up meat I didn't eat dairy or eggs either, did that mean I was a vegan?

I personally never liked the tern, it sounds like some sort of pretentious term to make certain vegatarians feel like they are better than others.

"I'm a vegan"
"What's that mean"
"I don't eat meat"
"Oh, you're a vegatarian"
"No, I'm a vegan"
"What's the difference"
"I don't eat honey either"
"Oh."

[Wyldewode]

Vegetarians don't eat meat, but will eat products obtained from animals, like eggs, milk, and butter. Vegans will not eat any food obtained from an animal source.

[Menolly]

There are vegetarians who will not eat lacto (dairy), ovo (eggs) or pesce (fish) either. But, they will eat things like honey. They are the most strict vegetarians I can think of, without being vegan.

[drew]

Why do people need to labled by what they eat...I guess that's what bothers me.

Can't you just say someone doesn't eat meat?

Do they have to be labled as a lacto-ova vegatarian, but not a vegan.

[Menolly]

For those who eat that way, yeah, they do.
It helps them locate recipes they'll eat if the recipes are labled as such.
And, if someone is hosting them for dinner, while it is polite to show up and eat whatever they can find that fits their diet, most hosts want to serve something that their guest will eat. So, if asked, it is useful to be able to say, "I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian."

[drew]

I always found it easier to say that I didn't eat meat or dairy.

I've got at least a half dozen "Vegatarian" cookbooks, and very few of the recipies have milk or eggs in them; therefore most of the recipies are technically vegan.

And what's a fruititarian?
I'm sure its not someone who only eats fruits...it's a vegatarian (or vegan if you will) who eats their food raw isn't it?

[JazFusion]

Menolly's spot on. A lot of vegans are put off by the way animals are treated and so refuse to eat ANY animal by-products; and I've found almost everything contains some sort of animal by-product or trace of it. Even things that are considered vegetarian can still go through filters of ground up animals bones and the like.

I don't mind eating meat and dairy products, but I'm completely against the treatment of the animals. Do a google search for a video called "Meet Your Meat". I'll never be able to look at meat the same.

[drew]

I don't mind eating meat and dairy products, but I'm completely against the treatment of the animals. Do a google search for a video called "Meet Your Meat". I'll never be able to look at meat the same.

That's why a I became meatless in the first place....although; the PETA people are pretty good about spreading propaganda around; you can't trust everything they say....I used to deliver to various beef farms years ago...some of them did have most of their catle locked up unable to move...but some onf them let their cow roam around in pastures.

I started eating meat again, because I started feeling guilty about damn near EVERYthing I ate...be it meat or vegtable.

I realized (for my own pursoses anyways) that the only way I can eat food guilt free, is if I grew all of my own vegtables, and hunted all of my own meat....well, that ain't gunna happen, so I nearly whatever now.

[Menolly]

drew, I am with you regarding this. The food chain is the way it is for a reason. Although I do enjoy meatless meals on occasion.

However, as board host here, I want to put out a cautionary post reminding all that this is not the 'Tank. So far I have no problems with the conversation, but should it get heated, or if others say they want to stick to food history, preparation, and enjoyment here, I'll split off the more philisophical posts in this thread, OK?