Anyone Vegan or Raw Vegan? (soy, mcdonald's, bbq, food)

[DawnW]

I have worked toward a more Vegan eating plan for the last few months. It hasn't been easy with eating out, BBQ parties, vacations, etc....but I feel so much better when I eat this way!

I also would love to be more raw, but am struggling to get there.

I wish I had more support locally.

Dawn

[gnubler]

I have been vegetarian off and on since I was 15, 99% vegan for the past 5 years or so. I wouldn't have it any other way and I prepare most of my meals from scratch. I say 99% because I'm not a Vegan Nazi who rips apart menus at restaurants demanding to know every ingredient used. If I've eaten noodles with egg or a cookie with butter, so be it. I do my best to avoid it, but I don't stress about it. I read labels and don't buy products with meat/dairy ingredients. I feel better about what I choose to eat for many reasons, and my food bill (and health care costs - ZERO) is significantly lower than the "average American" (from what I read).

I absolutely LOVE cooking (and eating!) and the best part is there really no restraint or limit. I've never had a problem with being overweight and have never had any illnesses other than the common cold.

How old are you? I'm 33 now. When I decided to become vegetarian as a teen, my mother mocked me, doing things like bringing home McDonald's Happy Meals for my younger sisters and saying to me "well I guess you don't get anything because you don't eat meat". That's true ignorance there.

I currently live in Portland, OR - it's a vegan haven. However, in some ways I'm tired of it because it's now "trendy" to be vegan. People do it just because it sounds good. I don't think they do it for the long haul, though. It's certainly a lifestyle, and you have to just accept that you will constantly get ignorant and stupid questions. I mostly just keep quiet about it.

Vegans today are the trendsetters of future times. When/if petroleum runs out or gets prohibitively expensive, people simply won't be able to go grab that 99¢ hamburger. It just won't exist anymore.

[gnubler]

And no, I'm not raw vegan. That takes extreme discipline and I'm not THAT gung-ho about nutrition, but if it works for some people, that's great.

You could say goodbye to rice, pastas, lentils, beans, veggie pizza, bread, soup, etc. Those are important parts of my diet.

[mrdude]

i've always been curious about how vegans get a quality source of protein. soy is not a complete protein (it has all amino acids, but is severely low in a few), and the amount of phytoestrogens in soy seems like it would be prohibitive to consistently eat it in large enough quantities. so how do vegans get enough protein, or do you not worry about it?

[Pikantari]

Originally Posted by mrdude

i've always been curious about how vegans get a quality source of protein. soy is not a complete protein (it has all amino acids, but is severely low in a few), and the amount of phytoestrogens in soy seems like it would be prohibitive to consistently eat it in large enough quantities. so how do vegans get enough protein, or do you not worry about it?

I am neither, but beans and lentils, peanut butter, etc are good sources of protein...

[DawnW]

If you read a lot of Vegan literature you will find that most Vegan experts believe that the recommended amount of protein in an American diet is WAY too high and our bodies don't actually need that much protein.

Some grains contain a lot of protein. Quinoa is excellent for protein. Even fruits and vegetables contain protein.

I have read several books, but really like McDougall the best. He is a medical doctor and I respect that he is not only a medical doc but a Vegan expert.

Dawn

Originally Posted by mrdude

i've always been curious about how vegans get a quality source of protein. soy is not a complete protein (it has all amino acids, but is severely low in a few), and the amount of phytoestrogens in soy seems like it would be prohibitive to consistently eat it in large enough quantities. so how do vegans get enough protein, or do you not worry about it?

[DawnW]

Well, that is my biggest struggle with raw. I can't seem to really stick to it. I have to have some grain. I am able to give up flour, sugar and white rice, but not the cooked foods.

Dawn

Originally Posted by gnubler

And no, I'm not raw vegan. That takes extreme discipline and I'm not THAT gung-ho about nutrition, but if it works for some people, that's great.

You could say goodbye to rice, pastas, lentils, beans, veggie pizza, bread, soup, etc. Those are important parts of my diet.

[Roma]

I'm a Vegan also. I have been for years. When I lived in CA it was a lot easier then it is for me now in Texas. I live in a small town and it doesn't have a lot to offer for Vegans. We are moving back to CA though, so that will be better.
But I survive.

[DawnW]

Oh man! I am beyond jelous! I want to move back to CA, but DH won't hear of it.

dawn

Originally Posted by Roma

I'm a Vegan also. I have been for years. When I lived in CA it was a lot easier then it is for me now in Texas. I live in a small town and it doesn't have a lot to offer for Vegans. We are moving back to CA though, so that will be better.
But I survive.

[SmerkyGrl]

A tad off topic but I've always been curious about the point of RAW diets....why raw? :/ It sounds disgusting and a cooked diet can be equally as nutritious.