7 Myths About Going Vegan
I am always getting questions about what it takes to go vegan.
More and more people are giving this healthy diet a try - for a wide variety of reasons. One if for health - nothing really puts your diet into the wellness fast track like 'going vegan' does. Suddenly you are forced to think about and analyze the foods you eat and feed your family. You are reading labels and talking to waiters about ingredients and vegan options - and you will with no doubt in my mind - be eating better.
More whole foods, leafy greens and a wider diversity of legumes and grains will slowly seep into your everyday food plan - both for yourself and your family. Your spouse and kids don't even have to join in the 'going vegan' commitment to taste the repercussions of your new diet. Tasting your new vegan recipes and ingredients slowly becomes fun and interesting to them. Tempeh, quinoa, hemp and nutritional yeast.
Related: 19 delicious recipes you'd never guess are vegan
Plus, you may have heard the recent news that red meat is blamed for 1 in 10 early deaths - just another paved stone in the path for those looking to try going vegan - changing their diet in a big way. But there are plenty of 'going vegan' myths out there. Here are 7 of them..
Myth #1: Vegans only eat salads
It is true that you will be eating plentiful amounts of super healthy leafy greens, veggies, nuts, fruit and more - in salad form. But vegans eat everything just like you do now. Salads can be the center of a meal or a side dish. Vegans eat veggie burgers, pasta, sandwiches, tacos, ice cream sundaes, grains and more. And salads. And from my experience, vegans make the best salads around because of the diversity of healthy ingredients they add in.
Make a BBQ tempeh salad
Related: The top 5 foods that will make you gain weight
Myth #2: I will have to say goodbye to favorite foods
I can proudly say that snce going vegan I have veganized all my favorite recipes. Pancakes, lasagna, pizza, soups, sandwiches - even "clam" chowder and mac and cheese. In fact, cheese (a common favorite) is easy to replace if you know how..
Check out 10 vegan options for cheese
Myth #3: I will be forced to drink yucky green smoothies
You will drink them. But they are YUMMY, not yucky. You will love and crave vibrant sweet, tasty, emerald green smoothies and juices. If you have ever loved 'fruit smoothies' you can learn to love green smoothies. They are bliss and instant energy in a glass!
Make a green smoothie
Related: 8 outrageous sports stadiums made of...FOOD
Myth #4: I can eat anything I want as long as it is vegan
Not true. There is plenty of vegan junk food out there. Both recipes for it and products in stores. A little in fun in moderation. But just because the cake says it is vegan doesn't mean you can eat five slices.
Make a vegan Elvis cake
Myth #5: Protein will be hard to find
Protein is in everything. And beans, nuts, grains - even fruits and veggies have it. Eating a well-balanced vegan diet means you will most likely be getting enough protein. Consult a nutritionist if you are unsure of how to balance your diet. Tofu, tempeh, beans, peas, nuts and seeds are my favorite high-density forms. And soy and hemp are complete proteins.
Make tofu triangles
Related: The 25 healthiest foods for under $1
Myth #6: Going out to eat won't be the same
True! And not true. You will be able to go to most of your favorite spots and easily get fed. Ask the waiter what vegan options they have. I have never been shot down by this simple question. And more and more vegan chains are popping up in cities all over the country. Vegan dining is alive, well and growing!
Check out delicious vegan offerings from your fave restaurants
Related: Blue ketchup?! and 7 other failed food products you'll never eat again
Myth #7: I will have to eat more, and more often to stay satisfied
Anyone who says vegan food is not filling simply isn't eating theright vegan food. Hearty stews, fiber-ful kale salads, robust sauces, meatless "meat" products, nutty tempeh, vegan sausages, creamy nut sauces, vegan cheese, filling grains and beans. Foods rich in fiber are filling - and vegan food is fiber rich! This burrito is stuffed with delicious, satisfying ingredients - smothered in rich cashew cream sauce.
Make a cashew cream burrito
- By Kathy Patalksky
Follow Kathy on Babble
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