Q & A on the Benefits of Vegan Living

Going vegan (pronounced VEE-guhn) has a lot wonderful benefits, but there are myths and misconceptions that keep people from even considering it as a lifestyle option. Here are some answers to common questions.

Q: Aren’t vegans some sort of radical, tree-hugging, hippie wannabees?

A: Nope, vegans are simply people who choose not to eat animal products such as meat, fish, milk products or honey. Many vegans also avoid fur, leather, wool and any animal products used in the manufacture of cosmetics, toiletries or anything else they may use.

Q: So what’s left that you can eat?

A: A healthy, balanced vegan diet is rich in beans, nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables as well as some vitamin supplements, such as B12 and D.

Q: Is that good for you? Don’t you need the protein and calcium that comes from meat and dairy products?

A: A balanced vegan diet can be extremely healthy. Benefits include weight loss, lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars as well as a reduction in your risk of cardiovascular disease and some common cancers.

You do need protein and calcium to stay healthy and there are many delicious vegan options that can be substituted for your current diet.

Q: Substitutions? Like what?

For protein, instead of meat- try peas, beans, lentils, nuts; seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, sesame; and soy and tofu products. ½ ounce of nuts, or ¼ cup of legumes is considered equivalent to 1 ounce of meat, poultry, or fish in the USDA Food Guide.

For calcium, instead milk products for calcium-try broccoli, collard greens, kale, legumes, nuts, seeds, fortified soy milk, hummus, and figs.

Q: Doesn’t that get boring?

A: It’s a little more limiting than the standard American diet, but these days there are many wonderful vegan cookbooks, websites, forums and resources available to help you get creative with your meal plans.

Q: Healthy is great, but I’ve got a job and kids and no time and even less money. This sounds expensive and time consuming.

With the prices of meat and dairy products skyrocketing, a vegan diet may actually end up saving you money. A menu consisting of grains, legumes, seasonal produce and soy can be relatively cheap if planned properly.

Vegan alternatives no longer must be specially ordered or tracked down at some far-flung health food store. Supermarkets, heeding the call for wider choices have added many new products, usually right next to the ones you’ve been reaching for all these years. Look for Silk Soy Milk, Sweet Balance margarine and Stonyfield Farm’s O’Soy in the dairy case, Gardenburgers and Boca Burgers in the meat case, and tofu in a variety of flavors and firmness in the produce section.

Veganism is not only a healthy and responsible way to live, but as you can see, it’s also practical, economical and doable. So go out there and change your world, one meal at a time!