Veggie Blog

The original title of this post misspelled the word; it is veganism, not “vegatism.” The post described it as a philosophy that says people should not hurt animals, which is close to the official definition. Here is a fuller answer.

What is veganism?

The Vegan Society describes veganism as a way of living that tries to avoid, wherever possible and practical, the exploitation of animals and cruelty to them, whether for food, clothing or any other purpose. For eating, that means dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals: no meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), no dairy and no eggs. The old post was also right that many vegans avoid leather, skin and products tested on animals.

What do vegans eat?

The old post said vegans eat a lot of soy and vegetables. Soy foods like tofu and tempeh are popular, but they are one of many protein sources: beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains matter just as much, along with fruit and vegetables.

Are vegans healthier than non-vegans?

The old post said that the average vegan is healthier because they eat better food than someone who eats lunch at a fast-food restaurant. It depends on what each person eats. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a US professional body for dietitians, takes the position that a well-planned vegan diet can be healthy at every stage of life, and may help prevent some diseases. A vegan diet of chips and sweets would not give that benefit, so planning matters.

What do vegans need to watch?

The first is vitamin B12. According to the NIH, unfortified plant foods contain no vitamin B12 at all, so vegans need fortified foods or a supplement. The second is calcium, because dairy is the main source in most diets; the NIH lists fortified plant milks, calcium-set tofu and vegetables like kale, broccoli and bok choy as options. Iron deserves attention too: the NIH says the requirement is 1.8 times higher for people who follow vegetarian diets, because iron from plants is less well absorbed. Our post on vitamin deficiency and who is at risk explains B12 and iron in more detail.

The old version of this post claimed that meat-eaters have a much bigger chance of getting cancer. The sentence was muddled, and one line even said the opposite, so I have rewritten it from the research.

Is meat linked to cancer?

The World Health Organization says that processed meat, such as bacon, sausages and ham, is classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), because there is sufficient evidence that it causes colorectal cancer. Red meat is classified as probably carcinogenic (Group 2A). WHO adds that the risk increases with the amount of red or processed meat eaten, and that at the time of the original assessment the data did not permit a conclusion about whether a safe level exists. A Group 1 label describes how strong the evidence is, not how big the risk is.

Do vegetarians get fewer diseases?

Some studies suggest a benefit. In the Adventist Health Study 2, vegetarians had a 12 percent lower adjusted risk of death from any cause than non-vegetarians. This is an association: people who skip meat often differ in other ways, such as exercise and smoking. A vegetarian diet of chips and sweets is not a healthy one, so the quality of the food matters as much as the label.

How much meat is reasonable?

The World Cancer Research Fund recommends no more than about three portions of red meat a week, which is roughly 350 to 500 grams cooked weight, and eating little if any processed meat. If you are not ready to go fully vegetarian, our guide to eating to lower cholesterol with fiber and plants shows how to build meals around beans and vegetables.

Should you try a month meat-free?

My old advice was to try it for a month and see how you feel. I still think this is a good experiment, but I have dropped the claim that nine out of ten people feel better, because I found no source for it. Plan for protein, iron and vitamin B12, keep notes on how you feel, and talk to your doctor if you have a medical condition. Our post on the main types of vegetarian diet can help you pick a starting point.

The first thing you have to realize before become a vegan is that you have to know deep down in your heart that you want to be a vegan, not because other people do and you just follow them. It’s not wrong to follow the good example of others but you will not be a vegan for long and don’t feel happy while you’re eating.

Since you realize that you really need to be a vegan. There are many reasons why people turn to be vegans like loving animals, healthy, clean the stomach and more. But since you can focus on what you want to do. You can start by eat less meat as much as possible, reduce the number of meat day by day. At the same time, eat them with vegetable. Until you can stop eating meat, start eating veggies completely. If you’re the one who doesn’t like vegetable, first eating the one you like. There must be some kind of vegetables you like to eat, start from them first.
Start to eat less outside the house but cooking food by yourself and all food should not have meat in it. if you don’t know how to cook, ask someone to do it for you. Your first vegetarian meal should be delicious, so it can convince you to feel good eating them.

Also if you are the person who trust in animal right, it’s a lot easier to stop eating meat. Meat in the opinion of the vegans is just like the dead meat and they don’t eat dead meat to harm their bodies.