# Vegan diet



## Johny (Dec 21, 2010)

Anyone have any easy recipes and can comment on if/how it effects your health/mood?


----------



## victoriangirl (Jan 2, 2009)

I've been a vegan for the last 15 months and it was the best decision of my life. I was a vegetarian before that and my reason for becoming a vegan were purely ethical - I love love LOVE animals, so I guess it was a normal transition for me. 

The feeling that my diet & lifestyle are cruelty free is quite amazing. As for the nutritional side - well, I have not gained weight at all even though I have been eating a lot! It has made me conscious of my choices so I am an expert in reading labels & making healthy choices etc. 

Has it cured my depression, SAD or my stomach ulcers, complaints of fatigue? No, but this feels very right so I could never go back to eating the way I used to. I could never ever eat meat, I am too aware of the 'behind the scenes'. Overall it has definetely made a huge impact on my general wellbeing though. When I am happy now, I feel 1000 X happier.

I've had 'healthy' 'colleagues who tried the vegan 'diet' and they were all very happy with it. They lost a lot of weight and were full of energy.

It is simple the healthiest diet out there!


----------



## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

I feel better after eating healthier. 

here are some links to vegan recipes...

Vegan Meat and Dairy analogs

Angel Food Cake
http://www.vegan-food.net/recipe/301/Angel-Food-Cake/

Bacon (vegan)
http://recipeswithtofu.blogspot.com/
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Faken-Veggie-Bacon/Detail.aspx

bean tacos:

taco shells or corn tortillas (warm them)
refried vegetarian beans (heat them up)
lettuce
tomatoes 
onion
picante sauce

can also add shredded carrots or anything you like
----------------------------------------------------

veggie stir fry:

just stir fry some vegetables that you like, add any bottled teriyaki sauce or just curry powder, onion powder, garlic powder

put slivered almonds on top (if you want to, you can toast them in the oven until they brown a little bit)

can eat it with rice, if you want to
===================================================

Baked Sweet Potato Sticks

1 tablespoon olive oil 
1/2 teaspoon paprika 
8 sweet potatoes, sliced lengthwise into quarters

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spay or vegetable oil. 
In a large bowl, mix oil and paprika. Add potato sticks, and stir by hand to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet. 
Bake 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Best eaten at room temperature


----------



## Toronto88 (Feb 16, 2012)

I've been vegan for about a week or two... although I still eat seafood (haven't really come across any research that has stirred me away... except for mercury contents if you eat a high amount of seafood). 

So far, I am LOVING it. Being vegan has forced me to eat lots of fibre and veggies to get full ... (something I used to never eat!) 

A good book to read is Kathy Freston's "The Lean" and also Alicia Silverstone has such a great website that I'm addicted to: TheKindLife.com (she also has a book but I haven't read it)


----------



## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

im no vegan but i do like smoothies.

Eggs, spinach and cottage cheese, Blew but healthy.

Coconut oil is AWESOME for anything you can make raw chocolate with it.


----------



## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

I grew up vegan and it was terrible for me. My hormones were out of whack because I didn't have enough fat sources to keep certain functions going. In addition, my body hoarded what little fat it got. I was chronically exhausted and irritable. 

Vegan works fine for a toxin flush, but not as a long term diet, IMO.


----------



## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

I don't think anyone should just become vegan. Your body needs to get used to slowly not eating meats/ dairy... it can mess you up!


----------



## Rossy (Jan 15, 2011)

Sounds horiable.


----------



## Shoelaces (Dec 30, 2011)

Becoming vegan means reading up on nutrition. On some areas you need to think more about where you get certain vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, such as *b12* (e.g. fortified foods and beverages, multivitamin) , *omega-3's* (EPA, DHA and ALA, from micro-algae), *vitamin D* (e.g. fortified foods, supplements, sun exposure), *calsium* (e.g. collard greens, molasses, fortified plant milks), *iron* (e.g. soybeans, molasses, lentils etc) and *iodine* (iodine-enriched salt). An internet search brings to you an array of info but this being the internet, don't take everything as a given, and actually research how much of each nutrient you need. Also, some nutrients are actually converted into other nutrients (beta carotene-> vitamin A) so take that into consideration and you may need to consume for example a little more protein or iron than you would on an omnivorous diet, because they don't necessarily absorp as easily from plant sources (bio-availability, non-heme and heme-iron, full proteins). Learn to combine amino acids from different sources. People do eat more protein than they need, though.

You can calculate your own protein/nutrient needs with an internet calculator.

Veganism can be very healthy if you do it right, but unfortunately many people don't. Chips, soda and tofu ice cream sure are vegan, but they're not good for you if it's all you eat, so you will come across unhealthy vegans, just like you come across unhealthy non-vegans. A balanced diet (preferably organic and local) is essential for the health of your body and mind.

As for my own experience of veganism? I feel fantastic about it because I think I'm doing the right choice. I have more energy and my mood's improved, although I don't know whether it's because my diet has changed or something else entirely. And funny enough I eat healthier food now. Probably because now I know more about nutrition and the food industry than I did before.


----------



## Shoelaces (Dec 30, 2011)

Toronto88 said:


> I've been vegan for about a week or two... although I still eat seafood (haven't really come across any research that has stirred me away... except for mercury contents if you eat a high amount of seafood).
> 
> So far, I am LOVING it. Being vegan has forced me to eat lots of fibre and veggies to get full ... (something I used to never eat!)
> 
> A good book to read is Kathy Freston's "The Lean" and also Alicia Silverstone has such a great website that I'm addicted to: TheKindLife.com (she also has a book but I haven't read it)


I think you mean that you are a vegetarian because vegans don't intentionally consume any animal products. Honey isn't vegan either. : )


----------



## Shoelaces (Dec 30, 2011)

Revenwyn said:


> I grew up vegan and it was terrible for me. My hormones were out of whack because I didn't have enough fat sources to keep certain functions going. In addition, my body hoarded what little fat it got. I was chronically exhausted and irritable.
> 
> Vegan works fine for a toxin flush, but not as a long term diet, IMO.


Why weren't you eating enough?


----------



## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

Shoelaces said:


> Why weren't you eating enough?


My family believed fat was bad. Add this to the fact that I had a few cousins who were size 2, 4 or at the heaviest, a 6, and I was one of those girls who was naturally larger than that. I went from a girl's size 14 to a woman's size 14 in 6 months and although you could see my ribs all they saw was the number on the scale and my pants size. I couldn't reason with them that I was adopted and had a different body structure than the rest of the family, and I am half Cherokee as well, so my body type isn't necessarily European. When 90 minutes of cardio a day and a 1500 calorie diet wasn't enough to make me lose even 5 pounds, they cut me down eventually to 800 calories a day in addition to all that exercise.

Oh yes, they were also raw foodists. Once a quarter we had potluck at church and my family would bring their own food (because apparently cooked food is toxic :roll) but I would actually eat something everyone else would. My body took to hoarding that little bit of fat until I ballooned to 215 pounds, size 22.

Once I got married and started eating animal fats and drinking whole milk, I dropped down to 160 in three months. Unfortunately I couldn't afford to eat that way over the long term, and ended up consuming too many carbs and now have to lose 30 pounds again. I lose weight quickly on a red meat based diet. I am allergic to chicken and pork.


----------



## andy1984 (Aug 18, 2006)

i'm not a strict vegan but i do count myself as one. i'm not even that healthy. sometimes i do the health thing and other times i eat too many skittles and junk foods. but even when i'm not being healthy, its still kind of healthy.

being vegan is an important part of my ethical beliefs so it improves my mood 

easy recipes: i don't really cook so its more like rice + spinich, rice + kumara, chickpeas + spinich, rice + lentils, rice on its own, porridge, muesli, stif fried veges, raw veges, fruit, roasted veges. me really trying to cook is doing spaghetti bolognaise with brown lentils + spaghetti + random veges + tomato paste. lol


----------



## Shoelaces (Dec 30, 2011)

Revenwyn said:


> My family believed fat was bad. Add this to the fact that I had a few cousins who were size 2, 4 or at the heaviest, a 6, and I was one of those girls who was naturally larger than that. I went from a girl's size 14 to a woman's size 14 in 6 months and although you could see my ribs all they saw was the number on the scale and my pants size. I couldn't reason with them that I was adopted and had a different body structure than the rest of the family, and I am half Cherokee as well, so my body type isn't necessarily European. When 90 minutes of cardio a day and a 1500 calorie diet wasn't enough to make me lose even 5 pounds, they cut me down eventually to 800 calories a day in addition to all that exercise.
> 
> Oh yes, they were also raw foodists. Once a quarter we had potluck at church and my family would bring their own food (because apparently cooked food is toxic :roll) but I would actually eat something everyone else would. My body took to hoarding that little bit of fat until I ballooned to 215 pounds, size 22.
> 
> Once I got married and started eating animal fats and drinking whole milk, I dropped down to 160 in three months. Unfortunately I couldn't afford to eat that way over the long term, and ended up consuming too many carbs and now have to lose 30 pounds again. I lose weight quickly on a red meat based diet. I am allergic to chicken and pork.


It sounds like the deterioration of your health wasn't really the result of veganism but the ignorance and neglectfulness of your parents - They starved you? I'm sorry you had to go through with that, that sounds horrible. Fat and cooked foods aren't banned in veganism, so that was all on them.

Also, if you really ate that little and exercised a lot but still maintained/gained weight, it sounds more like a hormonal issue, like you said, and a result of slowed down metabolism, connected to your starvation and nutrient-deficiency. Thyroid-related? Cushings?


----------



## NatureFellow (Jun 14, 2011)

There's nothing I enjoy more than I nice grass smoothy to start the day.
Sometimes I run to the open fields to nibble the grass first hand too.

best regards,


----------



## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Vegan chicken fingers and frozen fries! I eat it several times a week.

Obviously I am super healthy.


----------



## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

Shoelaces said:


> It sounds like the deterioration of your health wasn't really the result of veganism but the ignorance and neglectfulness of your parents - They starved you? I'm sorry you had to go through with that, that sounds horrible. Fat and cooked foods aren't banned in veganism, so that was all on them.
> 
> Also, if you really ate that little and exercised a lot but still maintained/gained weight, it sounds more like a hormonal issue, like you said, and a result of slowed down metabolism, connected to your starvation and nutrient-deficiency. Thyroid-related? Cushings?


I do have hypothyroidism and PCOS. It's a challenge for me to get down to a US size 16. When I hit around a 12-14 you can actually see and count my ribs though.


----------



## Shoelaces (Dec 30, 2011)

Johny said:


> Anyone have any easy recipes and can comment on if/how it effects your health/mood?


By the way, I'd be interested in knowing how the diet's been working out and whether you've bought any fortified foods and supplements. Also, if you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them.

And remember that now that it's still wintertime in northern Europe, Canada and North America, the sun may not be a reliable source of vitamin D even if it's sunny outside, so take note of your local UVB index and supplement vitamin D if necessary. RDA for ages 18-50 is about 600 IU of D3 (not D1 or D2) but some professionals recommend twice that amount. The RDA doesn't take into note vitamin D production via sun exposure. 10-15 minutes of sun on fair skin in the summer can produce about 10,000 IU's of vitamin D, if it's midday and you don't use sunblock. If you have darker skin and especially if you are black, you need a longer timespan of exposure.


----------



## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I cook with rice a lot. I lived in Japan before, so I kind of adapt my favorite Japanese foods to vegetarian. Once a month or so I make a big batch of Japanese curry and I replace the meat in the recipe with coconut milk. The ingredients include potatoes (sweet or regular), onions, carrots, and eggplant.

I also eat tofu, hummus, yakisoba (with onions, green pepper, carrots, and cabbage), peanut butter (w/raspberry jelly) sandwiches, Hormel vegetarian beans (with rice), and veggie burgers with moyashi (bean sprouts).

Another rice meal: rice, onions, peas, corn, green olives, raisins. For spices I use salt, pepper, soy sauce, garlic powder, and a bit of dry curry powder. The green olives taste great with raisins cause of the contrast in flavor.

I feel the same as I felt before. Lately I have tried to cut out cheese for most part and I noticed a slight reduction in my pot belly. I don't know why people think that vegetarians eat tons of salad. I only have salad maybe twice a month. Almost all the vegetables I eat are cooked.


----------



## Maninthebox84 (May 3, 2012)

Alonzo8100 said:


> According to recent research, water and green tea is the best way to lose your weight. I took 8 to 12 glasses of water gradually and 2 to 3 times cup of tea in a day. And now i feel much difference in my weight.


I can confirm this. I mostly drink water and 2 cups of tea every day.
I've been 100 pounds for the last 10 years.


----------



## ShawnB (Dec 25, 2012)

Vegan here.


----------



## CelestiaSun (May 22, 2014)

I can promise you that a vegan diet will change your life. I used to be the biggest meat-eater that I knew. Then gradually I switched to vegetarianism, then to vegan. You feel so much lighter, and not bloated. I had so much energy and just felt so good and alive. 
A vegan diet introduces you to so many new recipes and new kinds of foods to eat. It's fun experimenting with recipes too. It's a good way to eat a lot and keep off weight. I also find that a vegan diet fills me up more than a regular diet.
The only downsides to a vegan diet are going out to restaurants. It's hard finding a good restaurant that serve you a filling vegan meal, not just a piece of lettuce on a plate.
Make sure you get plenty of protein - beans, lentils, almonds, hummus, etc. 
Good luck


----------



## bencastle (May 10, 2014)

I have been on paleo for a year (so mainly eating fruit, veg and loads of meat). But didn't feel too much of a difference in my well-being. Switched back to "junk food diet" for a while. Then I recently read Victoria Bountenko's raw food diet book and been doing it for a month now. But again, don't feel any major difference, and also find it quite hard to follow it up. I feel like I'm lost in diets and don't know what would be good for me in the long run.


----------

