Should I go vegan- already a vegetarian?!


Question: Should I go vegan- already a vegetarian?
I've already been a vegetarian for 3 1/2 years, and I really want to go vegan, due to cruelty of animals. But there's a few problems:
1. My whole family eats meat. We already have to make special exception for me and my dad doesn't like it. I'm thinking I should maybe wait until I have a job, am 18, or have moved out.
2. Vegan diets can get expensive. Soy meat comes in very small amounts and cost quite a bit. I live in a middle-class family.

I'm also a really picky eater, but this isn't to big of a problem, as I'm willing to give it up for the animals. I also thought about only eating organic eggs and milk and cheese. Eggs will be very easy to get as my grandmother has lots land and a few chickens and only gets eggs from them, so I already get organic eggs for free. Do they even make milk or cheese though that doesn't come from factory farms?

Answers:

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

well if you do that you have to give up the stuff on this list too as well

http://greenagenda.info/nine-surprising-…



**** your family, if they want to eat swill, tell them not to include you in it!

I just bought everything I needed the other day at the grocery store to completely cut out dairy from my diet ALL OF WHICH CAME TO $20:

Whole Wheat Raisin Bran
Soy Chocolate Milk
Unsalted Peanuts
Canned Spinach, Vegetables
Corn Oil

YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO CUT SATURATED FAT OUT OF YOUR DIET! CHOLESTEROL AND SODIUM TOO!



I live alone and don't find my diet expensive. I do not touch soy products, just due to everything I've read about them. It's not very good for western cultures. I'm vegetarian, but rarely eat fish or chicken, just mix up the vegies to get nutrition



You're basically already a vegan, so...have at it.



If you like.



you should do it.. (:



That's entirely up to you.

As someone else pointed out, organic doesn't necessarily mean kinder--in fact, in some cases, it's crueler, as cows who get infections from milking cannot have antibiotics. Since you're a teenage human and not a baby cow, you don't need cows' milk or its byproducts anyway.

If the only eggs you use are from your grandmother's farm--presumably you see how she treats the hens--it won't be vegan, but it will be a less cruel option. And there are less cruel options for obtaining eggs, as you can see.

One thing I like to suggest for veg*ans in a carnist family is that whoever does the cooking makes the sides vegetarian or vegan, cooks the meat entree, and lets the vegetarian cook his/her veggie entree. Tofu is pretty cheap--both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's have store brands for less than $2 a pound, and each block of tofu makes three meals. You can make your own seitan relatively inexpensively with Vital Wheat Gluten (less than $5 a box, and that makes two pounds of seitan). Some Gardein products are relatively inexpensive as a per-meal cost (the scallopine breasts are less than $6 for four "breasts", each of which will make a meal). Tempeh, sadly, isn't as cheap, and only makes maybe two meals per block. But you can crumble it into chili or a stew to stretch it.

Try to work with whichever family members are supportive. Going vegan is not a radical step from vegetarianism.



Your commitment is great! Of course you should make every effort to go vegan because it is definitely better for animals, but if you find that it's impossible in your family, we can't blame you.

One thing you should know is that a vegan or vegetarian diet doesn't have to be expensive or weird. You and your family can share many homemade vegetable, grain or pasta dishes or desserts that will taste good and be affordable to them, and not be morally objectionable to you. You and your family should try to rely less on processed, storebought food, and start buying fresh produce and cooking yourself. Fruits and vegetables are not expensive, and grains, spices, and packaged pasta your family probably already buys vegan without knowing. Middle class families can easily afford these things, at any rate. If your parents have no time to cook, then you can offer to do it. You actually shouldn't eat too many soy products anyway because processed foods are unhealthy. You don't need to eat any to be healthy.

Organic products are not always better for animals either. Your grandma's eggs are acceptable from a cruelty perspective if you don't care about calling yourself a vegan, but dairy is pretty much always cruel. Organic just means they were not fed chemicals... but you are still consuming the food that belongs to their babies, who are becoming veal or dairy cows themselves. and the cows always need to be forced into being constantly pregnant. It's a myth that cows magically produce milk that "needs" to be taken by humans. Straight from Wikipedia: "To maintain high milk production, a dairy cow must be bred and produce calves. Depending on market conditions, the cow may be bred with a 'dairy bull' or a 'beef bull.' Female calves (heifers) with dairy breeding may be kept as replacement cows for the dairy herd. If a replacement cow turns out to be a substandard producer of milk, she then goes to market and can be killed for beef. Male calves can either be used later as a breeding bull or sold and used for veal or beef . . . Calves may be sold for veal, or for one of several types of beef production, depending on available local crops and markets . . . Most dairy farms separate calves from their mothers within a day of birth."

It's very responsible of you to want to support your own diet, but I think it's unnecessary. Every parent has a responsibility to feed their kids vegetables. If you are old enough to get a job, then you should, but if you're not, don't rule out going vegan.

Depending on your parents' personalities, it can also help you to discuss the issues with them, so they might be willing to change their own diets, eat vegan meals with you, or at least respect your need to do so. You can collect and share statistics about animal cruelty, environmental harm, or health consequences, depending on their concerns. You know them best.

You can message me for more info if you need it. You can get a free guide sent to you from vegkit.org. The best recipe site that doesn't usually require specialty items is vegweb.com. I can recommend some cookbooks if you want too.



Its all up to you. Yes it can be a bit expensive at times but its for the better. Becoming vegan you will need to make sure you still get all of your daily requirements whether its substituting foods or taking supplements.
I would say to buy organic everything since it wont contribute to factory/processed places. It is also better for you because there aren't any preservatives or added hormones. They make almost everything organically you just have to look at the right places. Nugget or Whole Foods are your best options. Trader Joes or a local fruit market may also have them. Even start buying fruits, vegetables and other foods organically. They really do exist.
You will be amazed at how much more energy you have and how much better you feel. Without all those unatural-cancer causing chemicals in you, you will feel better than ever.
If you have any questions feel free to ask me or do any research online:)



There are farms that sell raw organic milk and cheeses. Here in Texas, there are many, and they ship them to you. But, it seems you already made the decision, and something you have to have in mind is if your family is the type of family with problems with sweets, diabetes, over growth of yeast bacteria or problems with the T-Cells. Also, if women of your family have problems with tumors or cysts in the ovaries. If so, this is the type of family with problems with metabolism/ pancreas, and you have to give your body, not only quality protein, but a little much more in relation to carbohydrates. That means eating less cookies, cakes, corn flakes, pancakes, breads, rice and pasta, and eating more vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, dark green leafs, and whole grains.



A vegan diet is dangerious no matter how careful you are. Each years 100s of people die from being on these diets. I would strongly recommend you eat a well balanced diet from the major food groups.




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