VEGAN AND PLANT BASED FAQs
Why should I minimize or eliminate my meat intake?
1) Health Benefits: There are increasing amounts of research that show a clear link between a high intake of red and processed meats and a higher risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
2) Animal Activism: Most farm animals are raised on factory farms and experience appalling cruelties throughout their lives. Many people choose to stop eating meat in solidarity of animal rights.
3) Environmental Activism: Due to the staggering amounts of methane produced by livestock, a meatless diet offers an easy and effective way to reduce our contribution to climate change.
How can I get enough protein without eating meat?
Beans, lentils, chickpeas, whole grains, nuts, seeds, soy, tofu, and tempeh are great sources of protein.
As long as you eat a wide variety of different protein sources, you will get enough protein. Plus most adults need only about 50g of protein a day but consume considerably more than this.
I’ve heard a meatless diet can be heavy in carbs. Are carbs bad for you?
Carbs are very healthy and nutritious for our bodies. The quality of carbs are very important. You want whole grain carbs. There are two main categories of carbs:
1) Refined or simple carbs - These carbs include white rice, white bread, pasta, and pastries. They are not very helpful for our body because they are missing out on fiber and B vitamins. Eating refined carbs is linked to a drastically increased risk of many diseases, including obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
2) Complex carbs - Whole grain carbs such as brown rice, wheat bread and quinoa have fiber which is good for your gut and heart. They also have B vitamins which provide energy.
This does not mean you should never eat refined carbs. Totally fine to still eat them. However, it is important to prioritize fiber-rich carbs and whole grains for balance.
How can I get enough iron?
Dark green leafy vegetables are very rich in iron such as kale, collards, and spinach. Beans, lentils, seeds, whole grains, nuts, and dried fruit are also great sources of iron.
Good to pair these iron sources with food that includes vitamin C. For example, make kale smoothie with strawberries/oranges. Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron in the body so a vegan diet is at an advantage as it generally contains a variety of fruit and vegetables. If you are concerned about your iron intake then try to avoid drinking tea or red wine with your food. The tannins contained in them can inhibit the absorption of iron.
How can I get calcium if I don’t consume dairy?
Dark green leafy vegetables have calcium such as kale, collards, and spinach. Baked beans, black beans, dried figs, tahini, and almonds are also great for calcium. Additionally, most non-dairy milk such as almond milk is fortified with calcium.
Research shows that those who drink cow’s milk actually have more bone fractures than those who do not drink cow's milk. Vitamin D also assists the absorption of calcium in the body. 15 minutes of unprotected exposure to the sun each day is good for a reliable source of Vitamin D.
Are imitation meats/mock meats bad for you?
They are not necessarily bad for you but try not to overeat them. They tend to be high in sodium and potentially have preservatives. They are also highly processed so you do not want to eat them often.