All it takes is three weeks of eating vegan before you start to feel positive effects. But it isn’t easy changing lifelong eating habits. Here’s all you need to know at the grocery store and in the kitchen.
Bonus: Read an excerpt of Kevin Gray’s Rise of the Power Vegan from our October 2010 issue (available now).
by Kevin Gray
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I. First, the Ground Rules
• Obviously red meat, poultry, and fish are all off the menu. But also no eggs or dairy, which includes ice cream, cheese, butter, and even cream in your morning coffee. Eggs and milk are also common ingredients in pastas and bread. In fact, nearly all commercial baked goods have an ingredient that’s not vegan, so it’s usually best to steer clear.
• You’ll also need to start scouring labels for egg and milk derivatives like casein or whey, two popular health-food protein sources. They’re found in a lot of snack bars, fitness foods, and, of course, protein powder supplements.
• Don’t forget multivitamins: Gelatin isn’t vegan, so find pills with a vegan coating, as listed on the label.
II. What to Expect
Week One:
Your entire body will feel lighter, as the meat built up in your gut is literally forced out by the deluge of fiber from all the vegetables. You will also feel less sluggish. “You start to come out of this fog that many people have from eating heavy, fatty foods,” says Susan Levin, the director of nutrition education at the non-profit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “When you give up dairy, you immediately breathe easier.” You’ll also have to deal with cravings for things like cheese. Find an appropriate substitute, like soy cheese. Your taste buds will adjust within a week.
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September 8th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
awesome post. being vegan is easy. there is about a 2-month learning curve while you get to know what ingredients you need to watch out for where, but being in a community helps. meetup.com has a ton of veg groups, from veggie hikers to vegan drinks. if anyone cares about their health, athleticism, or looks (not to mention the planet and animals), veganism is the way to go.
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September 8th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
most peanut butter is vegan!
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Lisa Reply:
September 13th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
I also don’t see any problems with peanut butter, as long as it does not contain hydrogenated fats. But almonds butter is definitely worth trying.
Rice, hemp or nut milks are not good sources of protein. Most of them contain no more than 2 grams in each serving. Soy milk, on the other hand, is an excellent source of protein. And from a zillion varieties now available on the market you can choose soy milk that has just soybeans and water in its ingredient list or the one that has other ingredients. Eden organic sells soymilk that has up to 12 grams of protein in each serving. They also fortify their milks with important micronutrients such as calcium, vitamin D and B12.
Lastly, spinach is not a good source of calcium because of oxalates that block absorption of calcium. But there are plenty of other dark leafy greens that contain calcium that is easily absorbable. Examples include bok choy, collard greens and kale.
In any guide to going vegan, I think it is also important to emphasize that B12 needs to be taken either through supplements or fortified foods. Every new vegan needs to know that.
Otherwise, thanks for the article. You gave plenty of good tips!
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Larry Piltz Reply:
September 17th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Regarding spinach, I’ve read that if you eat spinach with mushrooms (zinc, etc), then calcium absorption is not blocked. Someone may have more recent info, but that is what the info used to be.
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September 9th, 2010 at 10:02 am
I was wondering why a peanut butter substitute would be necessary, too. I’m vegan and eat pb all the time. Maybe almond butter is just healthier.
Also, most brands of canned refried beans offer a veg version. And most Mexican restaurants (at least the bigger ones and chains) don’t use lard in their beans; the little mom-n-pop places often still do.
And lastly, for the BLT, I would highly recommend Vegenaise over Nayonaise. Vegenaise has the flavor and consistency (and color) of real mayo, whereas Nayonaise is like beige, runny, pureed tofu. Some people like that, but I think if you like actual mayo you’ll prefer Vegenaise.
Great article! Glad to see this in Men’s Journal.
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Rosalind Reply:
September 15th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Black Cat peanut butter with the Yellow lid is pure peanuts, no hydrogenated fats,nor added sugar and salt. Sesame seeds have the highest calcium content of any other food on the planet – sprinkle over fruit salad, garden salads etc. Don’t go overboard with the soya products, many people are sensitive to soya – rather grow your own alfalfa and lentil sprouts to have fresh on salads, loads of protein and not genetically modified either. My motto is If it’s been through a factory avoid or have in small amounts only. Keep it natural, keep it fresh!
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Andrew Reply:
September 24th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
In Australia we have a 99% fat free version of Praise mayonaise called… it appears to be Vegan friendly. Not sure of the other brands low fat options, but worth looking at.
Thanks for the article!
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Sharen McKinney-Alston Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
re: peanut butter: well, peanuts (along with white potatoes and corn) are three of the most fungally infested crops. (For scientific data see Dr. Robert O. Young’s book, ‘The pH Miracle’ (www.pHmiracleliving.com) along with Doug Kaufman’s work on http://www.knowthecause.com
Also, peanuts have notoriously been affected with aflotoxin, one of the most virulent mycotoxins knows to man.
Thats why almond butter or cashew butter are safer choices.
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September 9th, 2010 at 10:26 am
VERY good article, hit every important point AND makes great brand name food suggestions. Great job, Men’s Journal!!! Awesome to see a major magazine printing REAL suggestions. Going vegan is one of the best things I have ever done for myself, ever.
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September 9th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Nice to see this post, great job Men’s Journal! I agree with other commenters, going vegan is surprisingly easy. (and I’m with KT – I eat peanut butter all the time, just not that crappy brand with all the additives).
LOVE Gardein BTW, it made the transition even easier for when I wanted more accessible protein options than tempeh (and it makes cooking for my non-vegan friends easy too – most of the time they don’t even know it’s vegan).
Also if you miss yoghurt, the So Delicious Coconut Milk yoghurts ROCK.
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September 9th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Excellent intro. I’ve been vegan now for 9 months and one day. The three week plan held true for me: after day 21 I had really lost my taste for meat and cheese (this is a good thing, I’d spent the first 43 years of my life eating way too much of it). I lost 20 pounds, which I’ve kept off without effort or calorie counting, and my cholesterol had dropped 50 points (from 198 to 148). Another quick meal idea is tacos made with pre-seasoned veggie taco crumbles. Check out The Engine 2 Diet and website for some more man friendly recipe ideas for all levels of cooking expertise. As Gary Francione says:
Going vegan is easy; it is better for your health; it is better for the planet; and, most important, it is the morally right thing to do.
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Deb Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this. As my name probably indicates, I’m not a man, but I’ve done NO cooking and I’ve had an atrocious time finding sites with recipes truly friendly for the non-cook. http://engine2diet.com/the-daily-beet/ is fabulous!
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September 9th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
I think all Clif bars are vegan including their protein bars.
Don’t get the Almond butter thing. Maybe less fat than PB?
And yes, there are many options for vegan refried beans.
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rob mafia Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
actually, clif recently started using dairy in some new product lines.
most of their stuff’s still vegan, though.
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September 9th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
I’ve been vegan for 3+ years now and haven’t been sick once (save for self-induced illnesses of excessive consumption), am running 10+km 3 days a week. Cycling ~13km to work very frequently. I am currently on 40 consecutive push-ups on my finger-tips. Not to mention I just feel all-roung healthier and better.
It’s easy and anyone can do it!
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September 9th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
This is so great! It makes going vegan sound super easy, and in fact as a vegan, I assure you that in many ways it can be even easier than this list makes it sound! Go Men’s Journal!
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September 9th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
I don’t know why they say most bread is non-vegan, that is not really the case. While baked treats from the store are typically nonvegan (cupcakes, cookies, muffins, etc.) most sandwich breads are fine. You typically make bread with flour, yeast, water, sugar, and salt. Just watch out for honey (if you don’t eat it) and whey, which sometimes pops up.
I’m surprised they don’t make any comments regarding B12. If you’re serious about becoming a vegan, picking up a good vegan B12 supplement is the way to go. B12 cannot be reliably found naturally in any foods, so you either have to eat it via supplemented foods (milk, cereal, nutritional yeast, etc.) or get yourself a supplement.
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rob mafia Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
re: b12 – also, most forms of b12 (cyanocobalamin) are unabsorbable garbage. methylcobalamin is absorbable, though. and there are some pretty good (vegan) supplements that use it (deva, now, “pure vegan,” etc).
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Jamie Reply:
September 11th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Tons of B-12 in nutritional yeast, which is readily available at the bulk bins at Whole Foods. N. yeast is the perfect parmesan cheese substitute. Fantastic in vegan pesto.
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Rosalind Reply:
September 15th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
B12 occurs naturally on the outside of root vegetables, in fact it is a bi-product of bacterial activity in the soil – it’s because we wash and peel everything that we are sometimes lacking. Nevertheless it is worth taking a good supplement, and spirulina is also an abundant source of most micro-nutrients
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September 9th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Great article, THANK YOU.
Clif Builder Bars are vegan and awesome and have 20g of protein each. Hemp or rice protein shakes are a must if you work out.
C – About the bread, nearly all commercial brands like Pepperidge Farm or Arnold have whey or milk powder as one of the ingredients, not to mention high-fructose corn syrup. It’s better to go with Ezekiel or something simple/local.
And yes, B12 is super important. Get a good supplement and be diligent about taking it.
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C Reply:
September 10th, 2010 at 12:53 am
Most commercial bread also contains L-Cysteine (which is usually derived from duck feathers.), as well as mono-glyceride (which can be animal or vegetable derived) *if you’re concerned with those things.*
and while high fructose corn syrup is still a vegan product, its horrible for you, nutritionally speaking.
Ezekiel is the best. high in protein, all sprouted grains, and delicious….
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Jamie Reply:
September 11th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Stroehman 100 percent whole wheat seems safe for vegans.
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September 9th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Awesome article! I am 33 years old and have been vegan for over 16 years now. Hands down it is the best decision I ever made; I can’t say enough good things about how positively it has effected my life. I’m a marathon runner and avid rock climber, and my diet, very similar to the one outlined here, has kept me at the top of my game long after other guys start to fall off. I’m stronger, faster, and fitter now than I ever was, and I attribute that more than anything to my vegan diet.
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September 9th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Congrats to The Men’s Journal for such a well-laid out easy-to-follow plan for going vegan; I think in this day in age many people are entertaining the idea but really don’t know where to turn or how to start.
And I think that we’re starting to see more men realizing that not eating meat and dairy doesn’t mean losing their manliness.
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September 9th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
since going vegan I feel healthier and more focused
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September 9th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
thanks for the article. i’ve been vegan for a long time and only wish i started sooner. and it really is easy, especially now with so many great/healthy foods relatively easy to find.
you don’t need to be a professional athlete (ala mac danzig) to benefit from it. haha.
and even though he didn’t stay with it, the vegan diet that carl lewis adopted fueled his best years (which he attributes the vegan diet for).
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September 10th, 2010 at 12:26 am
When you achieve this, email me. We’ll go out for a steak.
Be careful. Most “know it all vegans” have no biochemistry background, and think hugging dirt will make you healthy. And, they have a hidden agenda.
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jen Reply:
September 10th, 2010 at 10:57 am
I am a vegan with a biochemistry degree. Have actually found the studies on animal based and plant based proteins to be quite sensible.
What is your issue with vegans hugging dirt? That is a rude and snide comment that is unnecessary and just makes you look, quite frankly, like an idiot.
I hope you educate yourself a little bit more and next time provide a stimulating and well rounded comment here. It would be much appreciated.
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Rosalind Reply:
September 15th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Amazing how often these carnivors get agro defending their lifestyle – maybe that’s why there is a perception that vegans are hippies, we’re just so peaceful!
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Abby Bean Reply:
September 10th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Ah yes, Rich, the “hidden” agenda of compassion. Horrifying!
Veganism is a lifestyle choice, not just a diet.
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Scott Reply:
September 30th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
I’m really irritated. I read the whole article and at the end it says “Golzales eats fish, chicken, and turkey five nights per week. What a rip off!
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September 10th, 2010 at 8:36 am
I love this article. I have been a vegan now for 6 months and I am never going back. I have never felt stronger or more in control of my body. I am an actor and lots of people told me that I wouldn’t be able to live that lifestlye AND be a vegan. I actually think it helps in my profession because it forces you to actually acknowledge what you put into your body, and since we only get one, might as well treat it as best as possible.
P.S. I can’t stand the mentality that eating meat makes you a man. Those who think that obviously have some issues they need to deal with. I am so happy that Men’s Journal ran this article.
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Sara Reply:
September 10th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
To me the sexiest men on the planet are vegan and vegetarian. To be confident enough in your own mind to stand up for what’s kind to animals and the planet in the face of stereotypes and preconceived notions takes more mental and emotional strength than many people have. It’s so much easier for women to embrace compassion without being considered “soft”. I hope we are in the process of changing this. The side health benefits are just a huge bonus prize.
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Katie Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Love your comment Sara! I too find people who stand strong in the face of injustice extraordinarily attractive. There’s nothing heroic, brave or manly doing anything like kicking puppies, shooting fish in a barrel, eating animals. Not saying meat-eaters kick puppies but the point is that none of these animals ever had a chance.
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September 11th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Great article! Every year, it gets easier and easier to eat without causing any animals to suffer and be killed — so many new things to try!
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September 11th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Great article! Vegan guys are hot.
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September 11th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Great article! Been a vegetarian for almost 20 years, vegan for almost 2. I feel so much healthier and happier. Great to see these sorts of articles in a place like this.
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September 11th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
i’m glad this article is here. “it is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a sick society”
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September 11th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
I’m impressed with Men’s Journal for publishing this awesome article. Although veganism has many benefits, for some reason meat eating is often either explicitly or implicitly associated with manliness. What’s that about? Vegan men are sexy.
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September 12th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Lots of great food ideas on this site too:
http://www.veganwolf.com/veganmenu.htm
And a vegan diet is obviously more animal-friendly, along with treating your body well.
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Adam Reply:
September 14th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
While I’m not saying eating a vegan diet is inherently a bad idea, it isn’t nearly as good for the environment as many vegans and vegetarians believe it is.
No one is saying that CAFOs for “farming” beef or other livestock is a good thing for the environment. What IS good for the soil and environment is the proper farming of animals (those allowed out to pasture, as they please). If you’re uncool with killing an animal, that’s fine, but at some point, everything dies.
From what I understand vegans have a hard time dealing with the fact that animals die (please take into consideration the generality of this statement). Take a look at “The Vegetarian Myth” by Lierre Keith. Dense protein sources like animal meat (specifically the meat of animals who have lived good, happy lives) are important to the development of muscle tissue among many other things. Acquiring your protein from beans and rice just isn’t the same and is so outweighed by carbs and lectins that it’s just tragic.
Anyway, take it with a grain of salt, but look into that book, it’s a quick read and full of great information. If you still want to be/become a vegan after, go for it!
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jka Reply:
September 15th, 2010 at 2:33 am
You are wrong. Read the UN’s Report “Livestocks Long Shadow”.
Also, Lierre Kieth? You’ve got to be kidding!
Here is a website that debunks all of her premises: http://www.vegetarianmyth.com/
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Adam Reply:
September 15th, 2010 at 9:24 am
It actually doesn’t really debunk much of anything, other than semantics. It’s more of a disagreement, which is totally acceptable and everyone has the right to agree or disagree with her, or with your link.
She makes very valid arguments, and although the website you’ve posted mentions that it endeavors to use only unbiased and objective information, trying to discredit something someone says, purely by attacking the WAY they’ve said it truly reveals how little information exists to “debunk” the arguments she has laid down.
She doesn’t claim that her arguments are the only way to think and that everyone should agree with her. My opinion is that if you’re willing to throw yourself into a vegan diet, you should at least educate yourself first.
Yes or no question: Does a vegan diet require supplements to fill the gaps and provide the healthy building blocks for life?
Yes.
Should the optimal human diet require supplements?
No.
Once again, keep in mind this is my opinion, and I understand that many people choose to be vegetarians for many reasons. I’m not trying to tell anyone how or what to eat, but simply to educate yourself on the matter first.
All the best,
Adam
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Lulu Reply:
September 16th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Great article! Surprised to see it in the magazine but then again I don’t usually read Men’s journal – just happened to see it at a friend’s place.
Regarding animal suffering, my concern lies more with maltreatment of pets – anything from extreme abuse to the more banal type of keeping large dogs in apartments to keeping intelligent birds such as parrots caged to the point where the parrot becomes so frustrated it attacks it’s owner – yet the clueless owner can’t see why it’s beloved pet would turn on them after a few years of a good, caged life.
From what I have read, a lot of small animals – rodents and reptiles – die in the planting and harvesting of food in the economy of scale size which a lot of soy is.
Does their suffering matter or not since it is not intentional? Are vegans and vegetarians trying to reduce animal killings by humans absolutely? Or is that a misunderstanding of their beliefs? Just trying to understand because I’m still a carnivore.
Also, mono-agriculture of plant products can be detrimental to the environment and from what I know soy is aggressively being grown because of profit potential.
Any thoughts? Thanks.
Rosalind Reply:
September 17th, 2010 at 7:44 am
Actually a vegan diet does not require supplements, provided it is varied and complete. Just as a non-vegan diet should be varied, but frequently isn’t – one of the largest industries in the world is that of supplements (second probably only to the weight loss industry) and yet vegetarians and vegans form a small percentage of the population which means that meat eaters are relying on supplements. Another huge industry is that of “chronic medication” – just because a person is still standing doesn’t necessarily mean he is healthy! Give veganism a try – my bet is you will never go back to being a carnivor!
Rosalind Reply:
September 15th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Sorry – the most powerful animals on the planet are herbivors (elephants, rhinos, hippos, buffalos)they have greater muscle mass and less body fat, live longer and live fuller (carnivorous animals sleep as much as 4/5 of the day!)
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alyn Reply:
September 17th, 2010 at 6:25 am
I have no dog in this fight – I’m not vegetarian, but have no problem with people who choose that or veganism, and I would prefer that my meat wasn’t factory farmed – but I sincerely believe the most powerful animal on the planet to be humans (that’s why elephants, buffalos, rhinos and whales are endengered). And what made us so powerful is our large brain-to-bodymass ratio. And what made the evolution of that brain possible was a diet high in animal protein. Have there been any long-term studies on a possible “koala effect” on the human brain when it eschews animal protein? Would such an effect even be noticeable over one lifetim, or could it happen cumulatively over generations of vegans? I’m not asking to be snarky; I’m asking because I hope someone has valid information to share.
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Rosalind Reply:
September 17th, 2010 at 7:39 am
Thank you for your comments, and the tone in which they are made – sadly meat-eaters most frequently respond offensively. However I think there is a vast difference between powerful and cunning – there is no doubt that an elephant, or even a horse or cow, is more powerful than an unarmed human being. The reason that certain animals have become extinct, or are now endangered has nothing to do with power; it is purely a matter of greed. If abject power was to come into the equation many wars would have turned out differently – it was the army with the most sophisticated weapons that won, not the army with the strongest individual soldiers. Furthermore our ability to think both inductively and deductively had nothing to do with a diet high in animal protein as you claim – the human brain evolved into a “thinking brain” during the eras when man was a hunter-gatherer, and anthropology demonstrates that meat actually formed a relatively small part of the diet, dependent upon the migrant availability of suitable prey. By far the greater part of the diet was vegetable matter, and it was this fact that resulted in mankind forming settled communities where crops were sown and tended. Protein is protein regardless of whether it comes from an animal based source or plant based – it is just amino acids formed into chains and all these amino acids are found in plant matter. In fact the protein chains that exist in animal based foods are broken down by the body and reassembled, so there is absolutely no benefit in acquiring it from animal sources. But there are plenty of negatives – high-fat, high-cholestrol, creates an acid environment within the cells which promotes conditions such as arthritis, and almost all cancer cells have been shown to flourish in an acidic environment! I would encourage you to read more on the subject, with an open mind, and also to expose yourself to the truth of abuse and cruelty that occurs on farms and abattoirs. I have written quite extensively on the matter of spiritual evolution and the harmful/stunting effects of a non-vegetarian diet, and invite you to visit my website. I am sure when you have all the facts you will make the right choice!
Adam Reply:
September 17th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Hello Rosalind,
Vitamin B12 and protein are an example of a micro and macronutrient that are deficient in the vegetarian diet. Carnosine is another micronutrient that is often deficient in vegetarians. Unfortunately protein isn’t protein in the world of animal sources of protein versus beans and rice. As I stated early the phytic acid, lectin and abundance of carbs inherent in grains makes them a terrible diet choice all together.
Your argument that meat eaters are a large portion of the population, and supplements are a big industry. So since a majority of people are meat eaters, the majority of supplement consumers must ALSO be meat eaters is pretty illogical.
As far as the supplement industry being the largest, I don’t know the stats on that, but in comparison to the pharma industry or the oil industry I’m sure it pales.
As far as “powerful” animals. I think it’s difficult to have that argument. I think it depends on how you define “powerful”. Wilds dogs are the most prolific predators, siberian tigers the most powerful killers, and humans are arguable the most powerful of all, considering how much of the world we’ve dominated (and subsequently destroyed). It’s a bit of a wishy washy argument as it doesn’t address the subject we’re speaking of.
Humans were designed to eat meat. And believe it or not, there is good reason to believe (due to the literature) that our brains developed solely due to the procurement of animal meats/offal etc. Hunter-Gatherers were most definitely not vegetarians. At least not the ones that developed into the species we are today. I believe it was the large fat content in the organs and meat of animals that provided humans the ability to develop our brains, not the carbs, fibre and meager protein present in vegetables. If you want to look into the anthropological evidence, I suggest reading some of Loren Cordains work.
It wasn’t the army with the most sophisticated weapons that won. It was the most intelligent, strategic, cunning and clever army that has adequate numbers that won. But war is MUCH more complicated a matter than simply that. If it were that easy, well wars would be much easier right? Both sides would get together and work out the math problem/algorithm and then the side that would be the losing side would simply surrender. Yeah… ludicrous.
There is nothing wrong with eating a high fat diet as has been established in the literature. Cancer cells feed off of glucose and often have an impaired ability to use ketone bodies (the fuel of preference while eating a low carb, high fat diet). This is why a ketogenic diet can be beneficial in the reduction of cancers. While I’m not promoting an acidic environment (grains and cheese are far more acid producing than fat), let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater when we consider the physiological effects of a diet high in fat, adequate in protien, and appropriate in carbs.
Once again, no one is encouraging the factory farming of animals (except maybe McDonalds, etc.) but pastured livestock and their products do not place animals in a “cruel” environment. Yes, killing them for food may be considered “cruel” and some people may not be able to even consider that as an option. That’s fine with me, but I am. Everything dies at some point, and as a human, I don’t have a problem taking position in nature as a predator.
Once again, I’m not telling people not to take the vegetarian/vegan route. I’m just saying look at the anthropological, physiological, and biology of the matter and make an educated decision. Humans were designed to eat an omnivorous diet.
Thanks for the fun conversation Rosalind.
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Rosalind Reply:
September 18th, 2010 at 5:23 am
This debate could go backwards and forwards ad infinitum, you have your opinion and I have mine and we are clearly standing at opposite ends of the scale! Nevertheless I do believe that very often we adopt our beliefs from parents, teachers, communities etc without actually questioning them, until, perhaps our personal experience causes us to re-evaluate what we previously took for granted. In my case I ate meat for the first 17 years of my life because that is what everyone else was doing; but I have now been vegetarian/vegan for 35 years and enjoy excellent health (haven’t visited a medical doctor in all those years apart from pregnancies and confinements) and vitality. I have completed 10 Argus Cycle Tours in under 3.30hrs, as well as an Enduro and two Double Centuries so I am hardly lacking protein/muscle building blocks! The only supplement that I take regularly is Spirulina. I avoid processed foods and live almost entirely off fresh, raw fruit and vegetables, with grains, seeds and nuts forming a very small portion of my diet. Oh, and some dark non-dairy chocolate!
One cannot argue the fact that humans “dominate” the animal kingdom, but as I said earlier, UNARMED man is pretty feeble! Should things really go belly up on this planet we do not have the physical attributes to be hunters – we have no claws, talons or long canine teeth, nor do we have exceptional speed, hearing, eyesight or sense of smell. Indeed if we were fortunate enough to catch prey we would have no means of tearing through the hide and eating the flesh! Furthermore your comment that we are “designed to eat meat” is actually not true – in terms of our dentition, the alignment of our jaw (carnivores open their mouths very wide, herbivores don’t, for example) the ph of our digestive system and the length of our intestines (carnivores have relatively short intestines, approx 3x the length of the torso because meat rots in the gut, while herbivores have much longer intestines. Humans have intestines approx 12 x the length of the torso) we are certainly more veggie than meat eater. One must acknowledge the difference between a herbivore and a vegetarian and I will agree that grains, particularly the cereals are not very well digested by humans (or other primates – I have baboons in my neighbourhood and they raid the wheat fields at this time of the year, but the wheat grains pass through almost unscathed and are clearly visible in their faeces) and neither are grasses (except young shoots) and leaves, these are the domain of ruminants who are able to break down the high levels of pectin. Humans (primates in general) are designed to eat fruit and vegetables with small amounts of seeds, grains and cereals and the odd beetle, but I generally avoid those!
I would like to extend a personal challenge to you: try being vegetarian/vegan for three months and then made an informed decision. The first 21 days will be a period of psychological and physiological adjustment (I believe, can’t remember having battled myself), so just hang in. If you go vegetarian rather than vegan, be careful not to go overboard with the eggs and dairy products as you will not feel the full benefit (I have written about the negative aspects of dairy in my blog). Do you take up the challenge? Come on, I dare you! In fact I double dare you!
Ty Reply:
September 20th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
“I don’t have a problem taking position in nature as a predator.”
Do you personally hunt and kill your meat with your own hands?
Just curious – because there’s nothing about getting packaged meat from a supermarket that makes you a predator.
Adam Reply:
September 20th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
For some reason I can’t reply directly to you guys… so sorry that this is somewhat “roundabout”.
To Rosalind. Your arguments *seem* well formed, but only because you only present part of the information. Do humans have longer digestive tracts than felines so that we are more adapted to digesting plant matter than a purely carnivorous animal? Yes. Unfortunately, if you compare our digestive tract (as well as dentition) to herbivores, our digestive tract is DRAMATICALLY shorter, and if you just used those two examples for your argument you could say that humans are meant to eat ONLY meat (which I’m not saying). We’re meant to be omnivores. We have molars and semi-molars, adapted to grind and chew plant matter. We have incisors and canines, adapted for tearing into flesh. We’re omnivores. We lack the lengthy gut of a ruminant, and therefore lack the same ability to digest plant matter (as well as they do). We lack the very short gut, and therefore require more than just meat (although the Inuit “paradox” begs to differ).
For this reason, I can’t take you up on your challenge. How could I, knowing that I would be jeopardizing my health. It’s easy to see that when you don’t look at things emotionally and consider all of the options. However, like I’ve said in the past, people choose to be vegetarians/vegans for a multitude of different reasons, and I have no quarrel with that decision. I just want people reading this article to make sure they take all the information into consideration. The absolute best part of a vegetarian diet is that it gets people eating a lot more vegetables/fruit. Unfortunately it shorts them the value of meat.
To Ty: Yes I have. I would love to hunt and kill and then clean and eat my own meat more frequently than I do (laws, regulations, licenses, tags, etc. can be annoying, and I’m not willing to break the law to procure my own meat). Generally I use a tool to hunt and kill my meat. Whether it be a fishing pole with a hook on it, or a bow and arrow. I most definitely see the value in what you’ve asked though, and seeing the boneless, skinless chicken breasts, versus the chickens breast, does matter. People are too disconnected from where there food comes from, for sure. Have you gone to the prairies, where species WERE abundant but are now extinct due to monocrops of soy, corn and wheat were planted to pay homage? (This isn’t really a question that needs answering as it’s somewhat snarky… it’s just to provoke thought)
Best, Adam
September 13th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Wow, an article on plant-only eating, and only one negative comment. That’s awesome (and refreshing)! Nice work, Men’s Journal and commenters.
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September 14th, 2010 at 11:36 am
As a fifty three year old male over weight and hypertensive the article was most helpful. I am encouraged that practicing a vegan diet holds enormous promise and without the side effects of commonly prescribed medications, to say nothing of the their cost.
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Rosalind Reply:
September 15th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
I am similar age, have been vegetarian for 34 years, vegan for 2. Haven’t visited a doctor in all that time except during my pregnancies and confinements. Fit, healthy, no problems, no medication – do yourself a favour, it’s never too late to start living!
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September 15th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Becoming vegan was absolutely the best decision of my life. Not only do I look better and have more energy, but knowing that I’m not contributing to the environmental impact and animal cruelty inherent in a meat-and-dairy-based diet has made a profound difference in my overall well-being. With so many great-tasting vegan substitutes for everything from meat to ice cream, there’s really no good reason left not to go vegan. Some of the best vegan foods include: Gardein Soy Garden Meats, So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverages, Yogurt, Kefir, and Coffee Creamer, Daiya Vegan Cheeses, Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream, and Healthy Top Whipped Cream. These products will satisfy the most discriminating palate, and make believers out of anyone who may still think that eating vegan doesn’t taste great!
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September 16th, 2010 at 12:06 am
I have loved going vegan, I feel so good not eating meat, although it has made me want more meat from behind….it just feels so good going vegan. Great article Men’s Journal – I would also suggest articles on giving up beer, why women in bikinis are boring, and why prison can be fun.
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L.A. Reply:
September 17th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
You seem a bit sick, friend.
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September 17th, 2010 at 7:35 am
I think vegan food overall makes men more gentle and then they fit better with women, instead of having to act tough,
If all men go vegan they don’t have to act tough anymore because the threat is gone.
natfurally it’s better for women and children too, for animals, the environment, the world food problem, water problem etc.
Indeed go green go vegan!
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September 17th, 2010 at 8:15 am
Quote:
Alyn said:
I have no dog in this fight – I’m not vegetarian, but have no problem with people who choose that or veganism, and I would prefer that my meat wasn’t factory farmed – but I sincerely believe the most powerful animal on the planet to be humans (that’s why elephants, buffalos, rhinos and whales are endengered). And what made us so powerful is our large brain-to-bodymass ratio. And what made the evolution of that brain possible was a diet high in animal protein.
My reply:
i think the only thing people have developt with consuming animal protein is agression.
And eventhough i’m not religious i think it is descibed in the bible as the fall in to sinn, first all creatures lived in harmony then we started to consume animal protein, and that’s when everything went wrong people and animals have a soul, it’s the soul that hurts in a creature… now there’s a delicious healthy way out again, a chance we should grab with both hands.
don’t let anybody scare you about a Koala effect, i know vegans who have been vegan for more then 20 or 30 years and their children too, and as i am and my brains only get more bright. and mind you those scientists ussually eat meat they coulour it as they see it. it’s all in the evolution.
the koala effect usally comes from using sigarets, alcohol, drugs etc.
Many (more sensitive) people feel the stress, and agony of the animals they consume and that’s what creates the addictions to painkillers, tranquilizers, sigarets, sex, alcohol, drugs, slavery en most greed, etc.
To go it short every animal product comes with a negative price tag.
I dare to say if the people will collectivly turn vegan (and start to drive electrical cars) all problems in the world will be solved, the climates will balance, there will be enough (vegan) food and water for everyone, and the people will become sane and healthy again.
True health and wisdom comes forth from true compassion i think hurting other creatures is what damages people.
Have the guts to go vegan.
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September 17th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Refried beans WITHOUT LARD OR EVEN ANY OILS are easily available. Lots of natural food brands such as Eden and Westbrae contain no lard or oils, only beans and salt and sometimes a few spices.
BTW, Eden is the only brand I know of that does NOT USE BPA in the inner lining of its cans. All the other ‘natural’ food brands still use BPA-containing linings. I therefore use only Eden brands, and the others should pay the six cents more per can to do the same!!
Get with it, Westbrae, et all.
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September 20th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
When I read the MJ article, I don’t remember once seeing the word “anthropology.” This is a rather important detail, since any discussion of proper diet must take into account millions of years of evolution, and how human diet has changed in step with that. When one considers that humans ate meat for a couple million years and only adopted agriculture 10,000 years ago, it’s clear that our biological design absolutely accommodates animal foods–and that veganism is a latecomer that attempts to reinvent the wheel.
I challenge any vegan to name a single indigenous culture that relies totally on plants by choice. There aren’t any. Why? Because they see animal foods as absolutely essential to maintaining fertility and health. In fact, historically these cultures–the Masai of Africa, the Inuit of the Arctic, plains tribes, coastal peoples of the Pacific Northwest, and countless others–not only consumed animal foods in prodigious quantities, they also placed those foods at the very center of their religious life. These foods were that important.
We do not possess the digestive system of a giraffe, not that of a lion. We are clearly in between, and our dental capacity also varies from meat-rending to plant-grinding (incisors and molars). We are OMNIVORES. As for the argument that our intestines are more “herbivorous” than “carnivorous,” naturopath Dr. Ron Schmid has written that our 10,000 years of increasing grain consumption may have contributed to a loss of tone, or lengthening, of the human digestive tract. (This is a doctor, by the way, who cured his own Lyme disease eating traditional animal foods, primarily raw milk.)
Did you know that your brain is 80% cholesterol in dry weight, and that cholesterol is what provides the structural integrity for every cell in your body? They body needs cholesterol and fat, and will in fact manufacture its own cholesterol if the diet doesn’t provide it. The MJ article’s arguments against animal fat do not make the distinction between industrially produced and organically produced sources, which is a common error.
Tell a Masai herder, whose diet is mainly meat, blood, and a gallon or more of raw milk a day, that his diet will kill him. He’s seven feet tall and doesn’t have heart disease or cancer. (And that’s another thing: The shorter average lifespan of primitive peoples is due to harsh living conditions, high infant mortality, and lack of access to life-extending technologies, not diet.)
I could go on … and on. I’ll just say that, as a former vegan, vegan eating is well intentioned and makes for a great short-term cleanse, but if you succeed in the long run you must be either lucky or very tough. (Athletes who want another opinion should check out THE PRIMAL BLUEPRINT by former Ironman triathlete Mark Sisson.)
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Katie Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
While that may be the case for the Masai, we are not Masai, we have access to everything we need with the technology to know we are getting everything we need.
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Natalie Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Thank you for this comment. I find too often that people mistake association with causation. There is much scientific research – Lipid Biochemistry- which backs up your statements about fats- particularly animal fats- ie Mary Enig. Observational analysis is no substitute for scientific analysis and data. It is unfortunate when there comes an elitist attitude surrounding ones nutrition, without the PROPER research and digging. Pre- 1920s the prevalence of disease and these ailments plaguing the US and beyond were almost unheard of- and these were meat eating peoples. Paleolithic man can be an example to us in terms of lifestyle. Science weighs much more heavily than emotion.
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Liev (V) Black Reply:
September 30th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Comparative anatomy of eating. Scroll down for the chart.
http://www.vegsource.com/news/2009/11/the-comparative-anatomy-of-eating.html
ALL of the nutrients we need to live and thrive, we can get from plants. The same place the ANIMALS get them.
Many former vegans such as yourself have had the misfortune of living in an extremely meat-oriented society, without the benefit of a doctor, nutritionist or dietitian trained in veg*n nutrition. You probably suffered from some nutritional imbalance that you weren’t aware of. It’s easy to do. I’m lucky enough to have a vegan nutritionist for a mom and have learned plenty about the pitfalls, and how to avoid them. But this difficulty is not the fault of the vegan diet, just as not knowing how to cook Thai food is not the fault of the cuisine. You just have to learn, in either case, and learn how to do it right.
Again, all the nutrients you need to thrive can be found in more than plentiful supply in plants. Being vegan simply cuts out the middle man (and cholesterol…and pathogens…and so on).
Cholesterol: exactly. We make our own. We don’t need it from animals. If you INSIST on getting extra from food sources, just consume tropical oils. No need to pay people good money to mistreat and violently slaughter animals on too-fast slaughter lines to get more than your fill. And the reasons we “need” cholesterol? Ex., to “fill in the cracks” in our circulatory system. What causes those cracks? Stress. Well, ok, do we want to kill animals that never did anything to hurt US to fix the problem, or do we want to, you know, meditate, see a therapist, restructure our busy lives, and other positive approaches?
Re: the Masai: anecdotal. Just like all the hype in the media, leading to confusion and the throwing up of hands of hte masses: eggs are good for you! No, they’re bad for you. Wait! No, they’re good for you! Chocolate is good for you…no, bad…. Hey! acai berries…! You see hype, which is great for increasing readership and ratings on TV, but you also see, through the decades, the consistent findings by nutrition scientists (real scientists, not Eat Right for My Tax Bracket types or Atkins, who was obese all of his life and died, young, of a heart attack and who, more pertinently, weren’t real scientists and whose writings were based on nothing) are: the more of a whole-foods plant-based diet you eat, the healthier you’ll be. Oh, the mags and news segments on TV won’t say “GO VEGAN.” Because who’s advertising? Oscar Meyer, of course. But 99% of the findings will point to a plant-based diet. You can’t point to one culture of like 100 people and say, lookie! We are meant to eat meat!
Finally: read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. Man was raised on a dairy farm, but he saw the facts, and wrote the book. The Food Revolution by John Robbins is thoroughly footnoted, as well (unlike Atkins and what’s his name). If you think what you’ll see in The Food Revolution is *natural*, then…wow….
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Jeff Reply:
October 5th, 2010 at 11:40 am
At least that link presented some thorough ideas and research. Still wondering why humans still secrete hydrochloric acid in their digestion, however, among other things. Here’s a counterpoint to that piece (not that you’d be interested):
http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/267-myths-of-vegetarianism.html
No one who has replied to my original post so far has attempted to explain why intact (not modernized) indigenous cultures are 1) not vegetarian 2) free from modern degenerative disease. This is true across the planet, historically; the Masai is but one case.
Indigenous peoples have had a few thousand generations to figure this stuff out by trial and error. That’s good enough for me.
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Liev Black Reply:
December 4th, 2011 at 1:29 am
As I recall, hydrochloric acid doesn’t digest meat. Pepsin does.
Indigenous tribes have to eat what is available. If you don’t need to harm a creature in order to survive and thrive, why harm the creature?
We can get everything we need to thrive from the same place that our fellow herbivores do. Massive, 1,000-lb. steers. Gorillas. Etc. They get all they need from plants. That’s where that silverback alpha male got his protein.
If you eat meat because you like it, just say so. But you don’t need it, and it’s not good for you. Truth.
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Jeff Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Wow. A response at 1:29 a.m. a year later. When is MJ going to archive this thread?
Actually, I don’t much like meat (I prefer fish along with a lot of raw egg yolks) but that’s beside the point. True herbivores (four-legged) are not our “fellow herbivores” at all, unless you believe human beings have four stomachs–required to break down so much cellulose in the diet.
I repeat my earlier point: Indigenous cultures in their natural (pre-”civilized”) environment do not suffer from modern diseases. They overwhelmingly eat animal food, around which entire religious ceremonies evolved–be it for salmon, buffalo, caribou, seal, etc. Thousands of generations. If their food was bad for them, do you think they would have survived so long?
Who knows, maybe their biology is different. Maybe they’re not really human.
Jeff Reply:
October 5th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Oh, and The China Study? The people at the Weston A. Price Foundation have taken that apart as well.
http://www.westonaprice.org/blogs/denise-minger-refutes-the-china-study-once-and-for-all.html
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Liev Black Reply:
December 4th, 2011 at 1:35 am
Jeff, Weston Price, the man, was ahead of his time. He made some excellent points about whole foods are better for us than chemical-laden, processed, white-flour-based ones. Fairly obvious stuff now, but that was really ground-breaking then.
But the foundation named after him, comprised, and funded, overwhelmingly by animal agriculturalists, is basically has become the channel used for promoting their products. So, their statements on these issues are obviously very biased. Just like cigarette manufacturers have strenuously fought the science on smoking. And it worked for a long time. There was, you remember, a lot of confusion about the now-obvious hazards of smoking. PR is just amazing at that sort of thing. The arguments seem so convincing.
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Jeff Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 9:58 am
You’re comparing cigarette ads to Weston Price’s recommendation for a diet high in fat-soluble activators? You suggest the meat industry is behind the foundation, when in fact it is a nonprofit supported through small donations from people like myself. The ads you find in their journal are overwhelmingly from small, artisan producers of nutrient-dense food.
If anything, the WAPF is about resurrecting a small-scale, organic farming revolution in America. If you have ever read their journal, or visited their website, you would know that they represent the antithesis of the industrial farming model currently dominating things.
September 21st, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Does anyone have any problems with gastrointestinal issues switching to a vegan diet? Seems like introducing all that fiber so quickly could wreak havoc.
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Liev (V) Black Reply:
September 30th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Juan, very good question. Any sudden big change in diet is generally going to cause some digestive discomfort for a few days to a week or so while the body’s enzyme mix adjusts.
This is easy to prevent. In the beginning, have a lot of substantial foods in your diet, such as potatoes, breads, pasta dishes, and soy products (which are NOT the boogeymen they are made out to be; for a great summary, check out http://www.vset.net/ – scroll to “Soybeans: Still Good for You). After a week or two, you’ll see that you’ll have less and less of a need to emphasize these “heavier” foods in your diet.
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September 22nd, 2010 at 3:24 pm
people who do not consume animals products seem to be less violent as well. i have noticed this for years. when i am with vegetarians & vegans, it is peaceful and harmonious discussions. When with meat eaters, arguments and talks about violent subjects always seem to dominate. Just a observation. I am a vegetarian who tries to be vegan but i cannot seem to maintain my weight without some dairy and eggs. Being vegetarian is actually easier and cheaper way to live. I can splurge on other things rather then spend money on dead animal meat. Husband refuses to convert and my refusal to prepare meat causes alot of friction in our relationship. If he were not eating dead animals, he would not be so confrontational is my opinion.
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Liev (V) Black Reply:
September 30th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Julie, BTW, I’ve heard of similar observations in vegan dogs (being omnivores, they CAN be healthy vegans; this isn’t true of cats).
You can maintain your weight easily by including more nuts, seeds and avocados in your diet. I promise!
Sorry to hear about the friction in your marriage. I wonder if your husband is one of those who grew up with mushy canned green beans on the side of the plate, with all the love obviously bestowed on the chunk of corpse in the center of the plate. Perhaps you could learn a few really lavish and beautiful new vegan recipes to break up the routine and/or compromise and add some Morningstar crumbles to some dishes that call for ground beef (they’re pretty convincing – many people can’t tell that they’re not actual meat). Serve them up with wine, candlelight, flowers, dessert and a lot of flirting, and see what happens (a low-cut blouse does wonders, too). After his defenses have lowered a bit, tell him in friendly tones that you know this has all been really hard on him, and you want to try something new and see if he likes that, and that if, after a couple of weeks of new culinary adventures he still is not into it, you’ll accept adding some meat to *his* portions. But, see, you can still gradually add less and less, or go half and half. Say, if it’s spaghetti and meatballs. Make half meat meatballs, and half Morningstar crumbles ones, or add half meat sausage, and half non-meat sausage. His tastes will probably eventually acclimate. You could also make some dishes with oysters for him, which make a good compromise – while technically animals, oysters almost certainly don’t feel pain.
Basically, I think that if the emphasis is really placed on what is being added to a person’s life when going vegan, rather than what is now off the table, the person gets way more into it. If your husband sees the benefit to him – in the form of a lot of great variety and all kinds of ingredients that he doesn’t get when in the same old chicken, fish, beef, etc. rut – and if you serve it up with an old-fashioned, flirty, “let me make you a good, home-cooked meal” – he might eventually realize that, if you stick it in front of him, and it tastes good, he’ll eat it with a smile. That’s what my husband says. He was omni when we started dating. Now he’s about 98% vegan
Don’t worry! You’ll get there!
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September 22nd, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Did I read the same article as everyone else? The last paragraph says Gonzalez eats fish, chicken, and turkey a few nights per week. This could never be considered vegan.
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Kat Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
I don’t think you read the same article
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September 29th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
It’s nice to finally see an article like this! Sprouted brown rice protein (preferably organic) is the easiest to assimilate and highest in protein. This is a good option for vegans. Boku makes a good product. Also with going vegan one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is learning how to combine foods for better digestion and also keeping your total fat intake low. It’s easy to not pay attention to overall fat calories when cutting out the meat. Olive oil, sesame oil and other vegetable oils still contain 9 calories per gram!
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September 29th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Good article.
I woulnd be careful, though, about eating chia seeds “by the handful.” They need to be taken with enough fluids so as not to be dehydrating (they absorb something like 7-9 times their own weight in fluids.
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September 30th, 2010 at 10:40 am
Excellent Article.
I’ve been vegan for 9 years now, and have never experienced any problems whatsoever. It’s been great, and it didn’t take long to get into it.
I see some concerns on here that vegans need to depend on supplements. That’s not true at all, and remember that even B12 is readily available in fortified foods. A typical example would be most popular cereals.
Even non-vegans benefit from fortification. Many people, including non-vegans, don’t eat well, and as a result will tend to have various nutrient deficiencies. Vitamin D is one notable example, and to prevent rickets it has been included in milk since the beginning of the 20th century. Another example is Iodide which is included in salt. Fortification was set up to assist in public health, in a non-vegan environment (99 percent plus non-vegan). Fortification really is supplementation/vitamins already in our food. Everyone already eats the stuff and everyone already benefits. Because it’s already in the food, vegans don’t really need over the counter vitamins. But it’s totally debatable that many of these vitamins are life enhancing, even it isn’t true for all of them.
It is strange to point out that vegans are dependent on supplements, when that’s not really the case. You could argue that vegans depend on B12 fortification, but then again, non-vegans have depended on fortification since the beginning of fortification. Also, the extent to which B12 is necessary is still in dispute. I don’t regularly take B12 supplements and my blood tests always indicate a very healthy level, optimal actually.
One other thing. Non vegans don’t have any extra cholesterol in their diet, other than what their body creates. Cholesterol comes primarily from meat and dairy products. My family all has high cholesterol except for me, and the biggest difference is that I simply don’t eat any of these things. My cholesterol now is 112, and hasn’t strayed far from 120 over the entire time I’ve been vegan. My doctor said I have the best cholesterol he’s ever seen.
Cholesterol levels are affected by genetics, but when studies say this, they base it on studies of populations that are non-vegan. In other words, if your diet includes things like butter, and cheese, and steak, your genetic background will play a role in how it is metabolized. What they don’t tell you is that if you don’t eat any of these things, it is a guarantee that your cholesterol will drop. If you don’t eat it, there will be less going into your bloodstream.
There is reason to suspect that if all humans went vegan, their cholesterol levels would almost universally be 120, or very close to that. Our nearest relatives, including primates like chimpanzees that eat a 98% plus vegetarian diet in nature, and gorillas which are nearly at 100% vegetarian, naturally have a cholesterol level at 120, with little variation. Only when they are in captivity does their cholesterol go up to resemble human levels. That’s because they begin eating foods that include cholesterol from animal sources.
Being vegan has been great for me, and my family. My wife went vegetarian 7 years into our relationship (now its been 5 years for her), and she hasn’t gone back. Her cholesterol level dropped significantly, and is now in the normal healthy range. My family is all eating better and reaping the benefits.
I am very happy that Men’s Journal is publishing articles in support of Veganism. I’d be fine with it publishing articles to the contrary also, as long as it is accurate and doesn’t misinform about vegans themselves, their concerns, and the realities of their lifestyles. Veganism is an eminently reasonable. Not everyone needs to be vegan, but it should be known that Veganism is no fad, and is supported scientifically.
Sometimes vegans are wrong about social and environmental issues, but that is true for everyone else too. What matters is that they are concerned, are willing to adopt new habits, and change themselves when science shows that such changes will help.
And vegan concern with animals is not simply concern over life and death. I’m not so concerned with animal death myself, but with the needless suffering they endure.
I Hope the comments resume the level of courtesy they started out with!
Vegans and non-vegans alike deserve respect, so long as they are honest and reasonable.
Thanks Men’s Journal!
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September 30th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Adopting a vegan diet is really very easy, but it’s great to have tips like this to help make the transition.
Check out http://www.gentleworld.org for more recipe ideas.
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September 30th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Uh, what? No pastas or baked goods? Dude, no. I’ve been vegan since 2007 and I can assure you guys, most pastas ARE vegan, and most baked goods, at least off the shelf, deserve at least a glance at the label before assuming they’re not vegan. At a bakery, pizza joint, etc., you can just ask. Papa Johns, for example, is vegan.
At restaurants, you can just ask that your dish be made with olive oil instead of butter, cheese and eggs left out, etc. I’ve never had a problem veganizing a dish if I couldn’t find at least one on the menu. And there usually are more than one already there.
A good site for “normal” vegan eating is http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/accidentally-vegan.aspx
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October 3rd, 2010 at 11:44 pm
If you’re veg-curious and want to take a peek at some delicious ideas for fresh, vegetable-rich vegan meals (not processed vegan “hot dogs”) have a look at The Dragon Fruit blog. Going vegan is easier and more delicious than you might think!
http://thedragonfruit.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/so-what-do-you-eat/
It’s a brand-new site, and more recipes are forthcoming. I am a dedicated amateur runner increasing my mileage and working on runs in the 12-17 mile range. I feel fantastic and have noticed only improvements, no declines, in my performance.
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October 8th, 2010 at 8:39 am
Here’s one more juicy statistic (in case anyone is still reading this now-dated string of posts):
Consumption of saturated animal fat has decreased steadily for the last century (the century during which most Americans moved off the farm–with its milk, meat, butter, and cheese–and into the city and ‘burbs). The media has told us for the last hundred years to lower our consumption of these fats. And, guess what? The rate of heart disease and cancer during the same time span has SKYROCKETED. See a connection?
Case in point: The term “coronary thrombosis” (heart attack) first appeared in a medical textbook only in 1912; before that time the condition was so rare doctors barely studied it. It’s now the #1 or #2 killer, take your pick. Interestingly, during the same decade Crisco, margarine, and other fake (trans) fats hit the grocery aisles for the first time–and housewives began steering clear of natural saturated fats (which was less profitable for the growing food “industry”).
Heart disease, cancer, and many other conditions are MODERN DISEASES. They are not caused by traditional foods, and that includes animal foods. People need to start pointing the finger at the processed/industrial food system (including industrial animal food) for these problems, and give up the broad-brush attacks on animal food per se.
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I AM CORRECT Reply:
October 19th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Saturated fat consumption has not decreased. You need to site some stats bro. At the turn of the century though folks did eat grassfed beef, not corn fed. The unnatural diet has increased sat fats and reduced n=3′s (cite Pollan, go research it bro). In any event, yes trans fats and white sugar are bad, but sigar is bad in combo with sat fat in particular (its fat that blocks insulin receptors causing diabetes type 2, no matter how much sugar raises insulin levels).
The McDougall folks point out, we eat Easter for breakfast, Christmas for lunch and Thanksgiving for dinner every day. If you ate meat once in a while fine. But in today’s day and agem using high fat meat and dairy for substantial calories is known to be a killer. And there is no need to torture and kill animals for food, its just hedonism pure and simple. That’s a sin BTW.
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Jeff Reply:
October 19th, 2010 at 10:58 am
The Easter/Christmas/Thanksgiving analogy is a stretch and certainly doesn’t apply to me. And where did I say anything about torturing animals?
You are correct about grassfed vs. cornfed, which is exactly my point: the quality of fat we get from industrially raised animals today differs from a century ago–the omega 3 profile is completely different, for instance. I do not fear saturated fat if it’s from a grassfed source. Most studies these days on saturated fat don’t make this distinction, and actually use hydrogenated saturated fat to “prove” their claims. Pretty sketchy.
Eating fat has the weight of history on its side. There is a reason indigenous cultures sought the fattiest parts of an animal first–because those parts were the most nutrient-dense. These cultures never developed diabetes–or any other degenerative disease–until they became “modernized” on processed food. We could stand to learn something from their experience, since we share the same biology.
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October 10th, 2010 at 10:38 am
If anyone actually subscribes to MJ, the print article is disappointing. The author references football player Tony Gonzales as a Vegan, and states that a Vegan Myth is that you can’t build muscle as a Vegan. It then goes on to state that he consumes grass-fed whey, fish five times a week, and chicken and turkey every few nights. How is this Vegan, let alone Vegetarian? A little bit disappointed in both the author and the reviewer/editor who neither of which apparently understand what it means to be Vegan.
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October 19th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Wow! A mainstream mag doing Vegan proper! And not that many paleo’s expressing their meat derived anger in the comments. I wanted to point out there’s vegan and then there’s vegan. The absolute best is local, organic, intact whole plant foods, not vegan replacements for mayo chees and meats etc. Its the way you ‘posed to eat. Check a few sites (not necessarily local, nor intact, but it’s all a journey). In increasing order of crazy fruitbat veganism:
pmri.org/lifestyle_program.html
engine2diet.com
drmcdougall.com/forums/index.php
foodnsport.com (buy 80/10/10 book by Graham)
30bananasaday.com
thefruitarian.com
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November 23rd, 2010 at 10:54 pm
I really like food that has fresh healthy results so thanks for all the support on this topic, and really the best flavored food sometimes really is just a spoonful of peanut butter; even if almond and especially homemade pumpkin butter are healthier.
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December 1st, 2010 at 10:11 am
Interesting debate….great you are vegans but don’t kid yourself, animals are killed creating your chosen foods…but they are mice, lizards, butgs, and small other rodents/birds. But…I suppose that’s ok b/c they aren’t cute and cuddly like sheep and cows (i.e., not important). What a joke. Incidentally, I hunt/fish, kill, process, and eat what I take which quite frankly makes me a lot more genuine than most of the vegan and carnivores who wrote in.
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May 31st, 2011 at 3:42 am
Great Job Men’s Health ! I’ve been vegan for about 3 yrs now and its definitely one of the best decisions of my life. My daily congestion cleared up and no more nasty sinus infections or prescription allergy pills (this was from dairy) People also tell me my skin looks great and I know my belly is flatter. I feel better inside and out and vegan men are sooo sexy. “Real Men Eat Plants” I have to agree with other commentors that meat eaters seem to be more violent and irritable all the time, my ex-boyfriends who ate meat were a-holes but my current boyfriend is vegan and soo sexy to me, he doesn’t have that lame thing to ‘prove something’ he’s confident and secure in his manhood and to me a real man is not afraid to stand up to popular ideals when they are wrong. Guys who cave into what the status quo is are cowards to me. There’s also evidence to support that impotence is caused by a meat centered diet (clogged arteries) and trust me my vegan man has no problems with that! Its like do you prefer a firm cucumber or a smelly floppy hot dog ? LOL Go VEGAN !
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May 31st, 2011 at 3:46 am
…..I forgot to mention a few more things related to vegans in the bedroom: purer healthier diet (high in fresh fruits and veggies and without toxins like meat, dairy, cigarretes, etc) makes one’s secretions taste better too, as a long time vegetarian and now vegan my boyfriends always commented how much better I taste then meat eaters and I notice the same in my vegan boyfriend now, there’s also the compassion = passion,
when someone is more aware of their actions and more caring of others it spreads to all areas of their life and trust me a caring compassionate lover is definitely more pleasing and enjoyable to be with then a stubborn, mean meat eater
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December 5th, 2011 at 9:54 am
You’re comparing cigarette ads to Weston Price’s recommendation for a diet high in fat-soluble activators? You suggest the meat industry is behind the foundation, when in fact they are a nonprofit supported through small donations from people like myself. The ads you find in their journal are overwhelmingly from small, artisan producers of nutrient-dense food.
If anything, the WAPF is about resurrecting a small-scale, organic farming revolution in America. If you have ever read their journal, or visited their website, you would know that they represent the antithesis of the industrial farming model currently dominating things.
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