But what do you eat???

Many meat-eaters are amazed that people can get by without eating any meat, or even any animal products at all. It seems to be a common misconception that meat is just about the only thing people can eat, with everything else little more than supplements that go with it. This could not be further from the truth!

The real truth is that it is meat which is the supplement, and not even a necessary one at that. There is nothing in meat that we cannot get from plant-based sources, other than vitamin B12 - which doesn't even come from animals in the first place, but is produced by soil bacteria which contaminate the plants that the animals then eat. And there are a range of foods available that are fortified with B12 which you can easily include in your diet, so this simply is not even an issue to begin with.

Protein is the big issue many people have in protesting the vegan diet. "But you NEED to eat meat to get enough protein!", they will often say. Not true at all. Although the levels vary, protein is found in pretty much everything you eat (unless you eat only processed foods with no nutritional value to start with!) - it is, after all, one of the building blocks of life. Wholegrains are one of the best sources, along with nuts, beans, legumes, seeds, and so on - but even the humblest of vegies will still have protein in it.

What about everything else though? Carbs, fats, vitamins, minerals? Don't you need lots of dairy to keep your bones strong? That last one is a bigger myth than needing meat. Lactose-intolerance is a very widespread "problem", but is not in fact a problem at all - it is simply our body's way of telling us that we really shouldn't be eating the breastmilk of another animal in the first place - breastmilk in all species is an infant food, and is simply not required beyond infancy (and milk is loaded with fat and cholesterol - typically 87% water, and more than 3% fat - consider the fat percentage when you take out the water though!). The calcium issue is another outright lie - many plant sources are very rich sources of calcium, and in a form that is much easier for our bodies to access as well. Most of the calcium in milk is bound in casein and difficult to absorb, not to mention that dairy actually promotes urinary excretion of calcium and has been strongly implicated in causing osteoporosis - the very ailment it is claimed to be fighting. Not to mention that the best way to strengthen your bones actually has nothing to do with diet in the first place - simple regular load-bearing exercises is far and away the best path to stronger bones.

I could go on, but hopefully you get the point - plants are a fantastic source of nutrients, and they do certainly provide everything we need. (Where do you think those cows, sheep, elephants, and other big animals get their nutrients from? None of them eat meat!) We can eat vegetables (green leafy vegies are good sources of iron, in particular), fruits, grains (wholegrains are best), pasta, legumes, nuts (a good source of good fatty acids) and seeds (sesame seeds are a very rich source of calcium), breads, and the list goes on. There is such a rich variety of foods out there that you will absolutely never get bored or go hungry on a vegan diet - on the contrary, once your eyes are opened to the endless possibilities you'll wonder how you ever managed on the boring meat-based diet you had before - I know I certainly do. I can honestly say that my diet has never been even remotely close to being as varied or interesting, not to mention very tasty and nutritious, as it is now.

One last point re the iron issue (another criticism based on lack of education). Contrary to the myths, lies, and exaggerations, iron-deficiency is not a problem in any balanced vegan diet (and EVERYONE should be eating a balanced diet anyway, whatever your dietary preference). Plant-based iron may be harder to digest than iron from animals, but this can be easily addressed simply by having a glass of fruit juice (that contains vitamin C) with your meal - how easy is that?

Remember: the animals you are eating (if you're not vegan) all got their nutrients from plants in the first place. The only real argument in favour of killing animals to eat them (certainly in Western societies), is a mistaken idea of convenience - and can you really justify all of that pain and suffering that this "convenience" inflicts on animals, when we don't even need to eat them in the first place?

A couple of sites for reference and further reading, if you are so inclined:

http://whatdoveganseat.blogspot.com/ - another blog, focusing specifically on vegan foods, including mouth-watering recipes and pictures.

http://library.thinkquest.org/20922/what_eat.htm - a general, but wide-ranging, list of the many types of foods available to eat, whether you're vegan or not!

http://www.pamrotella.com/health/b12.html - more about B12

http://www.whatdoveganseat.com/ - a more in-depth look at the issues I've been discussing here today.

And remember, even if you think you cannot possibly give up meat, there's no reason why you still can't try the occasional vegan meal anyway. And who knows, once you've seen for yourself how easy it really is to "eat vegan" and go varied and delicious the many options are, you may even feel inclined to consider taking a step or two in that direction after all. :-)