What do you think about the vegan diet?

I've been an omnivore most of my life but am considering the vegan diet after finding out how good it is for your health. I've started it already, but I'm already missing salt on my food or having dairy. Anybody else gone through this? What do you think of the vegan approach to eating?

I think if you actually know how to cook, there is nothing wrong with a vegan diet. You can't beat grilled veggies drizzled in olive oil even if you're an omnivore as I am. But you need to make sure it is also nutritionally balanced. I had a friend who became vegan, she didn't eat nutritionally balanced meals and her hair started falling out.

Unfortunately, most of the vegan food I've tried has consisted of pasty, tasteless casseroles that I wouldn't feed to my worst enemy.

Apparently, there are too many people who become vegan out of guilt. They have the idea that eating meat means killing Bambi for food. I think their guilt crosses over in their cooking style and they want guiltless food that is totally devoid of any flavor or pleasure.

Please! Vegan doesn't have to be tasteless slop! There is no rule against food having rich colors, great textures and great flavor. If you are going to be vegan, please learn how to cook and keep the intergrity of the foods you prepare.

Sorry for the rant, but it annoys me when people think vegan automatically means yucky food.

a waste of life

I am a vegeterian but being a vegan is out of the question. I can not live without dairy products. But I know some people who are vegans and they never eat out. If you are willing to follow the strict diet then go for it girlfriend.

I think cows taste great, and they are vegans...So I say go for it..but if you ever get stranded like the Donner Party, then watch out..

I'm a vegetarian and would love to have the willpower and strength to become vegan but I don't think I could do it. Good luck, it's by far the healthiest way of life out there!

i don't think vegan is a very healthy life style. your body will missing lots of vitamin, protein, nutrient from meat, eggs, milk, cheese, etc. that cannot be replaced by vegetables and fruits.
it might not be good in the long term.
my advice; cut down the meat, for example eat the meat once in a week ( i did that). you're eat to live, not live to eat.
i personally started to cut down meat since a year ago, since that my skin sparkling, look healthy and nice.

I tried it for awhile and actually got kind of sick from it because I didn't go about it the right way (meaning that I lived mainly off of tofu and veggies and pasta). I think if you do it properly and find out exactly what kinds of vitamins and minerals you need to supplement cutting out meat, etc. then it can be really healthy. There are actually lots of foods in a vegan diet that have all the minerals and stuff that you need that you might never have thought of (look at beans and legumes especially). I say if you're going to go for it, do a bit of research and talk to people who have been doing it for awhile to get food tips and recipes. Good luck!

I think that it sounds impossible, I would DIE. Try vegitarian, cutting out the meat and such would also be a healthier choice. Once you get used to that, maybe you could try the vegan diet again.

I think that if you really would like to do this I would go for 2-3 times a week before giving everything you love up cold turkey (oops).
Being healthy is a good thing but you have to taste the sweetness in life once in awhile too.
I might do it a couple times a week and just watch what I eat the rest of the time.

It is suggested that eating only fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, other plants, and fungi is healthier than an omnivorous diet. It is also arguable that additional health benefits are gained by not consuming artificial substances such as growth hormones and antibiotics, which are often given to farmed animals.

The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada state that "well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence

The long-term health benefits of a vegetarian diet when compared with a non-vegetarian diet are lower prevalence of hypertension (one-third to one-half lower), reduced cholesterol levels, lower rates of cancer (25 to 50% lower), and lower prevalent of obesity, lower levels of saturated fat and higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals.
One study of developmental tests in vegetarian children showed that their mental age was more than a year beyond their chronological age, and their mean IQ scores were well above average.

do wut ya gotta do.

I think it is lame. Supid and unhealthy. Veganism is a neurotic obsession. It should be classed as an eating disorder along with bulemia and anorexia. Anorexics are cooler than vegans 'cos they don't complain about what they don't eat.

Vegans eat refined sugar instead of honey. Stupid.
Vegans eat margerine instead of butter. Real stupid.

There are tribes in Africa that live soley of beef and milk and are very healthy. Quick!! Vegan missionaries go there by bicycle and tell them about how wrong they are to be poor uneducated meat eaters you annoying preachy bastards!!!!!!

As a vegan I do not understand why you are missing salt. I use soy sauce for flavour and that is very salty.
Persevere, as changes in diet take getting used to, or if it is not for you a vegetarian diet is also healthy.

I think it is very healthy, and very dedicating. Not for me. But it's a very strict way of life. YOu must be careful in what you eat. Just make sure you have the vitamins that you will be missing since you wont be eating much "animal" products such as milk, poultry, meat, and fish and other dairy products. :)

I used to work with a jewish doctor,and he was koser vegan,it requires some getting use to,but overall its actually really good.