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"But, like how do you get (insert nutrient here)?"

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I really should reply "How do you get fiber?" because believe it or not, meat has zero grams of fiber. None. Nada. Nil. Zilch. But, when I hear this (which is A LOT) I like to start off by saying that animals are not the only source of nutrients out there. Animals do not have to suffer to provide essential nutrients. Commonly, I am asked how to get protein and calcium. There are SO MANY plant-based sources of these nutrients. For protein, there are lentils, tofu or tempeh, beans, quinoa, plant-based milks (specifically soy and hemp), peas, artichokes, seeds ( like chia, hemp, amaranth, or pumpkin), and nuts. There are so many other sources, so if you want to learn more, I highly suggest you check out this website: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php

 For calcium, I recommend blackstrap molasses, cooked collard greens, tofu, tempeh, kale, soybeans, bok choy, okra, tahini, almond butter, and almonds. Try this website for more information: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.php. Although no diet is perfect, as an omnivore, people can't receive fiber from animal sources. As a vegan, it is very difficult to receive vitamins D and B-12 unless one supplements with a pill. One can also receive B-12 from B-12 fortified foods like nutritional yeast. In the vegan community, nutritional yeast is used (you guessed it) to add nutrition to meals, but also to add a cheesy flavor to dishes. I have been vegan for 2 years and I still amaze my doctor with perfect blood test results. In conclusion, vegans can eat a well-rounded diet and receive all the nutrients they need. 

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I have heard a lot about vegan plant-based diets. What is that?

 

Because even cookies and other junk foods can sometimes be vegan, many people (including myself) choose to eat a plant-based diet which focuses on whole foods that are very nutritious to live a healthier life. 

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What does it mean to go raw? Benefits?

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When one goes raw, it might seem like it means that he or she will be eating exclusively raw vegetables and fruits, but raw diets are actually much more diverse with this diet including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains. People who follow raw diet can even use dehydrator to "cook" food because of the very low heat. Some people even make "bread" The idea of a raw diet is that cooking food destroys its nutrients and natural enzymes, which boost digestion and fight chronic disease. The benefits of a raw vegan diet are infinite, but personally I think one can receive the same benefits from a plant-based vegan diet, even if one cooks food.

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Is breastmilk vegan?

Of course it is! Just like cow's milk is made for calves, breastmilk is made for humans. Breastmilk has everything a baby needs to thrive. The reason many think that vegans would be against breastmilk is because it is milk, but breastmilk is different because it's made for humans by humans. Aside from the unethical aspect of milk, when dairy calves are born, they average about 85 pounds, so cow's milk is providing nutrients for the calf to grow. This is practically the size of a young teen. So obviously, humans (babies and adults) should not be drinking something that is made for a being that grows to be MUCH larger than them and needs much more than them to thrive. 

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Is bread vegan?

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This is a very common question that I receive. Yes, it is vegan. I'm not sure why people think bread is not vegan (maybe they are confusing veganism with being gluten-free), but for the most part, bread is vegan, except for breads like challah or other breads that contain dairy, eggs, or another animal bi-product. 

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What will happen to the animals if we all stop eating them?

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Unfortunately, this will never happen. The 7 billion people on this Earth will never all stop eating animals. This is a completely hypothetical question that implies that all the animals will start roaming around, but if somehow everyone stopped eating animals, animals would not be bred as much and they would not end up being everywhere.

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Why should we not eat animals when other animals eat each other?

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We are 100% physiologically herbivores. We have long intestines like other herbivores, whereas carnivores have short intestines to push through decaying animal flesh. We have the teeth of herbivores. You may ask "What about our canine teeth?", but all most herbivores have canines to eat hard fruits like apples. Our jaws move like herbivores. When humans hunt, we need weapons to catch animals, but carnivores in the animal kingdom hunt with their own agility and natural weapons that they have been equipped through evolution. Humans have no natural instinct to kill. If you sees a squirrel, your natural response is not to chase after it and kill it. And finally, in the animal realm, animals don't get to choose what parts of the animal they eat, so if humans did have a natural instinct to kill, when you see a squirrel, you would have to eat it fur and all (that includes the brains and the eyes ). Ew!

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Hitler was vegetarian. So, I don't want to be vegetarian/ vegan...

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Hitler was not actually a vegetarian at all. In Hitler's speeches he never discussed vegetarianism in any way shape or form. Also, biographers who wrote about Hitler have noted that he was particularly fond of Bavarian sausages, stuffed pigeon, and game pies. That doesn't sound a vegetarian to me, so if this is what was holding you back, I highly suggest you reconsider. 

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Should I eat less fruit because of the sugar?

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Fruit has natural sugar. You can eat as much fruit as you want and you will be more than fine! I call fruit "nature's candy"! Eat up!

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How many servings of fruits and veggies should I get? 

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Try to eat as many servings of veggies and fruits as possible. You can't go wrong with eating too many veggies and fruits, but try to eat between 5-13 servings of vegetables and fruits.

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