I am vegan; Ask me anything

[Kel Varnsen]

Ever been to Fresh Mint (Scottsdale)? It is right by my house, but I avoid it because I wouldn't know what to order.

It's fantastic!

I think I had the pad thai or a hot pot the last time I went, but I've never had anything bad there.

The staff there are really nice, so you could just drop in and tell them it is your first time and ask for their recommendations.

 

[Dback Jon]

I couldn't go Vegan, or vegetarian. Most of the meat substitutes contain things I am allergic to.

 

[FArting]

Was it tough giving up on soda?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I couldn't go Vegan, or vegetarian. Most of the meat substitutes contain things I am allergic to.

Yes, the drawback to the substitute products is that some of them are heavily processed. Many people choose a raw or pure plant diet for that reason.

There are a number of stories of people who have gone vegan for a month or so and seen their allergies and/or other issues go away. I think a lot of it is because of the processes we use in food production and all of the ingredients, chemicals, antibiotics, etc.

I think we are all actually lactose intolerant to an extent. Remember when we were little kids and somebody joked about who was the first person to drink cow's milk? Well, I think that was actually a good point. There are no other species that I know of that drink the milk of another species and no other species that I know of whose adults drink milk. I don't think we were meant to drink dairy, but because it is such a big part of our daily lives, many of us suffer from it. (PS, there's a lot of calcium in vegetables. Don't listen to the dairy industry's ad campaigns.)

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Was it tough giving up on soda?

It was actually surprisingly easy. Challenge yourself for a few days or a week and see how it goes.

If you drink a lot of it now, though, you might want to wean yourself or find an alternative caffeine source like brewed tea. I know I get wicked withdrawal headaches if I drink tea (or take caffeine pills) during the week, but not on the weekend. Those are excruciating and it takes way more ibuprofen than I'm comfortable taking to get rid of them.

 

[crisper57]

It was actually surprisingly easy. Challenge yourself for a few days or a week and see how it goes.

If you drink a lot of it now, though, you might want to wean yourself or find an alternative caffeine source like brewed tea. I know I get wicked withdrawal headaches if I drink tea (or take caffeine pills) during the week, but not on the weekend. Those are excruciating and it takes way more ibuprofen than I'm comfortable taking to get rid of them.

I am a brewed tea addict now. Used to do 2-3 sodas a day. Now I do 2-3 a year. Best decision I ever made for myself.

 

[MrYeahBut]

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Next time you go to Costco, could you check and see if there is any Coca-Cola that's in a bottle? They're made in Mexico and have real sugar. Only soda worth drinking.


.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Our food production system is simply not sustainable. The sheer amount of resources that go into producing meat is staggering and as countries like China develop, the demand for meat is expanding even more.

When you consider the whole process of meat production, it's quite scary. The amount of emissions that cows produce, the amount of waste that is spread back into the world (and concentrated in massive lagoons), and the amount of antibiotic use in factory farms (80% of antibiotics in this country go into factory farms and then it is only for sub-therapeutic or non-therapeutic use, meaning that there is a big risk of creating antibiotic resistant disease) are all very important issues that we don't discuss much as a society.

It will be for the next 50-100 years at least.

I don't think I could make it as a vegan. Seriously.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It was actually surprisingly easy. Challenge yourself for a few days or a week and see how it goes.

If you drink a lot of it now, though, you might want to wean yourself or find an alternative caffeine source like brewed tea. I know I get wicked withdrawal headaches if I drink tea (or take caffeine pills) during the week, but not on the weekend. Those are excruciating and it takes way more ibuprofen than I'm comfortable taking to get rid of them.

I have given it up for a month before. I wouldn't say that I crave soda, vs that I enjoy it.

 

[Brian]

Tom, you ever wonder why you never grew?

I think this thread is very telling.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

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Next time you go to Costco, could you check and see if there is any Coca-Cola that's in a bottle? They're made in Mexico and have real sugar. Only soda worth drinking.


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I think they have it! I'll wrap them in some black t-shirts and ship them to you.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Was it tough giving up on soda?

As another who used to down multiple sodas in a day, I can say, for me, it was a piece of cake. Just stop drinking soda. Seriously.

I don't drink coffee or tea so finding a substitute was my only issue.

I only drink water, flavored water, lemonade, or Powerade Zero.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Tom, you ever wonder why you never grew?

I think this thread is very telling.

I've grown like a weed since I went vegan. I'll be four feet before you know it!

 

[Dback Jon]

I've grown like a weed since I went vegan. I'll be four feet before you know it!

Only problem is his skin turned green!

HO HO HO!!

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[Kel Varnsen]

Only problem is his skin turned green!

HO HO HO!!

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If I ever changed my avatar, that would be freaking perfect!

 

[Mulli]

There is a sign up at a Greek bakery near my house:

Honey Cookies! Vegan!

Thoughts?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

There is a sign up at a Greek bakery near my house:

Honey Cookies! Vegan!

Thoughts?

I'm on the side that honey is not vegan, but I might be in the minority there.

Have them call me and I will hook them up with an agave nectar source.

Also, just in general, vegan desserts are phenomenal, especially the cupcakes.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I'm on the side that honey is not vegan, but I might be in the minority there.

Have them call me and I will hook them up with an agave nectar source.

Also, just in general, vegan desserts are phenomenal, especially the cupcakes.

So honey isn't vegan (to you) because of how the bees produce it?

 

[cardncubfan]

I'm on the side that honey is not vegan, but I might be in the minority there.

Have them call me and I will hook them up with an agave nectar source.

Also, just in general, vegan desserts are phenomenal, especially the cupcakes.

So honey isn't vegan (to you) because of how the bees produce it?

Bee vomit?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

So honey isn't vegan (to you) because of how the bees produce it?

Probably more so in how humans produce it. Bees make honey for their own purposes, not for ours.

These borderline issues make for difficult conversations sometimes because if a vegan says he doesn't eat honey, someone can say he's extreme, but if he says he doesn't, someone can say he's not consistent.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Bee vomit?

Then there's the ick factor.

 

[jw7]

I've grown like a weed since I went vegan. I'll be four feet before you know it!

I really misread this. At first glance I thought you said "I've grown to like weed"

Could probably be a vegan if I had any inclination. My favorite foods are fresh fruit and salads.

What are your favorite vegan meals?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I really misread this. At first glance I thought you said "I've grown to like weed"

Could probably be a vegan if I had any inclination. My favorite foods are fresh fruit and salads.

What are your favorite vegan meals?

Maybe someday when it is legal and/or I don't have to worry about passing drug tests!

I like fresh fruit and vegetables, too. I could probably survive on blueberries and avocados. (Including chocolate pudding made from avocados.)

I like to just think of something that sounds good and if it's not vegan, figure out a way to veganize it. It's kinda fun. I found a vegan ricotta last week, so I've been making pasta with that and vegan mozzarella and parmesan. Good stuff.

Yesterday, I had one of those jumbo soft pretzels for breakfast (12g protein), a fresh salad with ricotta and the chicken strips I posted earlier for lunch, and a veggie burger with avocado, tomato, onion, and romaine on a nice roll for dinner.

Plus, some of this for dessert (which I'm really trying to avoid an addiction to):

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[DemsMyBoys]

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Next time you go to Costco, could you check and see if there is any Coca-Cola that's in a bottle? They're made in Mexico and have real sugar. Only soda worth drinking.


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Viva Mexico. That's the only Coke I'll drink.

 

[Mulli]

Turkey and chicken: nasty, righty?