Ask HN: How to become a vegan?

28 pointsby feiderover 8 years ago

I live in a modern western culture and my diet contains typical western foods. After being diagnosed with a mild hypertension with family history of hypertension, I've become interested in more healthy diets.After reading MD Greger's nutritionfacts.org I'm willing to start decreasing animal protein intake with a hope of becoming a vegan one day.Any advice/stories from people with similar background?

21 comments

pvaldesover 8 years ago

In a totally neuter tone. Why do you identify vegan + pills with "healthy diet" and omnivorous with "unhealthy diet"? A diet that leads to nerve damage unless you add suplements to avoid it, do not sounds to me as "healthy" by definition.Lets say that "vegans live longer". This is our null hypothesis. Is the percentage of pure vegans among the longest living people in the world significatively higher?Jeanne Calment: Smoker. Some alcohol. Active. Diet rich in olive oil and lots of chocolate. 122 Yo.Susannah Mushatt Jones. Sleeping a lot and eating bacon each day. 116 YoJiroemon Kimura. Favourite food, pickled mackerels. 116 YoChristian Mortensen. Moderated smoker, not alcohol, active, diet with a lot of potatoes and vegetables. Some meat. 115 Yo.Emiliano Mercado: Eating corn and codfish each day. 115 Yo....As a footnote, I'll only buy a book titled "I will show you how to live forever" or so, if it was written by an author 100 years old at least.

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PerfectElementover 8 years ago

The /vegan sub reddit is pretty active and supportive. You will find plenty of folks willing to help there.Dr. Greger's book How Not To Die is a good source of nutritional information.My 2 cents as someone who's been vegan for almost 15 years:- Don't be too hard on yourself. Being vegan is not about being perfect.- When eating out, explore ethnic foods. You will find that it's easier to find dishes that are vegan by default or almost vegan on non-western restaurants.- Try to find the macro distribution that works best for you and work with it within a vegan framework. I thrive on high carb, but you will find all sorts of vegan diets out there, including keto.- Avoid drama. Just by saying you are vegan, you may get negative emotional reactions from people. When confronted, just say it's a personal choice and move on. Too much time can be spent arguing with people who are ignorant on this topic.

quintesover 8 years ago

Take your b12 vitamins too.Do not eat poorly, take the time to make food lists and get what you need so you don't end up eating less nutritious food. Try tofu. initially eating at bbq may be tough but your friends and family will support you.

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acrynxover 8 years ago

My girlfriend and I have been vegan for about 3,5 years now and are not planning to go back. For me the transition was really easy and I feel it can definitely be so for everyone. It's really all about your standards and perception.If you want everything to taste exactly the way that non-vegan food does, that's not gonna work out. If you're ready to substitute the dishes you eat now with ones that taste different but just as good or even better though, then you're already all set.You just have to be open minded about the change and it will come naturally, really. Also you really don't have to substitute meat with soy and other replacement products at all. They often taste bad or are unhealthy and replacing them with something more natural (like lentils, beans, potatoes etc.) is almost always better, across the board.Really, just buy a vegan cookbook or gather recipes from blogs, try them and discover your favourites. Checking the ingredients of all the stuff you buy is the only thing you have to do.One thing that could bother you though would be limited options when eating in restaurants. There is almost always at least one vegan option available, but you just won't have as much choice as before, which could be a dealbreaker for you.You'll have to decide that for yourself. Though there are also many great vegan-only restaurants that serve really great stuff that you might not have discovered until now :)Good luck on your journey, feel free to ask questions!

jzd131over 8 years ago

I became vegan for heath reasons at the same time I started my company (around 5 years ago). I believe it has allowed my body to stay young and my alertness to go up.Starting out you just think of it as one meal at a time... this meal I won't eat anything with animal protein. Then one week at a time and before you know it you will pass the 90-day mark which is when you stop being hungry all the time and/or craving meat at all.Another thing to note is I never really think of myself as a "vegan", just someone that is extremely picky and won't eat anything with animal protein :)Do take b12 supplements, though- I found my eye to be drooping when I became tired because I was deficient. After taking the b12 I was back to normal.

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Broken_Hippoover 8 years ago

I've been mostly vegetarian for over 3 years now. I eat fish once every week or two and that is becoming less and less. (I rarely ate fish before that). I had been cutting down on meat previously, then got married to someone that doesn't eat it.First off, realize that it may or may not ease your hypertension. After all, part of that is simple genetics. For me, the main health benefit is digestive - I don't have a gall bladder and meat doesn't bode well with my system. I do, overall, feel better - which Im sure is part diet and part "exercise" (I walk for transportation most times). In other words, have realistic expectations.Part of the reason I've not considered being vegan is because 1) Too much work for my lifestyle, and severely limits food options that I really like. 2) It seems to me it takes a good deal of knowledge about health 3) I don't like taking vitamin supplements (B12 being one of those that is difficult). So long as none of this bothers you you'll be fine.But I do recommend keeping dairy, eggs, and cheese upfront. It will help the transition. I didn't think mine was that bad as I had just moved countries - but still missed a few foods, especially at holidays.You might find it takes a bit of getting used to the different tastes and textures. It is actually easier to keep up once you get adjusted to the diet.Consider fake meats for texture variance, but be forewarned that they don't really taste like meat. Yet, I'd not suggest eating them daily. For "burgers" and "meatballs", I suggest learning to make your own.If you don't cook much now, learn to do so. Invest in different spices and explore foods from different cultures. You might have to teach yourself to like different foods - so if you don't like legumes and lentils and the like, you'll need to adjust. It is possible with many things given some time.I fully suggest buying some varied cookbooks instead of relying solely on the internet for recipies. If anything, there is usually good information in some of them and they make your searches better.And that's all I can think of now.

dn2kover 8 years ago

I'm vegetarian but I've spent a couple years as vegan when I was in my 20.One day (I was 18, now I'm 40) I've decided to start choosing the vegetarian option whenever its available, after few days I realized that I was already vegetarian.Being vegan is a completely different thing though, it require time, planning, knowledge and partecipation by the people around you. It can easily become a problem for everybody (not just you) and if you want your decision to be sustainable you don't want it. So my suggestion is to be smart, don't overdo, eventually start choosing the vegan option whenever is available or you have control on the meal preparation.

iMarvover 8 years ago

My girlfriend is vegan and I am vegetarian. I am vegetarian for 3/4 of a year now and slowly start to replace all animal based products. The best help for me is to have someone I can rely on (like my girlfriend). Sharing food with someone who already is vegan helped me to get the right feeling for it and made me experience a lot of options food wise. Ultimatively I am vegetarian because living with my girlfriend showed me that I can eat tasty stuff without having to kill or abuse animals

beerbajayover 8 years ago

I've been vegan for over 15 years. While a vegan diet is generally more healthy than the standard American diet, there are many healthy (easier) diets than veganism. Basically (imho), veganism is only compelling for ethical reasons.Eating a vegan diet has however never been easier, especially if you live in a major American city; there is wide availability of reasonable replacement products, vegan options at restaurants, plus a general awareness of what veganism is with less of the reactionary responses that you might have gotten years ago.How to become vegan? Just start slow; you don't have to do everything at once, learn to replace your standard dishes and ingredients one at a time.Harder: how to stay vegan? Recognize that you can never be completely sure about ingredients and that trace amounts of animal products don't present any ethical issues. Be willing to eat out and chance some milk or eggs a dish, especially when dining with others. Veganism shouldn't be about making your own life an unlivable burden but about reducing harm.

ciconiaover 8 years ago

I switched to a vegan diet out of ideology, not health issues, so I didn't really plan how to do it. I just eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, and all kinds of beans or lentils. I think cooking fresh meals (instead of eating out or eating pre-cooked food) has a lot to do with it.Basically, just listen to your body. I don't take any vitamins and I'm reasonably fit.

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Mzover 8 years ago

Start by just eating less meat and more "sides," like vegetables, at meals. If you eat a lot of overcooked ("Southern style") veggies as sides, expose yourself to stirfries, shishkebab, lightly grilled and other preparations that help preserve the nutrient value. Raw is also good. Learn to eat more fresh produce.As you improve the nutrional value of the non meat items in your diet, meat will matter less to you.Diet for a Small Planet is a good source of info. Protein complementarity can help satisfy your hunger. On the upside, most traditional vegetarian diets already practice that. She eventually concluded it isn't hard as her first edition made it sound. But it was useful to me to know some of the nutritional science behind it.You do not necessarily need to go vegan. Cutting back on meat and eating cleaner meats (Kosher, grass fed, organic, etc) may resolve your health issue with less of a burden in terms of making extreme changes, trying to maintain it, etc.Best.

zer00eyzover 8 years ago

Your going to have to learn how to cook, and cook well. There is no way around it.Cooking is a lot like programing, there are general concepts and techniques (functions, algorithms) that translate across all (most) cuisines (that are akin to languages)Things that will make your life better:A good set of knives (paring and chefs), learn to sharpen them, and hone them.A decent set of non stick pans (large and small) these are disposable, the coating always comes off, buy cheep ones (not too cheep) and replace often.A few pots, and some pans for the oven, a large one for the stove top (stainless for easy cleaning).Good cutting boards- plastic, flat ones -- to extend the life of your knives.With tools in hand you need to get some skills, and the best way to do this at home is to master a single dish. Read every recipe you can find, take note of the differences, pay attention to how your cooking it, don't be afraid to turn the heat up or down as you prepare things. The one sin that most people commit is only using the high setting on the microwave and the stove top!Take copious notes every time you make the dish, what did you change, time/heat/fat/ingredients -- at some point your going to have a perfect version. Only then should you branch out and master another dish. Make sure it is the same style of cooking (Italian, Chinese, Mexican etc...)Being vegan is hard, but if your willing to eat from every culture you can get by, and almost every culture has things that are accidentally vegan, falafel being a great example!I can't recommend enough the site <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.seriouseats.com</a> as they feature quite a few tasty vegan and vegetarian recipes. Since I already brought up falafel, you should read their breakdown on it, and try the recipe: <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/03/the-food-lab-vegan-experience-best-homemade-falafel.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/03/the-food-lab-vegan-experi...</a>Your also going to want to learn about Seitan, aka wheat gluten. As far as meat replacements go, it is tops, but making it is an exercise in endurance. Real food daily has the best recipe for someone who is going to attempt to do this at home, they have a cookbook that you can get the recipe from, and is a worth while investment.

joeclark77over 8 years ago

I just have to recommend this (humor) video by JP Sears: <a href="https://youtu.be/Kvdf6e8birI" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/Kvdf6e8birI</a>He's got a whole series like this. Hope it entertains.

paulcoleover 8 years ago

The great thing about nutrition is that no matter what diet you want to try, you can find a quack willing to endorse it as a healthy option.The truth about nutrition is that it's incredibly complex, difficult to study, and there are virtually no reliable sources who aren't pushing their own agenda.If you want to eat vegan, by all means go for it (I'm vegan myself), but you're deluding yourself to think that there's something magical about a "vegan diet"-- which by the way can contain oreos, cracker jacks, hershey's syrup, and any number of other healthy foods.

westvaflamerover 8 years ago

I was a vegan for five years. I was also into bodybuilding for a couple of years. For unrelated reasons(?), I have leaky gut now.What I've learned is: fasting is good for you. Fatty meat and seafood is good for you. Mushrooms are good for you.Root type veggies are the best, except for potatoes. Fuck you potatoes I miss you. Avoid juice and sofa, just eat fruit.Dairy, eggs, and grains can be a grey area. They are likely best in moderation even if you seem to tolerate them well.Put a shot of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water erreydayMost importantly listen to your body

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thorinover 8 years ago

This book may be of interest although not 100% vegan, the introduction in particular is quite inspiring<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Pear-Healthy-Delicious-Change/dp/1844883523" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Pear-Healthy-Delicious-Change...</a>

andymoeover 8 years ago

Go buy the "eat to live cookbook" and eat the stuff in there. Eat as much as you want as long as it's in the book. The extreme is not for me right now (mostly have to prioritize shopping and cooking time) and it takes a few weeks to get used to but the food is good and healthy.

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arvind1508over 8 years ago

Find Indian or Jain food! It's generally pretty tasty and not all that difficult to find.

feverzsjover 8 years ago

if west foods do no good to you, try east foods. East Asia diet, especially China/Japan, is considered most healthful.

werberover 8 years ago

foodgawker.com and filter by vegan, that helped me a lot

atomicalover 8 years ago

Why can't you become a vegan now by not consuming animal products?

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