Hello everyone.
I am currently getting into becoming a vegan. I've started with becoming a vegetarian. I would like to know some of the best places best books etc to find a better path in helping me become vegan. Any info and ideas on what foods are best drinks etc would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
In the UK (although they say they have an international remit) the best source of authoritative evidence based information is the Vegan Society and I'd strongly recommend them (for anything but early infant feeding, not your current worry!) as there's key information you need to take on board for long term health. The Vegetarian Society UK and Viva are also decent resources.
I'd second the suggestion of looking in public libraries to find something that suits your personal circumstances - the sort of cooking you like to do, your resources etc.
I can understand why you are wondering where to look - there's a lot of ill researched stuff out there by people who are hobbyist diet hoppers selling their personal brand and conflating veganism with other dietary trends (which is not to say that being say, gluten free and vegan may not be appropriate for some individuals)
I'd say do your research carefully as a vegan diet needs more careful planning and specific knowledge than a vegetarian one. Be prepared to cook from scratch mostly . Buying grains and dried pulses will be much cheaper than ready prepared food and much more interesting.
Quorn is great as a quick basis for casseroles etc.
The Vegan society is a good source of information as are vegan recipe books.
I am not vegan myself but a vegan diet properly planned and carried out is excellent for health and for the planet.
I hope it goes well for you
Dee
I've been trying to catch mice in a live trap for weeks. Eventually a wild mushroom rissotto coaxed two in. They were trapped all night with a lot of assorted food, as I'd used everything I could think of. The next morning, they'd eaten all the offerings they'd not been tempted by, aside from the quorn. If hungry mice won't touch it, it can't be good!
Try joining The Vegan Society. They provide a lot of support for members. vegansociety.com/go-vegan/h...
You may also find local groups where you live. There's at least 3 vegetarian groups in my local area, & more in nearby cities.
There are hundreds of vegan blogs & recipe websites, so no need to buy books unless you want to.
vegansociety.com/resources/... There's even an app.
treehugger.com/easy-vegetar...
I found my health deteriorated being vegan, & felt better for adding dairy kefir to my diet Most other things I eat are plant based. I avoid eating processed food, as even vegan junk food gives me mouth ulcers I need to take iron & B12 supplements, so be aware of nutritional deficiencies that you might have as a result. I love nutritional yeast, & get the one with B12 in, though I still need methylcobalamin on top.
Avoid eating any unfermented soya as it prevents the formation & absorption of thyroid hormones.
Otherwise, good luck!
When transitioning from a meat-based diet a good starting point is with meat-free alternatives and most supermarkets have these. This allows you to become a veggy with only small changes to your taste buds and how the meal looks. This includes quorn-based products as well as burgers of many types.
Be careful however it is also possible to have an unhealthy vegan diet. Not easy unless you have no interest in food, but possible.
It is best to then transition towards a whole-food plant based diet. This is where you start to cook meals from scratch. A good starting point here is to buy tins of pre-cooked beans and pulses with which you can easily mix-and-match vegetables to create some stunning meals in very quick time, day in day out.
When we say plant based the next step on the road to health is to increase raw food intake, especially salads. Make these a daily lunch item. An addition here is the fabulous food hummus which you can easily buy and just as easily make at home. Life simple cannot exist without hummus, imo.
A key word is "varied". Rotate the foods you eat. Mix and match. Eat what is in season. It is at this stage you simply do not have to worry about nutrition, apart from B12. You will be getting one of the healthiest diets on the planet so packed with nutrition it will be coming out of your ears.
At some point if you are heading towards veganism then get some vegan B12 supplements. The truth is everyone, including meat eaters should be taking B12 supplements. The only people who do not need them are people who grow and eat their own food, and probably organically. This is because B12 comes entirely from bacteria in the ground.
If you want your health to rapidly improve each and every day, then drop oils, even the heavily marketed extra-virgin & coconut oils. These are refined & processed foods and are not only totally unnecessary for a vegan at this stage of transition but actually will hinder health improvements. Simply replace oil with water in all recipes. If you want / need calories increase nuts & seeds.
The final stages of transition are towards wholly raw-food and even as far as a whole fruit diet. I would never advocate jumping into these stages. There is a lot to learn on the road, not just for your brain but also for your gut!
That's your roadmap. Leave three months between transitions. That's how long it will take, at the very least, for your gut to adapt, and your cupboards and fridges to change. Now go to websites and books that help you to the next stage on your transition roadmap.
What a good response, everyone who writes on here about their diet and moans about being unable to lose weight should read it. I started WFPB NO OIL DIET 18 months ago and have got very used to the meals involved. Will not go onto the raw food level for all meals. My blood levels went back up when I reduced my statin from 40mg to 20 mg so am now back on 40mg. Did lose a stone and am now slightly underweight. Shame everything has to come out of the USA, but I am a convert .Forks over Knives is a very good website. Did you start this for health reasons.
YouTube is a wonderful place for vegan videos, science, recipe ideas, debates etc. There's an abundance of info on there.
I'm about 95% vegan aside from an occasional serving of fish. You don't have to pay attention to people saying low-carb, high-fat. This is debatable all year long. It's impossible to be vegan and eat a low carb diet since every vegan staple contains all carbs. Just make sure you get whole food carbs - don't rely too much on potatoes and avoid refined carbs like white rice or white bread. And don't bother with fake meat products -theyrr garbage. Use grilled mushrooms, eggplant, and zuchinni as your meat substitutes.
Get used to eating a lot of seeds and grains. These are wonderfully tasty, filling, and full of nutrients. Don't overdo the rice. Use quinoa, millet, and buckwheat too. You can use them the same way as rice in risottos or fried rice style veggie dishes.
For all the hate oils get, especially coconut oil, I find the opposite to be true. I use coconut oil in abundance everyday and it has helped me massively in reducing cravings, getting essential fats into my diet without aggravating my gallbladder and liver/digestion problems. It has also helped stop my acid reflux symptoms.
The notion of esting fully raw with no oil or salt is not for normal people, so don't pay too much attention to it. You won't succeed.
You'll be cooking all your own meals, which has made me realize how much I love cooking. Have fun.
Hi, I haven't read all replies so sorry if I'm repeating. When I became vegan I got the Ella woodward books and I found them very helpful but now 18months on, for inspiration I look on Pinterest. It's really helpful and you can find a vegan version of anything. I was vegetarian for 11 years before going vegan. I would never go back to being vegetarian as since being vegan I have so much more energy and had gastrointestinal problems which have completely cleared up. I would use beans, nuts, lentils and vegetables and wouldn't advise going down the fake meat route if you want to stay healthy. My son saw a naturopath who said nut milk is better than rice milk and not to eat pre formed pretend meat or soya. Good luck! x
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