It did not decided to start snowing here until last week. I figure that eventually this place will be covered in snow. Grocery shopping in this weather can be difficult since I do not want to be stuck anywhere. I found some recipes that may be good enough to get rid of the winter blues.
Thai Green Curry Lentils I have pretty much all the ingredients except the chard and ginger. For the sake of not having the ingredients listed, some substitutions can be made. I don't want to spend too much money on food. I still want to/have to go to summer school. Next time I try this recipe, I will add kale and make this a variation of my kale lentil recipe.
Baha Tofu Tacos With Cilantro Coleslaw This is another recipe by a user from vegweb.com. I think I'll make some substitutions for this recipe. There are some things that I can't find like the soy yogurt. I can marinade the tofu strips in a creamy homemade sauce, instead of coating in soy yogurt. A good side dish for these would be the taquila lime rice recipe (will be posted soon).
Berry Smoothie I'm one of those people who can eat alot of calories and still be rail thin. This is supposed to be a "filler" smoothie, for days that you don't want to eat. Being someone who likes to indulge and in some cases overindulge, I would add alcohol to this and serve it with the taco recipe above.
Tangy and Sweet Raspberry Vodka This is an alcoholic beverage for those who want sweetened hard liquor.
Cherry Velvet Limeade Mocktail For those who have vestal tastebuds.
I usually post recipes that I really like and try to make variations of them. When I get my own place (again) I will definately make these. For the second two recipes, I will feel bad being greedy and eating too many of them (I usually eat three vegan tacos, with a side of rice). I love my own cooking, so I'm confident that these will taste good.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Consciousness About Products (Philosophical)
One of the disadvantages of living in a capitalistic society is that when it comes to buying products, you don't know about them until years after using them. I've been working hard to maintain a vegan diet for about five years and I've been actively trying to use products that are cruelty free and are not animal tested. It's pretty sad that I live in a culture that puts the economy before integrity and humanity. I plan on being one person less that will be using products that derive from animal ingredients or have been tested on animals.
PETA can be pretty unethical at times, especially when they put unadopted animals to sleep and when they believe that they are the spokespersons for veganism, they can be annoying. However, I would trust them to tell me whether or not something is vegan over someone who works for a major corporation that supports animal exploitation.
They provide a list of companies that test on animals. You're probably thinking, "Neb, why is animal testing so bad? Isn't eating a vegan diet good enough?" The answer to that would be "No, if you are aware of supporting animal testing and still consume the products, then why be vegan in the first place?"
Dove is one of the companies that support animal testing. My mom used their soap when I was born. The hospital I was born at used their soap as well. All these years being vegan, I thought companies that used animal testing were upperclass high-end cosmetic that had customers draped in furs and basked in conflict diamonds and such. After reading the list, I think "Oh my god! All these years I supported them and called myself vegan!" Now that I saw the list, I know better and when I walk to Walgreen's and shop for soap and other household items, I will look for the logo with the bunny rabbit that says "Cruelty Free" below it.
I think the philosophical aspect of why animal testing and consuming animal products are bad should be addressed in my other blog (Ungrounded Gamer), but I think because this blog is dedicated to veganism, the lifestyle and in some sense ascetism I will address it here.
An Argument in Defense of Veganism and Not Supporting Animal Testing (Politically Incorrect Version)
People do things to animals, and what I mean by that is everyday common people who would not give veganism or even vegetarianism a second thought. Through out history and even today humans eat animals, we own them as pets, we make products with them, we use them as a source of entertainment and we espcially use them for labor. The one thing that we do not normally is have sex with animals. In most countries in the world it is illegal to have sex with animals and in most cultures, vast majority of all world cultures, beastiality is taboo. It's almost equivalent to having sex with minors, or even dead people. One argument that people give about why it's not acceptable to have sex with animals is that animals cannot consent to having sex with people.
I feel like people, if they are going to be pro-meat and use animals for all other things in life, why not go all the way with it. By the way, I give this argument credit to someone who brought it up on Youtube in the comment section of a video about veganism. It still takes forever to come up with compelling arguments about veganism, even though there are so many. This argument can make people who consume animal flesh and use the service of animals look bad. Anti-vegans like to point out our inconsistencies. It only makes sense to come up with arguments that can make them look bad. "Why do you love dogs and cats so much as pets and yet you eat meat and get mad at cultures that eat dogs and cat?"
Most people who use the argument that humans do not have sex with animals because animals cannot consent are not using a strong argument (starting to sound like Peter Singer here). Those same animals do not consent to being eaten, used as a form of entertainment and labor, have their young taken from them, being used for labor and so forth. Just like the dead and children do not consent to things being done to them, the same argument can be used for the consumption of animals. I would respect the argument that having sex with animals can spread diseases in human population. In fact, that is one argument that I would use to say as of why *I* would not do it, besides the fact that there is nothing attractive about animals and there is nothing attractive about human beings dressing up as other animals. I definately do not advocate beastiality.
They can also argue that it is unnatural but that would be the Appeal to Nature Fallacy. We all do things that are unnatural. I think a better argument is to cite how psychologically damaging it is to the individual and how it's not "normal". A hallmate used this argument to explain why black women should not straighten their hair, but she looked ignorant. There are black women who naturally have straight hair, and this is an argument for another post. People who use this fallacy in arguments are the first people who think they get a gold star, when they really don't. Humans do so many unnatural things that using the argument of nature is a weak attempt at winning. It also implies that nature is good and flawless. Humans evolve to change their surroundings to suit them. Yes, biology does not catch up with human society, but this is why we change our way of thinking.
One can also use statitistics to point out why we should not do some things to animals, but we can do other things to them. Statistics would be a really bad argument. A hallmate tried to use statistics to strengthen his own argument, when he does not understand that statistics can be manipulated and used by anyone. I would go as far as to say that he used so many straw man arguments, that's another story. Statisticscan be a legitimate way of supporting a claim or it can be a cheap shot just to get the other person to shut up. You cannot exclusively use logic in an argument. That is what people who are against animal rights and welfare do. Some would go as far as using their religious texts to explain why it's acceptable to use animals, but that would be appealing to emotions and authority. It would not make sense, because many people do not share the same religious beliefs.
Alternatives to Animal Testing
I posted my frustration in one sentence on my Facebook page. A response was "What are the alternatives?". First, I would say that the fact that the product has to be tested on animals is telling of the ingredients that belong in the product. I suggested using volunteers or clinical studies. I do not see how testing on animals will tell me if the product is better for me or not. Vegans usually use plant-based products on their bodies. I would go as far as to say we should use products that are not only cruelty free, but are also conflict free or fair trade. These are alternatives to animal testing.
Here is a disclaimer: I know that not everything in life can be optionally cruelty-free. I know that the medicine that I consume will be animal tested, especially if they are antibiotics. I have doctors even telling me that I should give up trying to sustain a cruelty-free lifestyle, due to health and other reasons. That's probably one of the reasons why I gave up the idea of being an engineer. I gave up the chance for a job that will pay my student loans twice over in a few months, but I also gave up all those long hours of studying, exposure to math, science and engineering that will take the joy away from school, and I gave up the possibility that I will use an animal for dissecting or testing. If I went into a field such as animal science and biology, I would still be testing on animals. Most vegans know that there are some things we can't give up. It's not like being a strict Christian where people are more understanding. If that was the case then people who are vegan would not be criticised for the way we decided to live our lives.
PETA can be pretty unethical at times, especially when they put unadopted animals to sleep and when they believe that they are the spokespersons for veganism, they can be annoying. However, I would trust them to tell me whether or not something is vegan over someone who works for a major corporation that supports animal exploitation.
They provide a list of companies that test on animals. You're probably thinking, "Neb, why is animal testing so bad? Isn't eating a vegan diet good enough?" The answer to that would be "No, if you are aware of supporting animal testing and still consume the products, then why be vegan in the first place?"
Dove is one of the companies that support animal testing. My mom used their soap when I was born. The hospital I was born at used their soap as well. All these years being vegan, I thought companies that used animal testing were upperclass high-end cosmetic that had customers draped in furs and basked in conflict diamonds and such. After reading the list, I think "Oh my god! All these years I supported them and called myself vegan!" Now that I saw the list, I know better and when I walk to Walgreen's and shop for soap and other household items, I will look for the logo with the bunny rabbit that says "Cruelty Free" below it.
I think the philosophical aspect of why animal testing and consuming animal products are bad should be addressed in my other blog (Ungrounded Gamer), but I think because this blog is dedicated to veganism, the lifestyle and in some sense ascetism I will address it here.
An Argument in Defense of Veganism and Not Supporting Animal Testing (Politically Incorrect Version)
People do things to animals, and what I mean by that is everyday common people who would not give veganism or even vegetarianism a second thought. Through out history and even today humans eat animals, we own them as pets, we make products with them, we use them as a source of entertainment and we espcially use them for labor. The one thing that we do not normally is have sex with animals. In most countries in the world it is illegal to have sex with animals and in most cultures, vast majority of all world cultures, beastiality is taboo. It's almost equivalent to having sex with minors, or even dead people. One argument that people give about why it's not acceptable to have sex with animals is that animals cannot consent to having sex with people.
I feel like people, if they are going to be pro-meat and use animals for all other things in life, why not go all the way with it. By the way, I give this argument credit to someone who brought it up on Youtube in the comment section of a video about veganism. It still takes forever to come up with compelling arguments about veganism, even though there are so many. This argument can make people who consume animal flesh and use the service of animals look bad. Anti-vegans like to point out our inconsistencies. It only makes sense to come up with arguments that can make them look bad. "Why do you love dogs and cats so much as pets and yet you eat meat and get mad at cultures that eat dogs and cat?"
Most people who use the argument that humans do not have sex with animals because animals cannot consent are not using a strong argument (starting to sound like Peter Singer here). Those same animals do not consent to being eaten, used as a form of entertainment and labor, have their young taken from them, being used for labor and so forth. Just like the dead and children do not consent to things being done to them, the same argument can be used for the consumption of animals. I would respect the argument that having sex with animals can spread diseases in human population. In fact, that is one argument that I would use to say as of why *I* would not do it, besides the fact that there is nothing attractive about animals and there is nothing attractive about human beings dressing up as other animals. I definately do not advocate beastiality.
They can also argue that it is unnatural but that would be the Appeal to Nature Fallacy. We all do things that are unnatural. I think a better argument is to cite how psychologically damaging it is to the individual and how it's not "normal". A hallmate used this argument to explain why black women should not straighten their hair, but she looked ignorant. There are black women who naturally have straight hair, and this is an argument for another post. People who use this fallacy in arguments are the first people who think they get a gold star, when they really don't. Humans do so many unnatural things that using the argument of nature is a weak attempt at winning. It also implies that nature is good and flawless. Humans evolve to change their surroundings to suit them. Yes, biology does not catch up with human society, but this is why we change our way of thinking.
One can also use statitistics to point out why we should not do some things to animals, but we can do other things to them. Statistics would be a really bad argument. A hallmate tried to use statistics to strengthen his own argument, when he does not understand that statistics can be manipulated and used by anyone. I would go as far as to say that he used so many straw man arguments, that's another story. Statisticscan be a legitimate way of supporting a claim or it can be a cheap shot just to get the other person to shut up. You cannot exclusively use logic in an argument. That is what people who are against animal rights and welfare do. Some would go as far as using their religious texts to explain why it's acceptable to use animals, but that would be appealing to emotions and authority. It would not make sense, because many people do not share the same religious beliefs.
Alternatives to Animal Testing
I posted my frustration in one sentence on my Facebook page. A response was "What are the alternatives?". First, I would say that the fact that the product has to be tested on animals is telling of the ingredients that belong in the product. I suggested using volunteers or clinical studies. I do not see how testing on animals will tell me if the product is better for me or not. Vegans usually use plant-based products on their bodies. I would go as far as to say we should use products that are not only cruelty free, but are also conflict free or fair trade. These are alternatives to animal testing.
Here is a disclaimer: I know that not everything in life can be optionally cruelty-free. I know that the medicine that I consume will be animal tested, especially if they are antibiotics. I have doctors even telling me that I should give up trying to sustain a cruelty-free lifestyle, due to health and other reasons. That's probably one of the reasons why I gave up the idea of being an engineer. I gave up the chance for a job that will pay my student loans twice over in a few months, but I also gave up all those long hours of studying, exposure to math, science and engineering that will take the joy away from school, and I gave up the possibility that I will use an animal for dissecting or testing. If I went into a field such as animal science and biology, I would still be testing on animals. Most vegans know that there are some things we can't give up. It's not like being a strict Christian where people are more understanding. If that was the case then people who are vegan would not be criticised for the way we decided to live our lives.
Makeshift Sloppy Joe's Recipe/ Other Things
Sloppy Joe's (2/12/11)
I made this recipe in my rice cooker in my dorm room. I was craving sloppy joe's because I wanted to kind of make up for not attending/having a Super Bowl party.
Ingredients
1/2 can vegan sloppy joe's sauce (I used Manwich, It's vegan)
1/2 pack Boca Ground Meatless Crumbles
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chooped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 cup water
1Tbsp oil
Salt, to taste
Items to make sanwich: whole wheat vegan buns or pita bread,
avocado, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, etc
Method
1.In a rice cooker add: meatless crumbles, chopped onion, bell pepper and tomato along with 1/2 cup water and oil
2.Stir and close the rice cooker and let simmer.
3.When water is cooked out almost completely add salt and half can sloppy joe's sauce. Simmer with top of rice cooker open until the liquid is significanntly reduced.
*These turned out pretty well. I was a little worried about what happened if I used my rice cooker, but making this in a rice cooker turned out better than making it in the microwave. I would have to use a different brand of meatless crumbles because the Boca brand is not microwaveable.
Other Things
I finally went grocery shopping. My hallmate/ on and off again arch nemesis took me in his car along with his two friends. I didn't grab every single thing I needed, due to a small refrigerator, but I believe I can work with what I have. This is where canned beans and dried foods come in handy.Today I had left over sloppy joe's. Tonight I paid $6 for a box of cereal that I could have gotten for $4 or less. The next time I crave for something I don't have, I will open my refrigerator and see how much food I can make.
I'm a rather adventurous person (sort of). I should have went out this weekend alone. I think tomorrow I can do something else. Maybe I'll study and work on art first, and then go to the movies and make something. I can also try the curry recipe that I want to make in the rice cooker. I love cooked food that is not nuked in a microwave. I believe if I cut the potatoes tonight and microwave them, then I won't have to boil them in the rice cooker. I can save that for either the quinoa or the curry. I'm also scared to microwave the quinoa. They are such precious seeds. Hopefully I can make a good curry from the rice cooker like I did with the sloppy joe's.
I made this recipe in my rice cooker in my dorm room. I was craving sloppy joe's because I wanted to kind of make up for not attending/having a Super Bowl party.
Ingredients
1/2 can vegan sloppy joe's sauce (I used Manwich, It's vegan)
1/2 pack Boca Ground Meatless Crumbles
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chooped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 cup water
1Tbsp oil
Salt, to taste
Items to make sanwich: whole wheat vegan buns or pita bread,
avocado, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, etc
Method
1.In a rice cooker add: meatless crumbles, chopped onion, bell pepper and tomato along with 1/2 cup water and oil
2.Stir and close the rice cooker and let simmer.
3.When water is cooked out almost completely add salt and half can sloppy joe's sauce. Simmer with top of rice cooker open until the liquid is significanntly reduced.
*These turned out pretty well. I was a little worried about what happened if I used my rice cooker, but making this in a rice cooker turned out better than making it in the microwave. I would have to use a different brand of meatless crumbles because the Boca brand is not microwaveable.
Other Things
I finally went grocery shopping. My hallmate/ on and off again arch nemesis took me in his car along with his two friends. I didn't grab every single thing I needed, due to a small refrigerator, but I believe I can work with what I have. This is where canned beans and dried foods come in handy.Today I had left over sloppy joe's. Tonight I paid $6 for a box of cereal that I could have gotten for $4 or less. The next time I crave for something I don't have, I will open my refrigerator and see how much food I can make.
I'm a rather adventurous person (sort of). I should have went out this weekend alone. I think tomorrow I can do something else. Maybe I'll study and work on art first, and then go to the movies and make something. I can also try the curry recipe that I want to make in the rice cooker. I love cooked food that is not nuked in a microwave. I believe if I cut the potatoes tonight and microwave them, then I won't have to boil them in the rice cooker. I can save that for either the quinoa or the curry. I'm also scared to microwave the quinoa. They are such precious seeds. Hopefully I can make a good curry from the rice cooker like I did with the sloppy joe's.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Debunk: The Vegan Diet vs. The Raw Food Diet
I noticed that in the spectrum of vegetarianism, there have been some clashes between the vegans and the raw foodist. I personally do not have a problem with the raw food diet, or raw vegan diet or those who practice it. However, I do have a criticism when raw foodists do not specify if they are raw vegans or just raw foodists. Some raw foodists do eat animal flesh. It may be raw fish, raw milk, or even raw meat. Some claim that the raw food diet is better than the vegan diet. I'll go as far to say that they can be condenscending about it or perceived to be, just as vegans are perceived to be condenscending toward those who are not vegan. I plan on trying a raw food diet on the weekdays and eating the standard, but healthy vegan diet on the weekends or on vacations. With my current situation, a raw diet on the weekdays seems like the best idea considering that everything has chemicals in it, packaged in a can or frozen tray or has something that I'm not supposed to eat in it.
I read a blog that criticised the way PETA interprets the vegan diet. I do not know if I should link the blog here, she has a fanbase and I do not, so I think it's best that I debunk the blog post using my five year expertise on veganism. I'm going to logically debunk this person without using too much appeal to emotion or authority.
"I get this question asked often by meat eaters:
If eating a plant based diet is so healthy then why are so many vegans still overweight?
It’s a GREAT question and it’s something I’ve noticed as well.
The reason why this happens is because most vegans substitute the VEGAN versions of the junk foods they used to eat on the Standard Diet."
First, I would like to agree with her that there are some vegans who are over weight and/or unhealthy. However, the pounds that they pack from the unhealthy vegan diet are miniscule compared to the Standard American Diet which consists of MEAT, DAIRY, CARBS and SUGARS. My mom's dietician told me about a three hundred pound vegan that walked into her office, which will lead to my second point. Some people who are starting out on the vegan diet are misinformed about what is really vegan and what is not. Even with the well-informed vegans out there, some of them do not want to miss out on what the mainstream American culture has to offer when it comes to food and social activities. A good example would be Superbowl Sunday. Every year, every dorm I stay in either has a party celebrating the championship or they have a gathering at a restaurant. I am most likely the only vegan in the hall I am staying in now. I ask them all the time last year if they can have a vegan option, and they only followed up twice. People who do not consume meat or anything are still human. There are companies that know that vegans still want to live a normal life. That's why they make foods such as veggie burgers, breads with no milk and eggs, meat substitutes, organic pastas and so forth. So for the big game, most likely I'm going to celebrate with my understanding friends or just make some tempeh and mushroom vegan sloppy joe's. We already get criticised from the meat eaters and vegetarians about our diet. There is no reason why a raw foodist should the same to vegans.
"If you guessed fresh fruits and vegetables, you’re ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. Now in PETA’s defense they probably figured that a person becoming a vegan would already KNOW that fresh fruits and vegetables ARE vegan so I suppose I can’t fault them for that!"
The purpose of being vegan is to abstain from all forms of animal exploitation, mutilation and degradation. A true vegan is supposed to give up all animal products, which is difficult, but it can happen. Most people who are vegan do not want to participate in the industry's exploitation of animals. This is perhaps why PETA's list consists of "junkfood". They are activists, not dieticians. I know people who ask me about being vegan because they want to lose weight and I'm like "why the hell you are asking me?" I have to tell them nicely that it's a lifestyle. They do not necessarily have to adapt to the vegan lifestyle such as giving up impossible things, but giving up foods with animal products is a good step. Fruits and vegetarbles are obviously vegan. There is no need to be redundant.
"Something that vegans need to understand is that they CAN’T live primarily on vegan JUNK FOOD and expect to be healthy.
Unfortunately being VEGAN isn’t enough to get healthy. In order to experience OPTIMAL HEALTH it’s important to eat a primarily RAW diet (as close to 100% as possible)."
That is a myth about people who are vegan and vegetarians that people tend to make. It's insulting to someone who is working really hard to maintain a regular vegan diet to assume that they think they can live off of vegan junkfood. I'll admit that sometimes I do eat foods that are questionable sometimes, but I don't eat them as my everyday meal. The most that I've done too many times is make vegan pancakes everyday of the week for a week and I didn't gain a single pound. Most people who are vegan participate in a healthy vegan diet. Some of us are not perfect. Occassionally we do end up eating food that we find out later that is vegetarian and we just not patronize that particular business anymore. Most of the time we read every ingredient and we ask every waiter about the dish of choice.
A vegan diet can be enough for an individual, it is a matter of research and modification. A raw food diet is not always the optimal choice of diet because of its abiguity. If I am going to be a raw foodist, what kind am I going to be? Am I going to be a raw vegan? A raw vegetarian who drinks unpasteurized milk? Or am I going to be a raw omnivore who eats raw fish and raw red meats? I have been noticing that the rawfoodists, not all but some of them try to sale their diet as though it is the most superior. I tell people about my diet and they say that they can't do it and I just leave them alone.
I think before the woman who posted about the vegan diet on her blog needs not to judge vegans. She still uses honey, which is not a vegan product, so she cannot judge people for their way of eating a non-meat diet. A responder to her posted stated that she was turned off by the vegan diet because the people she knew who were vegan are overweight. I've been vegan for pretty much five years with the exception of eating fish once a month in the summer in 08 (which I regret). All the vegans I know are thin, lean and some cases underweight. I have never seen a vegan who was fat. To me that's like seeing a unicorn.
The best thing to do is decide for yourself which diet is the most appropriate. I plan on trying a raw diet, mainly because I do not want to live off of a microwave all the time. I think it helps to have a rice cooker. I would not have to eat out of a microwave. I want to try a half regular vegan and half raw vegan diet to eat more fruits and vegetables and to cut out raw sugar and sweets. Sometime, I'll make a menu with the vegan foods that I'll be eating on campus.
I read a blog that criticised the way PETA interprets the vegan diet. I do not know if I should link the blog here, she has a fanbase and I do not, so I think it's best that I debunk the blog post using my five year expertise on veganism. I'm going to logically debunk this person without using too much appeal to emotion or authority.
"I get this question asked often by meat eaters:
If eating a plant based diet is so healthy then why are so many vegans still overweight?
It’s a GREAT question and it’s something I’ve noticed as well.
The reason why this happens is because most vegans substitute the VEGAN versions of the junk foods they used to eat on the Standard Diet."
First, I would like to agree with her that there are some vegans who are over weight and/or unhealthy. However, the pounds that they pack from the unhealthy vegan diet are miniscule compared to the Standard American Diet which consists of MEAT, DAIRY, CARBS and SUGARS. My mom's dietician told me about a three hundred pound vegan that walked into her office, which will lead to my second point. Some people who are starting out on the vegan diet are misinformed about what is really vegan and what is not. Even with the well-informed vegans out there, some of them do not want to miss out on what the mainstream American culture has to offer when it comes to food and social activities. A good example would be Superbowl Sunday. Every year, every dorm I stay in either has a party celebrating the championship or they have a gathering at a restaurant. I am most likely the only vegan in the hall I am staying in now. I ask them all the time last year if they can have a vegan option, and they only followed up twice. People who do not consume meat or anything are still human. There are companies that know that vegans still want to live a normal life. That's why they make foods such as veggie burgers, breads with no milk and eggs, meat substitutes, organic pastas and so forth. So for the big game, most likely I'm going to celebrate with my understanding friends or just make some tempeh and mushroom vegan sloppy joe's. We already get criticised from the meat eaters and vegetarians about our diet. There is no reason why a raw foodist should the same to vegans.
"If you guessed fresh fruits and vegetables, you’re ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. Now in PETA’s defense they probably figured that a person becoming a vegan would already KNOW that fresh fruits and vegetables ARE vegan so I suppose I can’t fault them for that!"
The purpose of being vegan is to abstain from all forms of animal exploitation, mutilation and degradation. A true vegan is supposed to give up all animal products, which is difficult, but it can happen. Most people who are vegan do not want to participate in the industry's exploitation of animals. This is perhaps why PETA's list consists of "junkfood". They are activists, not dieticians. I know people who ask me about being vegan because they want to lose weight and I'm like "why the hell you are asking me?" I have to tell them nicely that it's a lifestyle. They do not necessarily have to adapt to the vegan lifestyle such as giving up impossible things, but giving up foods with animal products is a good step. Fruits and vegetarbles are obviously vegan. There is no need to be redundant.
"Something that vegans need to understand is that they CAN’T live primarily on vegan JUNK FOOD and expect to be healthy.
Unfortunately being VEGAN isn’t enough to get healthy. In order to experience OPTIMAL HEALTH it’s important to eat a primarily RAW diet (as close to 100% as possible)."
That is a myth about people who are vegan and vegetarians that people tend to make. It's insulting to someone who is working really hard to maintain a regular vegan diet to assume that they think they can live off of vegan junkfood. I'll admit that sometimes I do eat foods that are questionable sometimes, but I don't eat them as my everyday meal. The most that I've done too many times is make vegan pancakes everyday of the week for a week and I didn't gain a single pound. Most people who are vegan participate in a healthy vegan diet. Some of us are not perfect. Occassionally we do end up eating food that we find out later that is vegetarian and we just not patronize that particular business anymore. Most of the time we read every ingredient and we ask every waiter about the dish of choice.
A vegan diet can be enough for an individual, it is a matter of research and modification. A raw food diet is not always the optimal choice of diet because of its abiguity. If I am going to be a raw foodist, what kind am I going to be? Am I going to be a raw vegan? A raw vegetarian who drinks unpasteurized milk? Or am I going to be a raw omnivore who eats raw fish and raw red meats? I have been noticing that the rawfoodists, not all but some of them try to sale their diet as though it is the most superior. I tell people about my diet and they say that they can't do it and I just leave them alone.
I think before the woman who posted about the vegan diet on her blog needs not to judge vegans. She still uses honey, which is not a vegan product, so she cannot judge people for their way of eating a non-meat diet. A responder to her posted stated that she was turned off by the vegan diet because the people she knew who were vegan are overweight. I've been vegan for pretty much five years with the exception of eating fish once a month in the summer in 08 (which I regret). All the vegans I know are thin, lean and some cases underweight. I have never seen a vegan who was fat. To me that's like seeing a unicorn.
The best thing to do is decide for yourself which diet is the most appropriate. I plan on trying a raw diet, mainly because I do not want to live off of a microwave all the time. I think it helps to have a rice cooker. I would not have to eat out of a microwave. I want to try a half regular vegan and half raw vegan diet to eat more fruits and vegetables and to cut out raw sugar and sweets. Sometime, I'll make a menu with the vegan foods that I'll be eating on campus.
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