If you're already vegan, there's a good chance that you've heard these questions before. If you're considering being vegan, you might have asked these questions. And maybe you're one of the people that has asked a vegan these questions. Here are the most common questions asked and my answers to them.
"But where do you get your protein?"
Probably the most common question asked. This is because we grow up thinking that meat is the main source of protein. But there are many ways to get your protein without meat. The daily recommendation for your protein needs is .8 grams per kilogram of body fat every day (this recommendation comes from the American Dietetic Association (ADA)). For example someone who weighs 120 pounds (54.4 kilograms) needs about 43.52 grams of protein in a day and someone who weighs 170 pounds (77.1 kilograms) needs about 61.68 grams of protein.
Other sources of protein include:
- Peas (one cup contains 7.9 grams)
- Quinoa (8 grams per cup)
- Nuts and nut butters (5-6 grams of protein per ounce)
- Beans (kidney beans, for example, have 26 grams in two cups)
- Chickpeas (7.3 grams in half cup)
- Tempeh and tofu (15-20 grams per half cup)
- Edamame (8.4 grams per half cup)
- Chia seeds (4.7 grams per ounce)
I found these through this website. This is really a short list of ways that vegans get their protein. So you can see, it's actually not that hard at all. The only nutrient you really need to be concerned with not getting on a vegan diet is vitamin B12, which you can easily get through a multi vitamin.
"Isn't it expensive to be vegan?"
I've heard this one a number of times and have even seen articles linking veganism to classism (which is a real thing, but not when veganism is concerned). I personally spend less on a vegan diet than I did when I consumed animal products. The highest cost to being vegan is when you purchase meat substitutes. If you stick to grains (rice, quinoa, pasta, etc.), vegetables, fruit, tofu, and beans, you won't see an increase in your food spending. It is also smart to buy items like grains in bulk. My husband often jokes that we save money because we don't eat out as often either.
"Cavemen ate meat. Aren't we supposed to?"
I wasn't aware that we were using what ancient humans did as a moral compass, so this is a strange one to me. Humans no longer need to eat animal products to survive (ask any vegan, I'm surviving just fine!). If you live in a developed country, it's no longer necessary to eat animal products. And shouldn't we want to progress as a society instead of relying on what our ancestors did anyways?
"Do you eat honey?" or "What's wrong with honey?"
To answer the first question, no I don't. To answer the second, the point of veganism is to not use animals to our benefit. The honey industry is exploitative. And there are other sweeteners that work other than honey (such as maple syrup).
"We don't kill animals for milk and eggs, so why is it wrong?"
Yes, actually animals are killed in these industries and until they're killed, they're kept in small cages or shoved in a small area with a bunch of other animals. Every animal in these industries will eventually go to the slaughterhouse. Once a dairy cow can no longer produce milk or a hen can no longer lay eggs at the rate demanded, they will go to the slaughterhouse.
"But what if you're trapped on an island?!"
Never going to happen, next.
"Isn't it unhealthy to be vegan?"
To be honest, this one baffles me because I always thought of veganism as the opposite. Can you be an unhealthy vegan? Of course. You could eat vegan junk food (like Oreos) and not get the nutrients you need through fruits and veggies. A vegan diet is like any other diet. It takes planning to be healthy. You can check out VeganHealth and ChooseVeg for more information about a healthy vegan diet.
"But what about free range eggs and grass fed meat?"
No matter how the animal is raised, it will end in the slaughterhouse. I honestly don't care how "well" you treat animals if it means you're just going to kill them in the end. And this also goes against the point of not wanting to use animals to our benefit. I don't see their eggs as something that is mine to take.
"Isn't it hard to go vegan?"
For me, no. Once I understood that it was morally wrong and was affecting our environment and health, I no longer wanted it. To me, it's not something that I want to eat and it's easy to find an alternative. To some people I imagine it is harder because it is something you're not used to. If you hold yourself to a high standard, you're going to fall. This is why I think some people need to go vegan slowly, so it's not a huge transition. The main thing here is education. If you have the education behind why you're going vegan, it becomes a lot easier. I always recommend the documentaries Cowspiracy and Forks Over Knives to anyone that is interested- plus these can both be found on Netflix.
If you're vegan, do often get asked these questions? If you're not vegan, what other questions would you want to ask?
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