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Greenboy
Mar 15th, 2007, 03:49 PM
Recently i have really started panicing about everything i eat, I really would hate to eat something i shouldnt. Its really getting to the point of being overly obsessive. Even by scouring the ingredients list, worrying about not knowing what some of the items listed are, and therfor eating something inadvertently. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH !!

Its even got to the point where i dont look forward to eating out.
I just dont trust the establishments to care enough whether what they prepare is suitable for vegans or not.

I was reading the tattoo thread yesterday and didnt realise even that isnt animal friendly, is nothing safe ??

At the moment i just dont know which way to turn.

I think joining this forum has given me too much info.

But i will persevere, one day at a time.

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP !!!

xwitchymagicx
Mar 15th, 2007, 03:54 PM
Eventually you'll know what the things on the ingredients lists are...it just takes time to learn everything...

I've been vegan for over a year, and it is still hard sometimes!

With eating out...it is probably best to just go to vegan places, they shouldn't have egg or anything on site anyway.

I don't think anything is safe no...what happens when you live in a society, where everything is mostly from animals.

Cherry
Mar 15th, 2007, 03:55 PM
Don't worry Greenboy, your feelings are perfectly normal ;) :D

You'll soon get used to spotting the rogue ingredients and knowing which products are definitely ok, and you're probably right to be suspicious of various non-veggie establishments.

Just carry on as normal. It'll all be fine :)

Marrers
Mar 15th, 2007, 04:02 PM
I went through a quite obsessive patch after several years of veganism and I found it helped to just remember why you are vegan and what being vegan means to you - to me it means avoiding as far as possible and doing our best.

If you have done your best to be 99% certain something is vegan surely that is enough? I think 99.999% or 100% makes it hard to live in the world and I prefer to inspire others by showing veganism is possible without making your life a misery!

twinkle
Mar 15th, 2007, 04:17 PM
I agree with Marrers. You didn't make this decision to give yourself a hard time, you did it for the animals, and you won't help them by giving yourself a nervous breakdown :)

It definitely becomes easier over time, as you will have already scanned the ingredients of most of the products you're likely to want to eat, and when looking at new things anything not suitable starts sort of jumping out at you from the ingredients list.

If you're anything like me, you will build up a list of places you know you are able to find something to eat, either locally or from a list of chains, and become more confident in asking questions at new places. It will probably help if you make a list of some places you are likely to want to go to and either do some research on the web about them, write to the manager/head chef or give them a quick phone call to find out what they can provide. It sounds like a faff, but once it's done you know where you stand and can confidently suggest places to eat out if a group of your friends want to go somewhere on the spur of the moment.

Don't forget there are already great resources from websites like happycow for suggesting veg*n cafes and restaurants, as well as the fact that many towns/areas have thriving veg*n groups who will often have lists of places to eat.

Greenboy
Mar 15th, 2007, 04:23 PM
Thanks folks, just somedays it feels like everything is against you.

I have been vegan nearly two years now, but at times it seems like everything you buy is contaminated with by products.

I know, like you say, if you do your best 99% of the time, there isnt much more you can do.

:( :(

twinkle
Mar 15th, 2007, 04:37 PM
Oh, whoops, I didn't realise you'd been vegan as long as that, I probably sounded really patronising.

I know what you mean about the contamination issue, some days it seems like everything you look at seems fine until the bottom ingredient of whey powder or lactose or shellac or something.

On the plus side, there are a lot more products that are suitable (and marked as such!) than there were ten years ago, we're really very lucky in this country (though more is always better). I think I get a much more varied diet than the people I work with, they always seem to have exactly the same thing from the takeaway while I've got my packed lunch with about 10 different things in it :)

sandra
Mar 15th, 2007, 04:41 PM
I know what you mean Greenboy, I stood in Holland and Barratts the other day for ages reading the ingredients in toothpaste!!..............I am getting a bit paranoid! I just wish they would label food etc as being suitable for vegans the way they do for vegetarians.

Greenboy
Mar 15th, 2007, 05:01 PM
I know what you mean Greenboy, I stood in Holland and Barratts the other day for ages reading the ingredients in toothpaste!!..............I am getting a bit paranoid! I just wish they would label food etc as being suitable for vegans the way they do for vegetarians.

Yes, thats my point, that kind of labelling would be fantastic, when something is labelled vegan its great. But them pesky E numbers and non listed items like in soft drinks really cheese me off. Its like some unwriten rules from somewhere that everybody else knows and i dont.

I would hate to come across as being hypocritical to meat eaters, just because they knew something wasnt vegan that i thought was, as it was mostly hypocrisy that turned me vegan in the first place.

Why cant the manufacturers just give us a simple labelling like the new fat content listings.

Just a big massive green Vegan symbol on it would be superb.

Lizzie
Mar 15th, 2007, 05:04 PM
Dont worry Greenboy, it does get easier with time :)

I find the co-op are really good for vegan labelling, just wish there was more choice sometimes :rolleyes:

Greenboy
Mar 15th, 2007, 05:05 PM
Dont worry Greenboy, it does get easier with time :)

I find the co-op are really good for vegan labelling, just wish there was more choice sometimes :rolleyes:


I like the co-op for their labelling, but we havent got a decent one near us. :( :(

RedWellies
Mar 15th, 2007, 07:34 PM
Don't panic, Greenboy. I agree that sometimes it can seem a bit overwhelming. I don't often shop in supermarkets but the other day I stood in one, looked around and thought "my god!! So much stuff I don't even want to look at let alone eat!". However, once I was out of there I felt OK again.

Just keep on doing what you're doing. Things are getting easier for us vegans. When I went veggie about 19 years ago, hardly anything was labelled and eating out was a nightmare... now it's easier for veggies so I'm sure veganism will follow suit.:)

If I get lost in a list of ingredients, I just don't buy it (unless I've checked with the manufacturers).

sandra
Mar 15th, 2007, 08:57 PM
I really think the labelling on all food should be made easier to follow. Instead of giving things long names and numbers they should just state what they are and where they are from.

nervine
Mar 15th, 2007, 09:02 PM
One thing you can do is lower the amount of foods that you buy that come from factories. Buy more whole foods. They're healthier anyway and you'll support less corporation$ ;)

Greenboy
Mar 16th, 2007, 10:47 AM
One thing you can do is lower the amount of foods that you buy that come from factories. Buy more whole foods. They're healthier anyway and you'll support less corporation$ ;)

Got to admit i am doing this more and more, if, like red said, the list is too long, i done buy it, when i first went vegan was very concerned with supporting the many unethical corporations, but items are made by so many corporations under so many guises it was impossible to keep tracks. Just look for the ones that i know are ethical now and just dispensed of the others that i know trade in cruelty. But it is such a minefield.

herbwormwood
Mar 16th, 2007, 10:53 AM
Learn to cook with whole foods, there are no ingredients lists on basic ingredients.

xwitchymagicx
Mar 16th, 2007, 11:08 AM
Mostly if I see a product with a long list of ingredients, with long words I just don't eat it. I think you should be able to understand and pronounce what your eating. :rolleyes:

Pisces
Mar 16th, 2007, 11:53 AM
Eventually you'll know what the things on the ingredients lists are...it just takes time to learn everything...


With eating out...it is probably best to just go to vegan places, they shouldn't have egg or anything on site anyway.

I agree with both of Sarah's points. I don't/won't eat out (never here anyway), since I can always make something I want for myself, which I do every day---I love being self-sufficient. Whether it be scanning ingredients of a food item at a shop, or looking at a restaurant (which is rare, since I might be willing to go "occasionally" to a vegan restaurant--none are near my current location, though in the UK it would be another story, of course)----anyhow, I always go by my motto, "When in doubt or question, don't bother.". By that, I mean if you see something (an ingredient) that you are unsure of, don't buy the item until you find out if the ingredient is vegan.

Another perk about not eating out/eating out less is that it can save you some money.

eco
Mar 16th, 2007, 12:49 PM
I went through a quite obsessive patch after several years of veganism and I found it helped to just remember why you are vegan and what being vegan means to you - to me it means avoiding as far as possible and doing our best.
Absolutely. We can only ever do our best.

When you first become vegan it can be quite overwhelming and reading lists of ingredients and being wary of what you eat out can become a full time occupation. What is important to remember is mistakes will be made and you shouldn't feel bad about making them, just learn from them.

When I first became vegan there wasn't much info around and it was all trial and error for me and I made lots of errors. Nowadays there is so much more info and help available, but mistakes will still be made, we're only human :) Just take it one step at a time Greenboy and try not to be overwhelmed by it all (I do know what you mean about too much information, sometimes it can hinder rather than help). There are plenty of people here willing to listen and give advice when asked for :)

Greenboy
Mar 16th, 2007, 01:02 PM
Absolutely. We can only ever do our best.

When you first become vegan it can be quite overwhelming and reading lists of ingredients and being wary of what you eat out can become a full time occupation. What is important to remember is mistakes will be made and you shouldn't feel bad about making them, just learn from them.

When I first became vegan there wasn't much info around and it was all trial and error for me and I made lots of errors. Nowadays there is so much more info and help available, but mistakes will still be made, we're only human :) Just take it one step at a time Greenboy and try not to be overwhelmed by it all (I do know what you mean about too much information, sometimes it can hinder rather than help). There are plenty of people here willing to listen and give advice when asked for :)


Thanks Eco (and everybody) You are a darling X

fiamma
Mar 17th, 2007, 05:04 PM
Learn to cook with whole foods, there are no ingredients lists on basic ingredients.

Couldn't agree more :)