Why Vegan?

[creativevegan]

Hey guys. Hoping someone or many someones wouldn't mind helping me out a bit for a paper I'm writing.

I want to know why people choose a vegan lifestyle, and if the new processed vegan foods are viewed favorably within the community.

Thanks!

[xhanyb]

Okay this is a weird story and I don't know if it will help you with your paper but I wife swap played an huge part in me becoming a vegan. There was a wife on there who said she was vegan because baby cows are ripped away from their mothers for milk production. I don't know why I hadn't even thought about this before. They are impregnated over and over and their male children are killed for veal. What a miserable life! I was already seriously thinking about becoming a vegetarian because of things I've seen on video about slaughterhouses. Besides that every time I would bite into meat and get a piece of cartilage I would cringe. Honestly just hearing about what happens with dairy production pushed me over the edge. I dropped meat and dairy that day and haven't touched it since. You should research slaughterhouse and dairy production practices. That would be a good direction for your paper. A lot of people are unaware or simply never thought about such things in depth.

[behindblueeyes]

Strictly ethical reasons for me as well. I love animals and believe they are not for human use, abuse, etc..

I know processed foods aren't great for you, but anything vegan is good in my mind. It means a step in the right direction, that direction being more vegan products that are more widely available.

[xhanyb]

Yeah I was lost when I first went vegan. Especially because I decided to that day. So no preparation time. I made a lot of vegetable soup and hummus. The culinary possibilities are amazing!! I loved to cook before but I LOVE to cook now! I sleep better and I feel better. I don't crave meat or cheese anymore.=D

[vintagenarcissa]

I'm newly vegan. And I personally have chose to become vegan because I find it hard to adhere to a healthy diet and lifestyle while eating animal products. I feel like somewhere down inside I've always known and felt that even trying to diet or be healthy while still eating meat was counterproductive. I've never been able to stick to a "healthy" eating plan while eating meat. I'd always be plagued with withdrawal symptoms and cravings and give into them very quickly. But so far, I have had no negative affect or cravings. In fact what I've been craving is vegetables.

I'm into some of the proceeded vegan foods. I really like Boca chik'n patties. But in the coming months I plan on doing a lot of research and experimenting with recipes. I've already found a bunch of recipes on this forum that I want to try. I'm very excited to explore all I can about being vegan.

[xhanyb]

I'm newly vegan also. I've lost eight pounds so far.

[harpy]

This search of the forum may help you, creativevegan

http://www.veganforum.com/forums/search.php?searchid=4045038

Not sure what you mean by "the new processed foods" but there are a lot of discusssions here about fake meat if you look - such as this current one: http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25148.

[kokopelli]

If everyone saw what dairy farms are actually like, i.e despondently captive cows that can often barely walk, with their hooves falling off, covered in shit, with vastly distended udders and snot pouring from their noses; rather than the myth propagated by the industry of happy cows contentedly chewing the cud in flowery meadows, there'd be a lot more vegans around. I see the sad spectacle of a dairy herd entering and leaving the milking parlour on a regular basis and it's definitely true that dairy farming involves more sustained, drawn out and unthinking cruelty than beef farming, so lacto-vegetarians who assume milk is OK should think again.

I think fake meat etc is OK, if you like that kind of thing, why not?
But it's a lot more expensive and not as nourishing or tasty as fresh home made food.

[firstandthen]

I became a vegan, whilst I was vegetarian, because I felt uncomfortable with knowing that animals were being hurt and used for my benefit. I did not feel happy being a part of animal mistreatment and the use of animals for humans when I believe it to be unnecessary.

There was another side reason that I became vegan - I was struggling intensely with my ED and I decided that a diet that didn't hurt any other beings in the world certainly wouldn't hurt me. And as a side note, I have recovered far more from my eating disorder since being a vegan.

[Korn]

Click here -> Why vegan (http://www.veganforum.com/forums/tags.php?tag=why+vegan)

[IbanezGuitar5]

I've choice it bc i feel stronger, Healthier, i will like i can live again. I eat Raw as well.

[Icen]

Been a vegetarian for 9+ years and became a vegan a few months ago.

Dude, I just love animals. I have been hated throughout my school my whole entire life for loving animals as much as I do. School was hell for me because I always drew animals and "animal people" and kept to my close friends and my animals.

I just. I love animals. That's it. Yes, I care about health and the environment and other people but the main reason is animals.

Truth be told, I'd probably save my rats over strange humans I didn't know.

[patientia]

Why vegan? Because I can. There's no shortage of vegan products, so I don't have to use animal products.

[powerlifer]

For me it was mainly down to health, going vegan helped me eliminate various food allergens such as dairy, egg and so on. Whilst getting rid of meat which i was finding it hard to digest also.

So because i cook recipes fresh i can get rid of wheat and gluten also and am feeling much healthier for it.

[Tishy]

Been a vegetarian for 9+ years and became a vegan a few months ago.

Dude, I just love animals. I have been hated throughout my school my whole entire life for loving animals as much as I do. School was hell for me because I always drew animals and "animal people" and kept to my close friends and my animals.

I just. I love animals. That's it. Yes, I care about health and the environment and other people but the main reason is animals.

Truth be told, I'd probably save my rats over strange humans I didn't know.

I feel exactly the same!! Whenever I meet a person at their house, I'm straight away best friends with their animals. I know people's dogs better then I know them! I'm so much happier cuddling and playing with an animal then I am talking to someone! You know that silly game you play with people where if two people are drowning and you could only save one who would you save? I played that with my boyfriend, saying out of me and my dog, who would you save? And he said "I know you would want me to save your dog...So I would save the dog". And that's exactly right!!! I love animals :D

[CurrantCottage]

I was just sat in the school car park chatting to my children's teacher as a truck came past with a load of cows on board - the teacher pulled a face and sad "poor things and on such a hot afternoon too" and I agreed but then said without thinking "I'm so glad I dont eat meat or dairy and can say that with a clear conscience"! I then felt really bad as she looked so upset - which is silly as its right to say that kind of thing, I'm just not normally an outspoken person where any of my beliefs are concerned and I surprised myself! CurrantCottage

[RubyDuby]

respect for life.

[Tishy]

I was just sat in the school car park chatting to my children's teacher as a truck came past with a load of cows on board - the teacher pulled a face and sad "poor things and on such a hot afternoon too" and I agreed but then said without thinking "I'm so glad I dont eat meat or dairy and can say that with a clear conscience"! I then felt really bad as she looked so upset - which is silly as its right to say that kind of thing, I'm just not normally an outspoken person where any of my beliefs are concerned and I surprised myself! CurrantCottage

Don't feel bad, if anyone said that to me when I ate animal products, I would feel upset but it would also be a real eye opener. Sometimes when I'm in those situations I wish I could say something like that to show people how contradictory they are being. It's upsetting that vegans always have to hold back what we want to say in fear of upsetting people or getting labelled "preachy". I say good for you!

[CurrantCottage]

Don't feel bad, if anyone said that to me when I ate animal products, I would feel upset but it would also be a real eye opener. Sometimes when I'm in those situations I wish I could say something like that to show people how contradictory they are being. It's upsetting that vegans always have to hold back what we want to say in fear of upsetting people or getting labelled "preachy". I say good for you!

Thanks Tishy - not only am I a vegan but a christian too so I find it generally impossible to share beliefs as people get offended when its the last thing I intended ...if that makes sense LOL ! CurrantCottage

[pat sommer]

been doing it so long I feel like folks better give me their excuses for not being vegan... 'the judges will accept ignorance as the correct answer'

As for the meat analogs: great that I can pass them off to the tofu-phobes! Feeding omnis made easy, hallelujah

[veggienad]

I've always been moderately health conscious and try to watch what I put into my body (been vegetarian for about 7 years), but recently found myself making extremely poor diet choices. Being a university student at the mercy of countless deadlines and exams I was basically living off of vending machine junk and an obscene amount of dairy products for a good two months. Now, I've always had a pretty crappy immune system, and even though I had my tonsils removed last summer, I found myself getting sinus infections and colds week in week out. After doing some research online, I began discovering the truth about dairy and was shocked and disgusted. I immediately cut all dairy out of my diet and found myself feeling better within days (In retrospect, all the processed sugar probably didn't help things much).
I then gravitated towards going completely vegan and picked up a copy of Skinny Bitch - which I have to say changed my life.

So to answer the question, why vegan?
Because my body is a temple, and I refuse to pollute it with hormone-filled, anti-biotic enriched, steroid-laden animal products. Especially not when said products are being sold to me at the expense of precious souls. I've always loved animals, but being from a culture where all meat is obtained the "halal" way, never imagined the amount of animal cruelty practised in slaughterhouses accross the world.

[nadejda]

Because my body is a temple, and I refuse to pollute it with hormone-filled, anti-biotic enriched, steroid-laden animal products. Especially not when said products are being sold to me at the expense of precious souls. I've always loved animals, but being from a culture where all meat is obtained the "halal" way, never imagined the amount of animal cruelty practised in slaughterhouses accross the world.

I could'nt say it better! It is exactly the same with me! I was a veggie for 10+ years when I've found myslef avoiding the dairy and eggs the last year. I just was not able to eat them any longer. I'd never found the milk tasty anywat so it was not a problem to cut off with. Now I am vegan for couple of weeks already and I am feeling so good!

Happy to meet so many nice people here :)

[colleengirl95]

I think i became a vegan because i feel much healthier, i personally chose to be a vegan because i love animals. I think my mom and dad raised me close to animals. Ever since i was 1 year old we already had pets.