Occasional slips and ongoing food cravings

[thecatspajamas1]

I remember reading somewhere (maybe on the forum) that there is something addictive in cheese. Not as addictive as nicotine, but still addictive to some people. The only nonvegan thing I ever crave is cheesy things- so I use vegan cheese. Follow Your Heart and Tofutti are 2 really yummy brands of vegan cheese that I like.

[tsunami]

Milk has opiopeptides, which are there to make the calf come back and eat/drink from it's mom. It's supposed to make the food somewhat addictive so the calf can survive. That's why dairy can be so addictive for some people. It's there for the baby, but now others are drinking it...

Wheat and oats are some of the foods that also contain some.

[thecatspajamas1]

Milk has opiopeptides, which are there to make the calf come back and eat/drink from it's mom. It's supposed to make the food somewhat addictive so the calf can survive. That's why dairy can be so addictive for some people. It's there for the baby, but now others are drinking it...

Wheat and oats are some of the foods that also contain some.

That's so interesting! I'm going to look up more info about that.

Cheese packages should have to have stickers that say "Danger: addictive chemicals" (as well as a couple other health warnings!)

[sandra]

Maybe I've just been lucky but I've never craved anything, infact even the smell of cheese and butter makes me feel sick now.

[nickn505]

Wow nmvegan, so there are vegetarians around here. Granted El Paso and Las Cruces (where I spend most of my time) are little far from Albuquerque but it's nice to see other people around here are vegan. I just converted a few weeks ago.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've had some cravings for dairy but I ignore them and reach for some fruit. That usually takes care of it.

[Dart]

When I have cravings, I start looking for what my body is trying to tell me. Is it the calcium that I need? or the protein? or even the vitamin D and K that is added? I then try to eat the foods that contain these nutrients. I've only been vegan for three years and last month I craved cheese. For texture I ate the vegan soy cheese and then broccoli for the calcium. It took a week of eating specific foods rich in these nutrients for the craving to stop. My body wanted whatever it wanted NOW, but my brain told it to wait while it figured out what the body was saying.
How compassionate you are to be aware of the suffering that is going on when you choose certain foods. As a vegetarian you would not think about eating cheese as suffering, but you are now aware as a vegan. It is a journey of awareness, and it is full of interesting turns and loops as we learn. I have yet to have a straight path forward!

[Tigerlily]

Sometimes I think cheese cravings can be fat cravings. I eat some avocado and it really helps.

[Dreamer]

*DISCLAIMER* I am no expert. The ideas and suggestions forthcoming are only ideas and suggestions. Please do not take them seriously as I have no solid proof.

Thank you.


I heard that there is a part in the brain that acts as a 'food memory.' When you eat food it stores characteristics such as: olfactory, texture, taste, and appearance...

Seven years ago i read the book 'Sugar Busters' and a book on the Glycemic Index. After reading these books I made the decision to cancel sugar and highly refined foods from my diet. It took about 2-3 months to rid myself of the sugar and highly processed food (and foods eaten alone with a high glycemic index) cravings.

I then eliminated almost all processed foods such as spagetti, bread, noodles, peanut butter, and ALL drinks (since IMO its more healthy to just eat an orange then drink the juice anyways)... and replaced them with more un-refined foods like: pot barley, oats, peanuts, oatbran (which is refined but still an excellent food IMO), legumes, seeds, and unaltered vegetables.

And after seven years of refining my eating patterns I now DO NOT CRAVE ANYTHING! I eat plain foods with very little or no salt. Often the foods I eat are raw.

Such as:

bkfast,
Raw oatmeal with flax oil and frozen vegetables

lunch,
Lentils with hemp oil and vegetables

dinner
Raw oatbran with peanuts

The oatmeal and lentils make a complete protein, as do the oatbran and peanuts. The foods are extremely simple and easy to prepare. and most of all:

I've had numerous tests done by an eating disorder clinic and ALL were normal. bmi 20. my RHR is under 50bpm. total cholestoral is 110, with LDL/HDL a 1:1 ratio. and my b12 and iron are perfect, and i have a very high energy level.

I think a person can live without many of the additives they put in food to make it taste better; salt, pepper, sauce, aspertame, spices... And I think that these additives can sometimes cause cravings that contribute to eating more and inturn weight gain. I think that additive cravings also cause many to listen to the 'cravings' as opposed to their bodies natural rythem and needs.

but this is just my body and how i feel about it. you may not be the same as me. and my ideas are only ideas.

[Haniska]

Lettuce has opiates too. Hehehe. When I was a young thing we used to boil up some "St. Patty's Day Smack" so named for the green color.
I read that the opiates help the calves sleep and therefore grow also. I figured it might have to do with the amount of greens the cows eat, but then factory farmed cows wouldn't have it? I guess that it is within the cow.

[bex123]

Hi there,
Ive been a vegetarian for the past 19 years, but recently i have decided to become a vegan. The main problem is i love all food stuffs with cheese in (vegetarian of course!!!) and am worried that i will give in!!! Can anyone suggest any tips on how to slowly change my diet, or am i best just changing my diet straight away!!! Any help would be great!!! Thankyou!!!

[sandra]

Hi bex123, anytime you feel you want to eat cheese just think of the lives of the dairy cows and their calves, that should put you off. Through time any 'cravings' will fade and hopefully even the smell of cheese and butter will become distasteful to you, I know it has for me. I wish you all the best and I'm sure you'll get lots of advice from others on the forum!

[yasha]

blah I crave cheese a little bit sometimes (but I have only been vegan for a month.) I hope it stops.

[Korn]

Hi, I just made a new thread out of the last posts in this thread. It's here:


The weaning off cheese/dairy support-thread

[JessicaBunneh]

Hm, I'm new around here but after reading the first 4 or 5 pages of this thread it seems a bit... turbulent around here. I was hoping to find support on these forums but there seems to be a lot of people who expect everyone to be perfect vegans :S

[Michael Benis]

Hi Jessica.

Don't let it worry you. Vegans are just like anyone else.

You find angry people everywhere, including people who believe that because their convictions are strong they are perfectly entitled to express them aggressively.

And of course you find people who are sympathetic and supportive.

Cheers

Mike

[littlemiss]

Hi Jessica. I've been vegan for 2 years and this thread even scared me! Generally I have found this board very supportive. Like Mike said, you get passionate people everywhere. Its good to have a motivation for being vegan, but its a personal thing. Browse some other threads and hopefully you'll find some happier friendly people to keep you going! Dont stress about everything, especially if you are new to veganism, and hopefully this is the right place for you to get there!

[Hemlock]

This thread is NOTHING compared to the pagan forum - those guys are WANKERS who jump down your throat every single time you dare to voice an opinion so much so I became irate earlier and asked Corum to take it off the favourites bar as I'm not willing to be insulted just for breathing anymore.
All you people are fantastic even when cross with each other

[cobweb]

yes, Hemlock, i used to be a member of a pagan forum and it was horrible!

[RedWellies]

Hm, I'm new around here but after reading the first 4 or 5 pages of this thread it seems a bit... turbulent around here.

Maybe read some of the other threads? There are lots of helpful and supportive people on this forum..browse around and you'll soon see! Welcome to the forum, by the way.

[zeakez]

Honey is not vegan, no matter how humane the bees are treated. Honey is an animal product, and a disgusting one at that being that it is bee vomit. I've always looked at it like this, I would not eat a dog's vomit, or any other animal's vomit; why in the world would I consume bee vomit?

There are raw foodists who are not vegan and consume raw animals and raw animal secretions/vomit.

Gross! I did not know that it was vomit! I do not eat honey anymore (went along with the step to vegan, from veggie), but now I know that I will never have to worry it'll be a craving.

[zeakez]

Argument for not eating it?

Do you want me to respond or just leave it at the "bee vomit" comment?

If you want a response, here goes:
a. Bees produce honey for a reason. They use this honey for their own purposes. Humans have no right to steal it from them, the same as we have no right to take cow milk from a mother cow's calf.
b. Agave nectar is widely available and is animal-product-free.
c. Plant-based diets are most natural and least destructive.
d. When one commits to a plant-based diet, it shouldn't be based on certain restrictions and limitations, such as "Oh, this honey is okay because my friend obtained it himself." You either abstain from it completely or not. Why all of the sudden eat something that isn't necessary for survival?

Yay! Right on!

(I love being a vegan! I wish I had done it SO long ago)

[zeakez]

I didn't realise maple syrup wasn't vegan, but as I only use Agave I suppose I have never bothered checking

Okay, this may be SO ignorant, but how is maple syrup not vegan? Because it comes from a tree, and trees are alive??

Oh boy, I feel like such a dumb piece of turd....

[zeakez]

Maple syrup is dreamy and vegan but it is not "raw". So, the cookbook isn't 100% vegan because it has honey and isn't 100% raw because it has maple syrup

Thank you for clearing this up. Now I don't feel so stupid..

[zeakez]

I love maple syrup! Especially on vegan waffles

I never used to like it, but bought a bottle recently to do away with the imitation stuff loaded with chemicals and sugar. I noticed that the real maple syrup tastes a bit like liquor (sp?). Is this right? Is it supposed to taste like this, or do I just have a crummy bottle of syrup?

[enderbean]

Read the How do you feel today thread, back a few days/a week or so. I was craving freedom (and dairy) so badly, that I did it. I think it was an important thing for me to do. It was this experience that made me re-think giving myself a label. The label means following rules - and rules are made to be broken. I realised that I just wanted to be me - being me gives me the choice of how I want to live my life, whereas being a vegan commits me to never eating animal products. This makes the food more mysterious and tempting. Now that I am "allowed" to have them in my mind, I find it less appealing. And if you really want to have them, it isn't a crime. Nobody is perfect and as long as you do, to the best of your ability (and that is different for everybody) to reduce the suffering of animals

(I know this was posted two and a half years ago but I'm sure this comes up in people's minds so I'm voicing my opinion.)

The label of "vegan" is something that comes with the way you choose to live your life. It is not something you apply to yourself and follow strictly. It is not a group with a strict set of rules or an exclusive society that accepts applications. It is a title given to people who follow a certain lifestyle by their own accord. If you feel that you cannot go on without having an egg produced from a chicken (or another animal product) then, frankly, you are not vegan. You are very close but your are not 100% vegan. You may still call yourself vegetarian, but vegetarianism and veganism are two different things.

My roommate is vegetarian and I am vegan. I see her eat eggs and I cannot understand why she sees that as OK. I am against the use of animals for human consumption. As such, I refuse to consume anything that was derived from animals. This bestows upon me (whether I choose/like it or not) the title of 'eating vegan.' It is not my choice to have this title, nor is it anyone else's. However the word is in our vocabulary and it definitively describes the way other people on this forum and I live our lives.

If you can find it within yourself to not eat/use animal products ever again then you happen to fall into the category of a "vegan" lifestyle. You can call yourself whatever you want. But this forum is solely for people who are vegan. We see the unnatural human consumption and use of animals as something that is wrong, and we refuse to participate in it. Therefore we fall into the category that humans have created called "vegan," and you do (or 'did' if you have changed since then) not.

It does sound harsh, and I thought so when I read the first comments after I switched. But after finding in myself that every time I see a product that is derived from animals and being deterred from purchasing such item for that exact reason, I now see from where this argument spawns.

[3inthecity]

I don't understand the term or act of "slipping up" WTF is that anyways? Everything you do is a choice. Everything I eat and put into my body is about my own personal ethics, and about my health. You are slipping up because you fail to really see that animals and their products are NOT for you, or for humans for that matter. A true vegan does not even recognize meat or animal products as food at all. I mean I see it, and it registers in my brain on par with paint chips or dirt... I'd never eat it. You must feel like you are missing out on something because you are not eating meat or dairy (In my opinion, being vegan means missing out on all of the nasty bacteria, feces, growth hormones, pus, and pharmaceuticals that is in the meat and dairy products. Call me crazy, but I don't feel like I am missing anything other than a whole mess of health and weight problems!) Really sit down and educate yourself on what you are putting into your body.

[flying plum]

3inthecity - i think you are being incredibly patronising in that post. so you are able to have this reaction. i, personally, am not really physically repulsed by dairy or eggs. i choose not to eat them, because i do not ethically agree with them, not because i feel sick at the sight of them. the smell of meat doesn't erally bother me, although things like meat fat if i do the washing up at my mum's does gross me out and i don't like to touch it or immerse my hands in it. *shiver*.

however, so far as cravings go...everyone gets cravings for things, and often they are things we know they are bad for us. be it the smoker who has given up, but still has that need for a cigarette (and that desire does not have to be addiction, it can be a psychological comfort thing), or the vegan who has given up dairy products.

yes, we can know its wrong and disagree with where it comes from, and yet our liking of it does not necessarily go away. it is not that simple for some people, especially if you are a recent vegan after many, many years of omni eating.

personally, i get weird cravings sometimes (for instance, fish and chips), which i choose not to act on, but which i think probably come into my head because of the association they have for me. i think this is why there is such a market in meat replicas...sometimes the only thing that is going to do it for me is sausage and mash, because i link that as comfort food in my head because of my childhood. therefore, i use a vegan facsimile of an existing meat product.

for some people, those psychological impulses, or the feeling of depriving themselves, or simply feeling left out, an outsider or that life is just difficult becomes too strong to bear. you are clearly very principled and strong in your beliefs. that doesn't mean you should be so cruel to those who do not have the same willpower. you should instead provide them with encouragement and help them do what they truly know to be right. to borrow a religious phrase 'hate the sin, love the sinner'.

so far as giving in because everything feels so hard, i am in croatia at the moment, where veganism is fairly uncommon, and in my first few weeks i really started to think about going back to lacto-ovo, because i was finding veganism very excluding, in a country where i already didnt' know anyone. however, i have found that since telling people what i do and do not eat, people ahve been genuinely interested and being the beacon for veganism here has strengthened my belief. however, i can easily see how i could ahve gone the other way if reactions had been different and i would not condemn anyone for acting similarly, but rather try to encourage them to turn the situation around as i was able to.

anyway...just my thoughts.

amanda

[fiamma]

Great post amanda I agree completely.

[BlackCats]

I also agree with what you said Flying Plum. Some people are vegan for ethical reasons but that might not make the cravings any lesser, especially with foods that evoke childhood memories as well I think.

personally, i get weird cravings sometimes (for instance, fish and chips), which i choose not to act on,

I have had some weird food cravings lately, last night it was Ski yoghurt and the other day it was roast chicken and Heinz tomato soup. I don't think the soya yoghurts taste anything like the "real" ones.

[flying plum]

thanks fiamma and BlackCats. i do my best seriously though, i think we have to be careful not to take a holier-than-thou approach. it doesn't make veganism or vegans seem appealling and doesn't do anything to help vegans who are struggling...

amanda

[piggy]

I don't think the soya yoghurts taste anything like the "real" ones.

same here
i like soya fruit yoghurts, but i was never keen on those, just liked the plain yoghurt...adn unfortunately the soya version tastes very different (at least the ones i've tried)

[veggiemaya]

i definitely agree with you, flying plum. i have read posts from time to time on here from people that really don't seem all that understanding about how tough it can be for some people to go vegan.


for me..i really never liked eating meat, so that wasn't ever difficult for me to give up. but dairy was a little tough. i will tell you that every time i see a new delicious flavor of non dairy creamer (which is obviously not non dairy) i think, 'wow..i bet that would be a great cup of coffee'. i will of course grab the silk creamer sitting next to it on the shelf because that is the vegan choice..but that moment of desire is still very real.


i think it is unfair and honestly a bit arrogant to reprimand someone just because they have a more difficult time with something than you do. in fact, i tend to find it much more commendable for someone to pass on something that they have an overwhelming desire for..strictly because they are sticking to their morals.

[Roxy]

I really like your post too, Amanda

[sugarmouse]

The coffee creame thing gets me too.I have bought coffee creamer with traces of milk powder inbefore. I wouldnt now,but at the time my reasoning was it would cost me sooo much more to order from veganstore and take so much time
Cottage cheese is my downfall..I beleive it or not do like the stuff and havent managed to create a good vegan version.But I havent ever eaten it since becoming vegan.. I just do crave it.

[veggiemaya]

Cottage cheese is my downfall..I beleive it or not do like the stuff..

that's not hard to believe.. i used to love to have that with fresh fruit in it for breakfast. we all have something that is just tough to give up!

[hullabaloo]

I've been vegan for 10 months and never had a problem with cravings until the last month. They were getting worse and worse until yesterday I stupidly gave in and ate a bar of chocolate and some cheese. The cheese almost made me sick, I thought it was so disgusting and I got no satisfaction what-so-ever out of the chocolate. And it made me feel so guilty afterwards. Add to that, I am most certainly intolerant to dairy (I had a feeling I was, but couldn't be sure until I re-added it back into my diet) and I feel ill today. I am choked up and feel awful. And my allergies are also a million times worse. I don't think I will be getting cravings anymore! It just made me realise how great being vegan is- for my health as well as my conscience. I'm just annoyed with myself that I was willing to forget that for my own selfish reasons. At least now I know that I do not miss the foods my mind was making me think I do.

[flying plum]

hullabaloo - don't be annoyed with yourself. look at it as a good experience - you now realise with more strength your own beliefs and know with even more conviction that you are doing them for worthwhile reasons. how can that be a bad thing?

[horselesspaul]

I've been vegan for 10 months and never had a problem with cravings until the last month. They were getting worse and worse until yesterday I stupidly gave in and ate a bar of chocolate and some cheese. The cheese almost made me sick, I thought it was so disgusting and I got no satisfaction what-so-ever out of the chocolate. And it made me feel so guilty afterwards. Add to that, I am most certainly intolerant to dairy (I had a feeling I was, but couldn't be sure until I re-added it back into my diet) and I feel ill today. I am choked up and feel awful. And my allergies are also a million times worse. I don't think I will be getting cravings anymore! It just made me realise how great being vegan is- for my health as well as my conscience. I'm just annoyed with myself that I was willing to forget that for my own selfish reasons. At least now I know that I do not miss the foods my mind was making me think I do.

Don't feel bad. You've just discovered that it's not food. Congratulations.
x

[happy]

I did that when giving up meat,just ate/picked around instead of refusing as I should have done! I was kind of new and lost though;especially since it was a total departure from everything I had grown up with,I think that's what it is for many.Two people I've spoken to gave up,one I met on holiday,brought up vegetarian and was there eating all sorts of meat,I maybe should have asked why,she is in her 70s/80s now so may not change.Another is a friend of the family.She gave up being vegan a few years ago,I forget how many,because of the expense! She is in her 30s and works though,so I don't why she said that.

[Daffodil]

I went for a meal last night with a load of Omnis and they all ordered cod in batter and I my mouth was seriously watering (while i was eating my tomato and basil risotto).... i had to keep reminding myself that that succulent white fish coated in batter was infact a dead animal!
Why is there no vegan alternative?????

i have found "fish" fingers but nothing comes close to the texture of cod in batter. (or is there?..... doesn't anyone know?)

should i be punished for my inpure thoughts?

[harpy]

Hi Daffodil - I don't think so, but you could "punish" yourself by spending some time in the kitchen as there are recipes around for making fish-alike substances - like this one for example. http://www.veganforum.com/forums/sho...Fish-in-batter. I haven't tried them myself.

I quite like the fish finger-y things but my cravings are more for chips and that's a slightly easier one to satisfy

[CoolCat]

All I can think of when people eat animals in front of me is my desire to flip the table, call them out for the arrogant bastards they are, and walk out angry.
It's not a "succulent white fish", it's a heavily overfished animal where a lot of secundary animals are harmed in the process and are thrown back dead

[Daffodil]

excellent, thanks for the recipe

[Crystal]

I thought about giving up being vegan yesterday, i didn't have the energy to make myself a proper lunch so i nibbled on some mars choc which tasted vile, far to sweet. Also a few hours later i nibbled on some left over sausage which also tasted vile and felt like cr*p immediatly afterwards. I now feel really upset and never want to stray from my vegan diet again. Has anyone else here struggled at any point?

[Blueberries]

I thought about giving up being vegan yesterday, i didn't have the energy to make myself a proper lunch so i nibbled on some mars choc which tasted vile, far to sweet. Also a few hours later i nibbled on some left over sausage which also tasted vile and felt like cr*p immediatly afterwards. I now feel really upset and never want to stray from my vegan diet again. Has anyone else here struggled at any point?

Poor thing, I'm sorry you're so upset . We're all human, everybody slips or is tempted to at some stage. Sometimes it is a hassle cooking when you just want something convenient, the best thing to do is fill your fridge with leftovers and easy-to-prepare vegan food, when you mentioned sausages I thought of those Redwoods ones that don't need to be cooked, the linconshire-style ones, they're great.

[Mymblesdaughter]

As Blueberries says, I think it's really important to keep your fridge and cupboards stocked with great foods. Money is pretty tight for us at the moment but food is alway a top priority. It means you always have something nice to eat and aren't tempted to get a takeaway or to nibble on unhealthy stuff.

I am sometimes tempted by pastries when I'm having coffee out. The animal products are hidden so they don't seem to bad. I wouldn't be tempted to eat meat but I've been veggie since I was 8 so have no cravings for something I don't really recognise as a food.

I think in Daffodils case, if you are eating something like risotto and your friend eat a high fat food you are going to want it. For instance it's like saying I was eating salad and my friend had chips and i really wanted them. Of course everyone would want the chips unless the salad was absolutely amazing.

[CoolCat]

... that don't need to be cooked ...

I often eat all things straight from the package like that as a snack... seitan, all sorts of burgers, sausages,... vegan fast food is the fastest!

[Firestorm]

I often eat all things straight from the package like that as a snack... seitan, all sorts of burgers, sausages,... vegan fast food is the fastest!

I know this is weird but I actually chew/suck on frozen fry's chikin when I can't wait for it to be cooked

Don't give up crystal, nobody is perfect

[Blueberries]

I know this is weird but I actually chew/suck on frozen fry's chikin when I can't wait for it to be cooked

I don't know why but that made me smile. Maybe its the fact that underneath it all we're all a bit mad!

[Firestorm]

I don't know why but that made me smile. Maybe its the fact that underneath it all we're all a bit mad!

I'm quite happy to admit that I am completely bonkers!