Top 18 Vegan Questions Answered

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by Alena Schowalter
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There are so many myths and vegan questions floating around the web! We’ve tackled the most common ones in this FAQs article.

If you’ve been vegan for longer than a day, you’ve probably encountered one or more anti-vegan arguments.

Not all questions for vegans are in bad faith or want to “debunk” veganism, though! It’s important to talk about anything that might keep someone from going vegan and to make sure that this lifestyle is healthy and beneficial.

If you’re not vegan and just curious about the most burning plant-based questions, you’ll enjoy this article! We included lots of helpful links for further reading.

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Vegan Questions Answered

Is it hard to be vegan?

That really depends from person to person. Some can change their habits and lifestyle easier than others — but it’s probably much easier than you think!

Most vegans grew up eating animal products just like anyone else. All it took was some education about animal agriculture and its consequences, determination, and learning by doing!

With all of the tasty vegan recipes on the internet these days, it’s never been easier to go and stay vegan. Check out our transition guide here!

Haven’t humans evolved to eat animals?

Just because something is “natural” ofrbecause we have done it for a long time doesn’t mean it’s the right thing!

There is no doubt that humans have eaten meat and that it has been crucial to survival, especially during periods of famine.

However, we now know that we can be healthy without eating animals. In fact, skipping meat can be beneficial to our health!

Can you be healthy as a vegan?

Yes, you can be really healthy as a vegan! According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.

You can meet all of your nutritional requirements on a fully plant-based diet when supplementing with vitamin B12. More on that below!

Vegans usually get plenty of fiber, plant-based protein, healthy fats, important minerals, and vitamins from their diet.

Is vegan food tasty?

It sure can be made tasty! While everyone has different preferences, plant-based food is made tasty the same way animal-based foods are: with the help of herbs, spices, and condiments.

Combining different flavors and textures, preparing methods, and more can be done to create delicious vegan food!

See our vegan cooking guide for lots of tips and easy recipes like burgers, pasta, and pizza.

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Vegan Nutrition Guide + Downloads

Do vegans eat eggs?

No, vegans don’t eat eggs. They come from an animal, and their production requires the exploitation of the reproductive systems of hens and male chicks get slaughtered almost immediately after hatching.

Most eggs come from famed chickens that are kept in horrific conditions and slaughtered once their egg production slows down.

Even if you have your own rescued backyard chickens that are allowed to live happy and long lives, it might not be advisable to consume their eggs as removing them can cause the hen to lay more eggs. Some chickens also like to eat their own eggs.

Do vegans eat honey?

Honey is also an animal product and, therefore, not part of a vegan diet or lifestyle. Bees produce honey for themselves, not for humans, and are often harmed in the honey-gathering process.

While it’s not 100% established that insects like bees can suffer and feel pain, we like to give them the benefit of the doubt, and replacing honey is easy! Just use maple syrup, agave, rice syrup, or sugar instead.

Read more about honey here!

What does “may contain” mean?

You often find these words written next to the ingredients found in a specific product. 

It refers to allergens like eggs, peanuts, soy, or fish that are processed in the same factory — although these foods are not part of the product in question, it is possible that trace amounts can be found in them.

This type of cross-contamination is important for people with severe allergies, but it doesn’t change the fact that the product itself uses only vegan ingredients. So, no need to worry about it if you’re not allergic!

How do you live without cheese?

You either learn about what dairy cows go through and not want to eat it anymore, or you eat vegan cheese!

There are many good brands that come out with new vegan cheese creations every other month, and you can even make vegan cheese at home. Check out our almond ricotta, cheese sauce, or cheese ball!

Cheese might be the most challenging food to let go of, but you can find many tasty dishes that don’t even require any cheese. Just take it step by step!

Why do vegans eat fake meat?

Vegans are only against killing and eating animals, not against the flavor of meat. Many vegans grew up eating meat and dairy products, and switching from spaghetti with meatballs to spaghetti with beanballs or vegan ground beef is super easy!

You don’t need to miss out on flavor and texture with all of the vegan meat alternatives at the store these days. However, you can make your own from soy curls, jackfruit, tofu, and more!

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Are there any side effects when going vegan?

Going vegan doesn’t mean that you’ll be malnourished at some point in the future. Anyone with no current health issues can look into how to create a well-rounded plant-based diet so that they meet all of their nutritional needs.

If you’re unsure or deal with blood sugar issues, anemia, fertility issues, and more, please consult your doctor or a Dietitian first!

There are unwanted experiences some people face when going vegan, like feeling bloated due to new foods or an increased amount of fiber, unwanted weight gain or weight loss, and feeling hungry all the time.

Check out our guide “Side effects of going vegan” for tips!

Do vegans need to take supplements?

Yes, every vegan needs to take a vitamin B12 supplement! This nutrient cannot be found in plant-based foods, although some non-dairy milk and yogurt, vegan meat, and nutritional yeast are fortified with B12.

Other supplements vegans might consider are vitamin D, iron, omega-3, iodine, and a multivitamin. Only a blood test and doctor’s appointment will tell you what you personally need!

Do vegans only care about animals?

The definition of veganism is only about so-called “non-human animals” and trying to cause less suffering to pigs, cows, fish, chickens, etc.

However, compassion for sentient life is usually a common theme amongst vegans! It can seem that they care more about animals than humans, but it’s only because animals can’t speak up and that vegans can get frustrated with non-vegans — they do the very thing every day that a vegan opposes.

Will a vegan diet help you lose weight?

If you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fibrous whole foods, then it’ll be really easy to lose weight on a vegan diet!

Although this shouldn’t be your primary focus if you want to adopt a vegan lifestyle and stick to it long-term, it’s one reason why people try a plant-based diet.

Check out our weight loss guide and tasty low-calorie vegan recipes!

Why do vegans like to tell people that they’re vegan?

Vegans are very passionate about their lifestyle most of the time. They are aware of something really awful that is happening each day, hour, minute, and second of the day — and they do their utmost not to contribute to this harm.

One powerful thing any vegan can do apart from not purchasing animal products themselves is to help other people go vegan, too!

And since most of us, vegan or not, care about animals, we already kind of agree with the main principle behind veganism.

How do you stay full as a vegan?

Plant-based food is high in fiber and lower in calories compared to meat, dairy, and eggs. If you don’t replace those calories from animal products with adequate vegan sources and just load up on veggies, you can easily undereat!

It’s a myth that vegan food isn’t satisfying — you just need to know how to create a delicious vegan meal and load up on beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, and other filling foods.

Find our favorite bean recipes and high-calorie vegan foods here!

Do I have to eat tofu as a vegan?

You don’t need to eat any one specific food as a vegan. There are also vegans who are allergic to soy, so they can’t have tofu — they get their nutrients from other foods like chickpeas, lentils, or veggies.

That being said, have you ever had silken tofu chocolate mousse or tofu ranch dressing? Just because you don’t like the taste of plain, unseasoned tofu doesn’t mean you can’t create any other delicious meals with it.

Plus, it’s a great source of protein!

How to deal with cravings as a vegan

Every time we alter what we eat or restrict our diets, it’s common to crave the foods we were used to eating before.

Yes, there are many vegans who crave the flavor and texture of meat! After all, almost nobody stops eating animal products because they suddenly don’t enjoy their taste anymore.

It’s largely a matter of finding delicious replacements and training your brains to get used to the new normal.

Can I build muscle on a vegan diet?

Well, can you lift weights as a vegan? Yes, you can! Plus, there are so many delicious plant-based foods that offer enough protein to support that muscle building.

There are lots of professional athletes like ultramarathoner Scott Jurek or strongman Patrick Baboumian (and even MMA fighters!) that eat nothing but plants!

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5 Tips for Vegan Muscle

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Hi, I'm Alena Schowalter — a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with my husband, I founded nutriciously in 2015 and have been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages toward a healthy plant-based diet. I enjoy discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature, and creating new recipes. Read more about us here.

2 Comments

  1. My question is I need to know if Vegan food bought at stores are processed on same equipment as dairy, other animal products, and tree nuts and peanuts? I am very strict of my Vegan diet. At this point I am at my wits end on what food to buy.

    Reply
    • Hi Ann, why are you this strict about your vegan diet? Is it due to purity or do you think it will make a difference to the number of animals killed in the industry when it comes to the equipment that is used to make oat milk, soy milk, etc? Lots of big companies that produce animal products have started to notice the demand for vegan products and since they already have the “infrastructure” (factory, large pots, etc.) they now also offer vegan products… more and more even… I don’t think that vegans can or should focus on bringing down companies, but instead, suggest that they shift to a more and more plant-based product line. Most store-bought vegan items are probably not processed in a factory that has never seen an animal-based ingredient… however, they do clean everything when switching from dairy to oat milk, I’m sure! What are your thoughts on this?

      Reply

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