13 Truths You Should Know About Vegans

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Becoming vegan is one of the most rewarding things I’ve committed to. I’ve been vegetarian for about 8 years and vegan now for over 2 — and I’ve never looked back. Don’t get me wrong, there are learning curves but at the end of the day, we’re just doing the best we can like everyone else, amiright?

Let me preface this list by saying that I’ve been extremely lucky to have a supportive husband, family and group of friends in an area where veganism is not too common, but beyond that, it’s not always welcomed.

So just to clarify a few things, here are some real answers to common questions:

1. Yes the unoriginal jokes are annoying and it’s hard to keep our mouth shut when someone’s being an idiot.  
2. It’s a lifestyle, not a diet or trend.
3. 9 times out of 10, we don’t do it for ourselves. We aren’t just picky or stuck up… we care about the lives of other beings and don’t believe they should suffer for our short-term benefit.
4. Yes, it’s hard to believe you love all animals when you directly support the suffering of billions every year.
5. Plants have protein.
6. Yes we need B12 supplements, which by the way, does not come directly from animals. It comes from the bacteria in the dirt and food they consume so we are not losing it by not eating animals. We just choose to take it via supplement not carcass.
7. We’re not deprived of tasty food, but yes the frequency of only having the option of iceberg lettuce, a couple tomatoes and red onion for dinner at a restaurant gets annoying. Just stop putting lard, chicken stock and cheese in everything, seriously.
8. When we’re lucky enough to find a vegan option at a restaurant, yes it gets old that the majority of the time our order comes out non-vegan or there are still hidden pieces of cheese and meat in our meal. Furthermore, yes it actually bothers us… again, we’re not just being picky.
9. No we don’t expect everyone to accommodate our choices and understand it can be overwhelming (believe me, we get it), but the appreciation when you do is seriously unexplainable.
10. Yes we still worry that it’s not truly vegan if you’re not a vegan yourself, please don’t take offense. There are hidden ingredients in everything that may not be vegan.
11. Sure, we “miss” the flavor of some foods, but no, it’s never worth it to “cheat”… and really, there are vegan recipes that recreate just about every dish out there so we’re not missing out.
12. Yes we still love junk food, and nope, not all vegan food is healthy.
13. No we don’t expect true carnivores in the animal kingdom to eat plants… that’s natural and instinctual for them. Factory farming, game hunting, suffering by the billions so that half your plate can be thrown away is not natural, it’s a choice.

So, if you find that it’s easy to judge us for being different, remember that it’s just as weird for us that you are grossed out by black bean burgers but not hot dogs.

p.s. don’t ever be afraid to ask questions about living a cruelty-free lifestyle! Seriously, we don’t expect you to live the way we do but are happy to offer some advice to help you make small changes that can have a HUGE impact!

Leave me a comment below if you have more questions or can relate to the list::

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