Know What You're Talking About

Okay, you know how you only use ten percent of your brain? That's because the other 90 percent is filled with curds and whey.

-Todd Ingram, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Vegans are great aren't they? We have great hair, psychic powers, and immortality on our side, so it's hard to believe that anyone isn't one.

The fact is, there are a number of benefits to vegan living, but if we inflate any of those benefits by even an extra adverb, we're shooting ourselves in the foot (not vegan!). Many people are already skeptical, and if you give them a little bit of inflated or incorrect information, they're going to dismiss everything you have to say.

So before you launch into your lecture on the health and social benefits of a vegan life, take a breath and remember: Veganism doesn't need you to make it better. It's already the compassionate choice. The diet already has the potential to be health-building and nourishing (I say potential because you could technically be a vegan consuming only Sprite and Fritos). So stick to the facts and be confident.

Copyright © Universal Pictures.

If anyone challenges you on the health benefits, you'll be prepared to answer them without sounding like you're off your nut, and the people you're speaking to will be much more receptive to new ideas.

That's not to say you shouldn't include your personal experiences. In my case, I feel more energetic eating a plant-based diet, and my seasonal allergies improved greatly when I gave up dairy. I also noticed a huge improvement in the condition of my skin when I gave up processed soy products. These are correlations that others have noticed for themselves as well, but I'm still careful to frame these claims not as scientific fact, but as personal experience backed by evidence.

I'm also not afraid to correct people who make outrageous claims. I hear things like "These chocolate chip cookies are healthy though, because they're vegan" or "You're thin because you're a vegan." Vegan cookies are still just fat and sugar, and my size has a lot to do with genetics and exercise. (Interestingly, it's always been the non-vegans that have made these claims).

However, I have heard vegans make claims that have little or no truth to them. I don't think vegans lie on purpose, but I think they get caught up in all the information that's out there and sometimes forget the difference between a reliable source and a person who happens to have an internet connection.

The fact is that wildly misinformed people aren't making it any easier for veganism to become mainstream. It alienates people, and for a good reason. It actually could be dangerous to you to assume that veganism is a cure-all that will prevent all disease and guarantees a fit and healthy body. AS a person who spent a few years subsisting on Chik Patties, Oreos, and Dr. Pepper, I can assure you that "vegan" is not a synonym for "healthy."

Something doesn't have to be magical and perfect to be worthwhile. Veganism will not end all injustice and cure all of your personal woes, but we'll win over more people by acknowledging that than we will by denying it. Build a strong base of knowledge and take good care of yourself. Know nutrition inside and out, and be excited to truly understand the way the body works.

So how are you going to learn your vegan health facts? By reading up at the Vegan Health Page.

It's important that you can convey accurate information to others, but it's also important that you take care of yourself. We'll have no pity for you if you quit because your all-Frito diet left you anemic.

What about presenting solid, evidence-based reasons for going vegan? Health is a great place to start because it strikes at what all people love best - themselves. But many people go vegan for bigger reasons. You can read about them at Compassion Over Killing's Try Veg Page. You know why, but make sure you really understand why.

If you're old-fashioned, or just really like books, check out Becoming Vegan, The Vegan Source Book, and Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating. There are, of course many other great books out there, but this is a jumping off point.

Keep in mind, you don't have to know everything. No one person has a responsibility to be a walking encyclopedia of vegan knowledge, but it's helpful to have a solid foundation. Actually, knowing where to look is just as, if not more, helpful. You can brush up anytime and direct others to resources, providing them with multimedia learning tools.

It is imperative that you give the best, most accurate information you can. Never be afraid to say "I don't know" or even better, "I'll need to look into that to give you a good answer." It's infinitely better than providing an answer that might be true, or that you seem to remember reading on a forum somewhere. Make sure that your claims are substantiated and your efforts to reach out to people on the behalf of animals will be strong and effective.

Trying New Things

Subtitle: Something You Should Do

Sometimes I brag that, thanks to my veganism, I try so many great new foods. That's a bit of an oversimplification though. Sometimes I have to remind myself that my transformation to master chef happened less than a year ago. I spent the first couple years as a vegan lazily grazing on packaged and pre-prepared foods. So why am I now so involved in cooking and eating?

The real credit goes to effects of my diet on my health. I was healthy in that I had no diseases or medically diagnosed problems, but I began to suspect that my diet was the culprit in some specific problems I was having, so I decided to cut out some soy.

Soy is unfairly demonized, but it is also in everything. I cut soy as an ingredient in things I purchased, meaning that the Chik Patties and soy milk were out, but tofu and tempeh could stay. That meant that my options for standby meals were greatly diminished and that's when I decided it was time to start cooking.

So theoretically, I could have gotten really involved in cooking without being a vegan, but could I have stayed that way?

I don't know. What I do know is that as a vegan, food is about active and meaningful choice making and my cooking is encouraged by a community. I am extremely conscious of what I eat; fair-trade, organic, non-GMO, compostable and sustainable are all labels that mean something to me because compassion and justice for all are what my veganism is about. I read about food, I familiarize myself with the facts and numbers, and I select the best I can. It's not a difficult process, but it's one that involves me and draws me further into the eating experience. Rather than simply eating food at meals, I now feed myself.

And many of the ideas and information I read comes from the vegan community. I'm stuck online all day at work and between deadlines, I kill time reading a number of vegan blogs and threads on the Post Punk Kitchen. The more I see pictures of and read about other people's kitchen experiences, the more I want to have and share my own. It's like a delicious cult.

This past month has been full of new experiences; I've blogged about some, but in the past few days I tried the following new foods: Chia, Dulse, Arame, Soba Noodles, Millet, Bok Choy, and Dandelion Leaves. All but the dandelion leaves were because of Get It Ripe, which is fast becoming a favorite after less than a week of ownership.

For the record, the totally amazing dishes I made from it were: Sesame Kale Soba Noodles, White Bean Bowl with Pesto, and Barbecue Baked Tofu with Mushrooms and Bell Peppers. I used the Cilantro Pesto from the book and it is a keeper. Extra points for using pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

I also used Corona in a marinade and agar powder to botch a pudding (still delicious, but kind of oddly solid).

I also bought a cast iron pan. Viva Vegan showed up on my doorstep last week as well, and I figured it was about time to go cast iron. I also found this Have Cake entry and so I think it's time to dust off the bread machine and actually use it.

On the horizon, my sister is going to teach me to do some macro-inspired cooking and my journey with raw foods continues.

So while I can't let veganism take all of the credit, it deserves a good bit of it. It's a lifestyle that requires innovation and an open mind. I feel so fortunate that I almost never make the same thing for dinner twice and that my kitchen is cruelty free in the process. I'm a better and more interesting person and I'm also more satisfied. Eating is never a mere necessity, but a statement, an experience, and a joy.

What new things have you tried leately?

As for more new things to come, I am excited to whip up a batch of raw cupcakes for Raw Wednesday in my adorable new silicone cupcake moulds! Stay tuned!