Being Healthy
Everyone and their mother wants to know "Where do you get your protein?" Protein is definitely an important part of a healthy diet, but no one
ever asks the cows where they get their protein! Plant foods are rich witn proteins and nutrients.
Many people incorrectly assume that “vegan” = “healthy.” In fact, it would be possible to eat Fritos and popcorn and processed foods all day long and still be vegan. It’s up to you how many naughty indulgences you want to allow yourself – but if you really want to stick with a vegan diet, being healthy will help ensure your success.
Personally, I take a few vitamins (B12, calcium supplements, and vegan Omega-3’s), drink fortified non-dairy milks, and do my best to eat a varied diet. Eating different colors, different grains, different protein sources, different fruits, and different veggies helps get my body access to a host of nutrients, minerals and amino acids. My friend Jocelyn is the one who taught me about “eating the rainbow,” having as many colors as possible represented on the plate at each meal. It makes mealtime beautiful, delicious and nutritious!
Here are a few great resources, where you can learn a lot more:
Vegan Outreach is probably my favorite vegan-activism organization, because of their proactive and totally fact-based approach. They have a lot of really great information on their website including why people eat vegan diets and also about what to eat as a vegan.
Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine has a lot of good information about how to maintain a healthy vegan diet.
Ginny Messina is a really great vegan registered dietician. Her information is thorough, well-researched, and clearly presented. She's also the co-author of a very good book called Vegan for Life, which is a good read if you are seriously considering a vegan diet.
Vegetarian Resource Group also has a lot of clear, well-presented articles and information about how to maintain an optimal vegan diet.
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