FINALLY.
I have sat down to write about the final chapter in the journey of my becoming vegan.
To those who requested this AGES ago, my apologies. My professional life has taken a sudden, dramatic turn and I find that I have less and less time to pursue my passion of writing.
This will be the part of the story that address many of the food questions. What can I eat? What can’t I eat? What hidden little gems from my former carnivorous life can I still enjoy? What can I never eat again?
The answer to many of those questions is pretty simple.
The first and foremost things that you can never consume as a true vegan are any products that are produced off of the backs of animals. That is to say, you cannot eat meat of any kind (nope, not fish either), dairy or eggs. Among this list of things that you shouldn’t eat also includes items like honey, which is made from the exploitation of bees, and often results in the absolute destruction of the entire hive.
But being a vegan is far more than just cutting out the meat, dairy and eggs. Being vegan means that you have made the commitment to honor life in all forms. That means that you also don’t support or condone any industry that exploits animals, subjecting them to years of torture, for your convenience or vanity.
So, that means no shoes made from leather OR glues produced from animal remains. This takes a bit of time and research, but it turns out that many of our favorite shoes are made without these products. If you’re in the USA, shops such as Journey’s supply fantastic lines of Vegan approved shoes, which include favorites such as Toms, some Sketchers and Converse. Other smaller vegan friendly brands include Mossimo (found at Target), but even more vegan shoes can be found online with a simple google search.
Being vegan also means not wearing any other materials that are claimed from animals. This includes both leather and wool. When purchasing clothes as a vegan, it is important to ALWAYS read the labels and make sure that label never says anything like fleece, wool, cashmere, angora or leather, as many of these items will have been produced in massively commercial and abusive ways.
But we all know the real question we have as new vegans. What can I EAT?
That one is pretty simple, but there are a few hidden tips and tricks that will make the process even easier.
While the basic meat, dairy and eggs is obvious, there are other hidden food and drink ingredients that are disguised to hide their true origin. Namely, the things that you will find most commonly that are NOT vegan are WHEY, GELATIN & CHARCOAL.
Yes. You read that last one right, charcoal (applies specifically to alcohols such as Jack Daniels).
Now, this might be a length that many of you won’t go to as a vegan, and in many ways, it may be easier to just forget about these 3 ingredients when starting out. But, if you consider yourself to be truly a vegan, there can be no justification for consuming foods with these 3 ingredients in them.
Whey is left over waste from milk production. This ingredient is sold by dairy farmers to food preservative and production facilities, and facilitates the horrendous abuses of the dairy industry.
Gelatin is made from the mashed up bones of various animals. These bones are collected after slaughter and are mashed up to produce the powder that is used in gelatin. Many foods will use this term, and for the unknowing eye, it is in easy ingredient to glance over. However, eating gelatin is no different than eating meat. Many foods can come with “vegetable gelatin”, which is a great substitute and in MANY cases, safe to consume as a vegan. However, this cannot always be insured, so make sure that you do your research of the food company before you consume (GOOGLE, GOOGLE, GOOGLE).
Charcoal is an ingredient that is not always listed but that is often used as a processor. The example I always use is Jack Daniels (yes, booze is not always vegan either). Charcoal used in food preservation and processing is just animal bone char. The food or drink is filtered through this charred bone to either change the flavor or to catch particles that have found their way into the mix. Either way, it’s not vegan. I cannot stress this enough GOOGLE, GOOGLE, GOOGLE.
So begin vegan does take some work, and definitely some research, but it’s worth every second. Within weeks, you will notice your skin clearing up, amazing energy levels that you have never experienced before, and a whole knew outlook and appreciation for life that you never had before. It is, without a doubt, worth the work.
TIPS, TRICKS, FAVES & VEGAN FRIENDLY FAST FOOD:
Taco Bell: Yes. You read that right. Taco bell has vegan friendly options, and will make any item on their menu vegan/vegetarian friendly if you just ask (I recommend the friend potatoes, which are friend in vegetable oil).
Wendy’s: Wendy’s will offer to make any one of their sandwiches a “veggie” sandwich, which is just a pile of fresh veg, but will do the job in a pinch. Their fries are also fried separately from the rest of the meat, and is friend in vegetable or canola oil (just ask in restaurant).
Oreos: VEGAN! Yes. You read that right. Oreos are vegan.
When in the store, just look for the happy bunny ears (on cosmetics) or the bright green Vegan V. Those items are both cruelty free and animal product free!
And finally:
GOOGLE.
Google everything. When in doubt, google. You will be amazed at what you can find on Google. It is the way I found all my information on becoming vegan.
And most of all:
GOOD LUCK & ENJOY THE RIDE!
Memoirs of a Pond-Crosser 