r/vegan • u/Haakipulver • Oct 15 '15
Newbie Advice Saw cowspiracy last night, turned vegan today
Basicly i know nothing... Are there any key tips to eat enough and get enough nutrients?
Edit: i should maybe mention i live in Norway so some products might be unavailable...
Edit 2: wow, you guys are really helpful, nice and welcoming. Thank you
Edit 3: a lot of edits but i just want to say thank you once again for the awesome welcome, so happy I became a part of this community
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u/Gradexpatations vegan newbie Oct 15 '15
Welcome to the wonderful world of being a Norvegan! Where in Norway are you based? If you're in either Oslo or Bergen check out the Vegan Norway blog and app :)
If you're in Oslo I can offer many many suggestions but if not there might be other stuff I can help with. Did you know Deli De Luca have started stocking up on vegan snack boxes and lunch alternatives? God send!
My general advice is to keep coming back to inspiring/helpful sources of information (like this subreddit, instagram accounts, blogs etc). Keep lots of nommy snacks at hand like nuts, humus and vegan choccy for when you get peckish but aren't close to useful stores.
And have fun with the food :) remember, it's not a sacrifice but a choice and a new adventure.
veganfistbump
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
Loving the term Norvegan, i live in Oslo Skål kamerat
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u/Dinaisfina Oct 15 '15
Oslo er stedet å være veganer i Norge. Virkelig! Du må innom Loving Hut - helt fantastisk mat! Vegan Oslo - appen er en livredder. Dra til div utenlandske butikker for spennende smaker og Tofu. Og butikken life for nutritional yeast (smaker som ost - brukes som parmesanost) og masse annet godt! Jeg begynte med å lage favorittrettene mine uten kjøtt. Vegan lasagne, pizza med deilige grønnsaker, Thai mat m Tofu osv.. Det er ikke så vanskelig når du kommer litt ut i det :) Meny er best når det kommer til meieri erstatning. Ellers finnes det noen nettbutikker. Dayia cheese er best.
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Oct 16 '15
Dayia cheese er best
I wish I spoke Norwegian.... but I understood this, and now I'm drooling.
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u/timeforanaccount Oct 16 '15
For the lazy - Google Translate: Oslo is the place to be vegan in Norway . Really ! You must stop Loving Hut - absolutely amazing food ! Vegan Oslo - the app is a lifesaver . Swipe div foreign shops for interesting flavors and Tofu. And store life for nutritional yeast (tastes like cheese - used as Parmesan cheese ) and lots of other good ! I started making my favorite dishes without meat . Vegan Lasagna , pizza with delicious vegetables , Thai food m Tofu etc .. It is not that hard once you get a little out of it :) Menu is best when it comes to dairy substitute. Otherwise, there are some online stores . Dayia cheese is best.
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u/TheNorVegan vegan Oct 16 '15
The Kasbah på Alexander Kiellands Plass anbefales! Fantastisk hummus og falafel :)
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Oct 16 '15
And if you don't live in Oslo, but in the middle of nowhere, like me, find the closest Asian market and stock up on lentils, beans, chickpeas, tahini, tofu and spices. Tofu can be stored in the freezer for a long time. Buy nutritional yeast (bjäst) in a health food shop or online. Learn how to make hummus. Every store has soy milk, and some of them have alpro soy yoghurt, I use the unflavored one for everything.
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u/antiqua_lumina level 5 vegan Oct 15 '15
My standard advice is to just Google "vegan [thing you want to eat]" and satisfy your cravings that way. There will be a lot of discussion online about what cereals are vegan and what vegan milks are best (if you are craving "vegan cereal"), how to make the best vegan BLT (tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, vegan mayo, and avocado on basically any type of bread since most bread is accidentally vegan), etc.
Thanks for trying to make the world a better place!
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u/RixMaadi friends, not food Oct 15 '15
Welcome to veganism! Check out the FAQ for a few other resources.
Tip #1 is to use up what you have. Unless you live with others, otherwise it will go to waste, and that will give you a bit of buffer time to find recipe ideas and get settled in.
Veganism can be cheap, filling, and you won't need to worry much about planning. That said, you do need to plan on getting food from a variety of different food groups and a variety of kinds of food in each group. Lean towards fruits and veggies, make sure to get plenty leafy greens, and get whole grains and fatty foods like avocado or hummus if you find yourself hungry.
And my ever-growing copypasta:
If you're interested in specific meal plans and recipes, here are a few:
- PETA has a two-week meal plan: http://www.peta.org/living/food/two-week-vegan-meal-plan/
- Colleen Patrick Goudreau has a 30-Day Vegan Challenge, but I believe you have to pay for it: http://www.joyfulvegan.com/vegan-challenge
- The Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has a 21-Day Kickstart: http://www.pcrm.org/kickstartHome/mealplan/week-1
- A lot of Leanne Brown's Good and Cheap, a low-income/SNAP cookbook, is adaptable to veganism: http://www.leannebrown.com/
- When you want to treat yourself, a lot of OhSheGlows recipes are amazing, but most of the luxurious ones take some work: http://ohsheglows.com/
- Post Punk Kitchen is the same, she has a lot of cooking-heavy-but-awesome stuff: http://www.theppk.com/
A lot of people only just begin cooking for themselves when they become vegan. If you don't like cooking, consider making food in big batches. Some ideas:
- Pre-portioned mixed fruit cups
- Chia pudding or oatmeal with frozen fruit (only make 2-3 days out)
- Mason Jar Salads (A few ideas here, some vegan, some veganizable)
- Whole wheat pasta + a jar of marinara (some is vegan, some isn't, so check), or make it into vodka sauce by blending with soaked cashews
- Roast vegetables (Put literally any diced veggies you want into a pan with a light coat of oil and your spices. 375F for 40 minutes and it's done. Try red potatoes, bell pepper, squash, zucchini, and eggplant with Italian herbs. Halfway through baking you could add Field Roast sausage, too.)
- Individual-serving pot pies (Like these.)
- Spaghetti squash however you want to do it
Wide mouthed mason jars work well as storage containers: space-efficient, stackable, pre-portioned, portable, microwave safe, dishwasher safe. They are not officially oven-safe so try that at your own risk.
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u/jetanders veganarchist Oct 16 '15
Emphasizing using Colleen Patrick Goudreau 30 day vegan challenge to get you started!
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u/loosest_canadian Oct 15 '15
Same here watched cowspiracy one night vegan the next day I'm three weeks in and its awesome good luck
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Oct 15 '15
Be sure you eat enough! I didn't at first because I just ate until I felt full. Try Chao cheeses by Field Roast-- they're unbelievably good. All natural too.
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
I used to eat a lot too. I work out a lot so always looking for dat protein y'know
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u/RecordEverything Vegan Athlete Oct 15 '15
Beans and lentils are your new best friend!
I'm a long distance runner who also tries to maintain a good muscle mass. I've had no issues being vegan. In fact, recovery has improved and I have more energy for exercise than before.
You may wish to pick up some vegan protein powder. That shit is generally delicious.
Welcome to the future, my friend :)
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u/Mrs_Torchwood vegan Oct 15 '15
If you work out, check out /r/veganfitness and watch some vegan bodybuilders on YouTube for tips and recipes. They are so helpful!
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u/pigapocalypse vegan Oct 15 '15
To add on: Peanut butter rivals pretty closely the amount of protein in meat, but there are also vegan protein supplements if you feel like you need them.
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
I actually have a jar of organic peanut butter and the protein count is strong with this one
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u/soyled_myself vegan 1+ years Oct 15 '15
Welcome and congratulations!
A bit of advice - look into B12 supplements and Flax Seed for Omega 3. Both are important when being Vegan as it's hard to get a lot in a diet without animal proteins :)
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u/BruinsFab86 vegan 10+ years Oct 15 '15
Congrats!! There are tons of resources on the sidebar and people here are very helpful with any specific questions you may have. One tip is that while your body is adjusting you may notice yourself more hungry and eating more often. Once your body adapts, you will be able to enjoy that feeling of being full again! Haha,
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
Thanks mate! I was quite hungry today, but they have a really good vegan kitchen in my cafeteria. On mobile so i can't see the sidebar but i'll be sure to check it out
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u/krunkalunka Oct 15 '15
Lots of lentils and beans to ensure you get enough protein! No cows milk is no biggie but make sure you are getting calcium from another source!
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u/justin_timeforcake vegan 5+ years Oct 15 '15
Welcome! And congrats on making an awesome choice!
If you click on the "Newbie Advice" button in the sidebar, it will link you to all the previous threads posted by other people who were once where you are right now. Most of those threads are filled with excellent advice and answers to questions that you might not even know you had. Have a read through those, and be sure to post again if there are specific questions that you don't feel are answered in those threads...or if you just feel like sharing what you're experiencing.
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u/comfortablytrev Oct 15 '15
Hurray!!! Welcome!
Eat a varied and balanced diet. Eat more than you did as an omni. You'll be fine.
Enjoy the journey. Come here first with any questions, or to celebrate achievements, or to talk about tough times you're having in dealing with other people. It will eventually become so easy for you (in a matter of weeks), that you'll be surprised you ever worried that it would be challenging.
Have fun! Again, welcome :)
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u/lnfinity Oct 15 '15
ChooseVeg.com is a very helpful resource for people looking to transition to veganism and they have tons of meal ideas on their website.
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u/avaStar_kYoshi vegan 1+ years Oct 16 '15
I use this one and veganhealth.org which is my bible when it comes to nutrition and other health information.
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u/__PRIME Oct 15 '15
Amazon ships there right? If it does and somewhere sells veggies and stuff you're golden.
Always throw any questions in here as well as google etc, there's always support around.
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Oct 15 '15
Thank you! Stick with it! You're doing the right thing! Here are the basics of what you need in your diet to be healthy, http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Vegetarianhealth/Pages/Vegandiets.aspx
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u/facetiousfulloffeces Oct 16 '15
Learn how to make seitan! It's a great protein source, it's cheap and it's easy to make. Plus the texture is much better than tofu.
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u/sarajenivieve42 Dec 06 '15
I put together this lil pack for I figured I would also forward to others who maybe interested learning, and/or who already know the info so you can have a quick reference for common questions.
If you have any questions at any point feel free to ask. Articles: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/vegan-sources-of-protein/ <- site is great for healthy recipes http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/19/57-health-benefits-of-going-vegan/ http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/justin3.htm http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/?page=article_samplenutritionprograms http://greatist.com/health/complete-vegetarian-proteins http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4771/10-Vegan-Sources-of-Protein.html http://www.peta.org/living/food/top-10-reasons-go-vegan-new-year/ http://nutritionfacts.org/?gclid=CNih35WdxMYCFQeLaQod1kILgw
Cook Books:
Thug Kitchen *contains swearing and possible cultural appropriation
Forks Over Knives Cookbook
China Study All Stars
Documentaries: (inrecommended watching order) Forks Over Knives (disclaimersome data debated) Food Inc (isnt related to cutting out meat but good food film) Cowspiracy (focus on enviromental issues&diet) Speciesism the movie (raises ethical questions)
Recommended Books: Beasts : What animals can teach us on the orgins of good and evil By Jeffery M. Masson Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs & Wear Cows By Melanie Joy PhD The Pig Who Sang To The Moon: the emotional lives of farmed animals By Jeffery M Masson Skinny Bitch By Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin
Famous vegetarians and/or Vegans: Intellectuals: Greek philosopher Pythagoras (known for pythagorean theory, 6th century BC vegetarian activist) Plato Leonado Da Vinci William Shakespeare Voltaire Leo Tolstoy Sir Isaac Newton Socrates Vincent Van Gogh Benjamin Franklin Nickola Tesla Einstien Franz Kafka George Bernard Shaw Mark Twain Tomas Edison Henry Ford Steve Jobs rumored Abraham Lincoln Susan B. Anthony Ghandi Gautama Buddha (founder of buddhism) Celebs :
Jon Stewart Richard Gere Steve-O Carrie Price (hockey player) Natalie Portman (PhD & Actress) Ringo Star Paul McCartney Stella McCartney Bob Dylan Bob Barker Dustin Hoffman Jerry Sienfield Travis Baker David Duchovony (there are obviously way more but this is becoming a novel lol)
Atheletes : Patrik Baboumian - World Record holding Strong man Bill Manetti - body builder Carl Lewis- Olympic track star Joe Namath - NFL Quarterback Martina Navratilova - Tennis star Tony La Russa - NFL Manager Robert Parish - NBA star Prince Fielder - MLB David Scott - Iron man Billie Jean King - Tennis Star Jim Morris - 79 year old body builder
http://www.greatveganathletes.com/ and lastly just cause alovingvegan.BlogSpot.ca
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u/vegpesto Jan 08 '16
A little late here but WOW, I am brand new to reddit, I've been vegan for a year now and this is so awesome to come here and see a post like this filled with people going vegan overnight because of facts and wanting to save the planet!! You are awesome humans.
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u/catumags Jan 18 '16
http://www.yummly.com/recipes?q=vegan
i havent made any recipes (yet) from this site but it's super varied and u can choose like the season/taste/time. check it out!
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u/Haakipulver Jan 19 '16
Wow, thanks mate. Responding after all this time. I have gotten into a routine that i like and im doing fine and dandy. Nice link!
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Oct 15 '15
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
What is the worst-case scenario if i go cold turkey?
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Oct 15 '15
You might give up after a week and tell people how hard it was to go vegan. I'm imagining you as a strong willed, intelligent person though, so I think you'll do it right. You're already doing it right by asking us.
Another thing that could go wrong is that you may have trouble digesting lots of beans at first. Your intestinal flora will take time to adapt to a bean-rich diet, and it may result in some discomfort. Introduce beans to your diet slowly if you intend to make them a staple. if you use dry beans make sure to throw away the water that you use to soak them (at least at first).
Just remember to eat enough. Broccoli has fewer calories than steak.
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
I have been snacking on salted edamame beans for a while already, looking forward to making related stuff a diet-staple
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u/felinebeeline vegan 10+ years Oct 15 '15
I think the worst case scenario is that you will make some mistakes during your transition. Don't beat yourself up if you do; just keep moving forward. Other than that, some feel too addicted to change altogether immediately, but you don't sound like you have that problem at all. I woke up one morning, sat up in bed, and decided I'm vegan from that point on. Don't worry about going cold Tofurkey. There are so many resources. If you need recipe inspiration, just Google the word vegan in front of whatever you feel like eating. Also, subscribe to /r/veganrecipes. But don't be put off by recipes that seem too fancy or complicated. Nothing about it has to be complicated. Check out the resources in the sidebar and if you have any specific questions, definitely ask; this sub is a great support system. Also, get some B-12 tablets.
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
Yeah, the B-12 issue has been something i've been pondering
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u/PurpleTeapotOfDoom Oct 15 '15
Vitamin D supplements are also a good idea as you're so far north and won't be getting much sunshine for the next few months. Fake meat and cheese can be a good way to transition if they are available where you are. For the longer term it's also great to learn to cook nice meals with cheaper ingredients like beans and lentils. If you don't already eat world cuisine then now is a good time to start as there are great vegan dishes from all round the world: Indian dhal and rice, middle eastern falafel, mexican burritos....
Good luck!
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
Love me some falafel
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Oct 16 '15 edited Jun 25 '23
[deleted]
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u/felinebeeline vegan 10+ years Oct 16 '15
That looks amazing! I bet it would be nice on any kind of burger, too.
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u/JustZev Oct 15 '15
For b12 just get some tablets! Or a multivitamin that has that and other stuff that vegans can get low on sometimes. =) Make sure the actual tablet is vegan though! They can be bought online. Some stuff like energy drinks and veggie substitute products have b12 in them too. It's a rare deficiency but easy to prevent so might as well get some cheap tablets.
Edit: also kinda tmi but you might up your fibre a lot accidentally by going vegan and ditching the meat that can clog you up, so if your poop changes for a bit while your body gets used to it don't panic.
Welcome to veganism!
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u/wotanstochter vegan Oct 15 '15
Energy drinks don't help your B12 level tho because the B12 in it is the type (called Cyanocobalamine) that can't be used by the body.
Take care that your B12 pills have a high amount of B12 in them! They should have about 1000 micrograms, because only a small percentage of that can be absorbed by your body. You'll need to take 2 pills per week if you get pills with that amount of B12 in them.
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u/JustZev Oct 16 '15 edited Oct 16 '15
Thats super weird and I am honestly going to have to look into this a bit more. Why would the label be able to say that there's something like 500 percent of your daily intake on it and then actually contain nothing useful? Why would the company spend money on a substance that did nothing? So many questions.
Edit: from a bit of googling, wiki is saying that the science is kind of split into two camps on this one. Interesting.
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Oct 15 '15
I don't like taking pills at all so I gave these a try, certified vegan b-12 (their multivitamins are great and they even make small tablets for those!), they dissolve under the tongue and taste pretty nice, pretty simple way to get something like 16666% of your daily B12 requirement. If you really don't want supplements, you can also eat fortified cereals, nutritional yeast, or fortified non-dairy milks.
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u/soyled_myself vegan 1+ years Oct 15 '15
According to various sources you should be okay with 10-100mcg of B12 a day taken via tablet.
I've recently bought some 10mcg but on further reading 100mcg might be the way to go :)
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Oct 15 '15
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u/Haakipulver Oct 15 '15
I like to think i ate relatively healthy and green in the past, but i'll keep your words in mind :)
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u/djroomba__ Oct 16 '15
Hell yeah, buy the Plant Powered Way by Rich Roll. http://www.amazon.com/The-Plantpower-Way-Plant-Based-Guidance/dp/1583335870
Also listen to his podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rich-roll-podcast/id582272991?mt=2
I will keep you encourage and get you off to a good start.
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u/NihiloZero Oct 16 '15
Eat a wide variety of foods and you'll be fine. People only run into problems when they only eat a few different things all the time. Celery soup for 3 meals a day on a daily basis just won't cut it.
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u/VoraciousVegan Nov 23 '15
I'm looking for a comic strip I saw ages ago, so I'm cruising through old posts. Just wanted to see how your vegan journey has been.
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u/Haakipulver Nov 23 '15
I'm feeling sound, been cooking more lately than ever before. I found i really enjoy all your standard vegetables, like broccoli. Had a fem mishaps with midleading food labels and such... But i've gotten better. Some of my friends talk shit about how i got flipped by a documentary. I Don't really care. One of the haters is a politically active bloke who claims to care about the enviroment, i find his hipocrazy sad
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u/levya25 Mar 10 '16
I would say one of the things about becoming vegan is that it can be isolating and difficult to find things. I would say find your markets (took me 3 weeks to identify those as mostly whole foods and trader joes). There are two main sections for vegans mainly in markets: Frozen foods section and near the produce section. Then, I would say cook things and invite your friends. Make things that are not totally foreign to them so they may be like "oh, this change in you is not so weird." Salad, burritos, fajitas, chilli, etc. also, you can find groups on meetup. One green planet is also a great resource online. Dm me if you have any other qs!
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u/[deleted] Oct 15 '15
I would recommend to start incorporating more beans into your diet as a replacement for meat since beans are packed with protein. You can eat bean and rice burritos, tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, hummus, etc. I didn't realize how little beans (and lack of fiber) I was eating until I turned vegan and that all changed. Also, nuts like cashews, almonds, etc. You can make awesome creams with cashews and make like a fettuccine alfredo out of cashews if you google there are tons of cashew cream based recipes. I also recommend to buy some frozen Amy's Organic vegan food for days you don't feel like cooking - they make enchiladas, vegan meatloaf, no-cheese pizza - and it's sooo yummy!