Hi Reader,

​

There are just sooo many reasons that I just CAN’T be vegan!​
​

Have you ever heard this line before? Have you ever said this line before? I’m pretty sure you can answer yes to at least one of them. I mean, let's be real, veganism isn’t exactly always welcomed with open arms. Whether it be societal, cultural, or ignorance of the subject to some degree not everyone is or may ever be onboard. But why is that?
​

Let's discuss some of the more common objections to becoming vegan.

• I like the taste of meat
• It’s too expensive to be vegan
• That’s not part of my culture growing up
• It’s too hard and you’re deprived
• Vegans aren’t healthy
• Vegetarianism is practically the same thing

​

I like the taste of meat- I’m going to shock you right now…but I like the taste of meat also.

I didn’t become vegan because I didn’t like meat, I became vegan for my health. I loved meat, it didn’t love me. In fact, it was slowly killing me by having a cholesterol level over 240 mg/dL. That’s stroke territory.

​

You became vegan for your own reason. ​
​

It’s not always about the taste of something, it’s usually something bigger than ourselves and more impactful that causes us to re-examine ourselves and consciously make a decision to change our habits and lives.

And guess what, with so many options now in the vegan realm, you can still enjoy the taste, texture and satisfaction of a meaty dish without sacrificing your values, health, or life of an animal to do so.

​
​

It’s too expensive to be vegan- Well, it could be, but it doesn’t have to be though.

Let’s use a meat analogy. Ever eat steak? I have. When you did, was it everyday? Every week? Probably not. Why?

​

Because steak is expensive.

​

You probably had steak once in a while and settled for chuck or ground round when you wanted meat because it was cheaper and would last longer.

It’s the same thing with being vegan or any other diet for that matter. If you consume more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes/beans, and nuts for example as your primary sources and don't rely so heavily on processed foods, you could save a buck here and there as well.

Of course you could choose to have a primarily organic diet as well which is more expensive, but the point is, depending on what you want to do, costs can be controlled and should not be a negating factor.

​
​

That’s not part of my culture growing up- Seriously, if you grew up in certain households like black, spanish, caribbean, or hell, even the american south or american west…if there wasn’t meat on your plate that day, you might as well say you didn’t eat.

You could have a buffet spread from dawn till dusk, the nectar of the gods pouring down straight from the heavens, and if there was no meat… child, you didn’t eat that day.

​

People aren’t kidding when they say “it wasn’t part of my culture growing up”. It wasn’t natural to them.

​

This is how the majority of us have been raised, that to be healthy or full, you need animal protein. After all, you get your b-12 and iron from meat right, you need animal protein to have a healthy body right?

​
​
​Sorry to shock you again, but the answer is still no.​
​

You can absolutely abstain from all animal products and by-products and still maintain an extremely healthy lifestyle with your vitamins and nutrients intact.

Again using whole foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans and nuts as your primary meal base you can get practically all the necessary vitamins and minerals you need.

Of course you need supplements like b-12, but don’t believe the hype that you need red meat for that. B-12 comes from the dirt and natural bacteria and animals like cows graze on grass. So in turn they absorb the b-12 and we absorb it from consuming animal protein. But you don’t need animal protein to get your b-12. Savvy?

It’s too hard and you’re deprived- I don’t know about you, but the moment I became plant-based I realized that I had so many more options for foods at my disposal than I did when I was an omnivore.

• 1st, what’s exactly hard?
• Are you measuring your growth against what you believe is supposed to be a societal norm?
• Did your friend go vegan overnight and you can’t seem to?
• Did you tell yourself if it doesn’t happen in a month it won’t work?
  ​

I discovered things I never heard of before, or paid attention to things I previously overlooked.

It took me a good year of just experimenting to see what I liked or didn’t like. And trust me, you won’t like everything. And the things you think will be a hindrance usually aren’t.

​
You want to do this thing and succeed? Make a plan that works for YOU and not the guy next to you.

​
​

Vegans aren’t healthy- This one gets a “hardy, hardy, har” from me.

Yes, it’s true, you can be a “junk food vegan” supplementing your lifestyle on processed comfort foods like frozen pizza and fast food burgers, or a pack of oreos (yes, oreo’s are vegan), but for the most part….vegans are very healthy.

In fact, if you take the time to make a plan for yourself, both a transition plan and a basic meal plan, you can live an incredibly healthy lifestyle.

Not to harp on a topic here but enter the whole foods vegan diet once more. I know, I know, you get it by now, but it bears repeating. Fruits, veggies and whole grains first, and limit your intake of processed foods. Check.
​

You don’t believe me about the being incredibly healthy thing? Ok, I warned you.
​

Benefits of being vegan:

• Lower cholesterol
• Lower risk of heart disease (because of lower cholesterol)
• Lower chance of getting certain cancers such as colon cancer
• Manage diabetes by lowering A1C levels
• Reduced risk of chronic diseases
• Promote weight loss
• Better digestion due to higher fiber intake
• Easier recovery from workouts (ask a vegan athlete)
  ​

I’m not gloating here, I’m just saying. You want in? Maybe you need to take a closer look at this vegan thing after all. Just saying.

​
​
​Vegetarianism is practically the same thing- AAAAHHHH, nope, it’s not. Sorry friend, it’s….not.

I applaud my vegetarian brothers and sisters for understanding that animals don’t need to suffer in order for us to be healthy, happy, and satisfied (food wise).

There are actually different kinds of vegetarianism just like there are different kinds of veganism, and honestly, there might be more by the time I finish writing this newsletter.

​

Vegetarians have many categories such as:

• Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians- eat eggs and milk
• Lacto-Vegetarians- eat milk products (no eggs or products with eggs)
• Ovo-Vegetarians- eat eggs and egg products (no milk or products with milk)
• And then you have the Pescetarians (they eat fish and seafood)

​

Vegans have their own categories as well such as:

• Raw Vegans (prefers to keep foods as close to natural state as possible)
• Fruitarians (mostly fruits, possibly nuts/seeds)
• Whole Foods Vegan (minimally processed foods)
• Gluten-Free Vegan (self-explanatory)

​

There’s more, trust me, but you get the gist. The point is vegan and vegetarians both abstain from animal products, but vegetarians do consume animal by-products such as eggs or milk. Vegans do not.
​

That’s the fundamental difference.​
​

Now, if you are transitioning, it may well be in your transition plan to become vegetarian for some time and get used to the changes before fully committing to a vegan lifestyle. There’s nothing wrong with that.

​
​

In conclusion:

Ok, so we’ve had a chance to go over some of the more common objections to vegan transitioning, but honestly, as you can see, becoming vegan doesn’t have to be and really isn’t difficult at all.

Just take some time to review and educate yourself on why you may want to transition and the benefits you are looking to get out of it. Once you know your why, you’ll be better able to have a successful transition.

​

Question for you: What objection to vegan transitioning have you faced? Is there something you’re dealing with right now that you would like more clarity on? Let me know, I’m happy to help with that.

​
Until next time.

​

Thanks again,

Hugs and chocolate kisses! Kadae

​

Want to subscribe to this newsletter? Click Here!​
​

The website Honey & Chocolat | Check us out on Instagram| Pin us on Pinterest​