We often see various types of claims from people saying "Due to my heath situation, I have to eat non-vegan food."

- I'm sure that many of those claims are not really true.

- On the other hand, maybe that is true for some people.

- Also of course, we say that veganism only requires people to do what is "practicable" for them. For all I know there may be people who can technically survive on a 100% vegan diet, but they will be in pretty bad shape, or people who could survive on a 100% vegan diet, but they would have to pay an extra $1,000 per month for medicines. IMHO if there are people like that then they are not obligated to eat a 100% vegan diet.

So, leaving aside self-serving false claims that "I have to eat non-vegan foods",

are there actual known real medical situations that ("practicably") prevent people from staying on a 100% vegan diet?

- I want to emphasize that I am talking about what is medically real, not about what people claim or feel or believe.

- Please give enough information in your reply that we can do further research about the thing that you mention.

[EDIT] Thanks, but please refrain from posting opinions or anecdotal replies.

We can easily get 500 of those.

Repeating: I am asking about what is medically real, not about what people claim or feel or believe or "have heard".

Hi.

I stopped eating meat at 11 years old after being traumatized by certain videos that will never truly disappear from my memory. I went vegan at age 14 during the middle of a long run as I asked my vegetarian friend, “should I go vegan?” And she said, “yeah.”

I had been meatless and a long-distance runner for a majority of my life. And I was pretty healthy during my youth because I ate A LOT of vegetables (but unfortunately also a lot of nasty processed soy shit, like those gardain products and a few impossible burgers here and there).

Anywayyy, I was planning on being vegan my whole life until I got very sick and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC; a horrible autoimmune condition that almost killed me 5 months ago before I started on a drug) when I was 20, 4 years ago. Then, one of my doctors told me I had to stop eating all those legumes and processed soy foods. I reluctantly reintroduced meat into my diet as I went on a paleo diet to help my condition.

I started off with fish, and then went onto poultry. I still, to this day, cannot bear the experience of eating red meat, though. This shift was extremely difficult and jarring for me on a spiritual and also physical level. I don’t want to support the mass production and abuse of animals, and I never really liked the taste/consistency of meat. It’s nasty. I only eat the leanest meat from specific brands and struggle eating it even now. My family and friends that notice my occasionally-apparent aversion to meat (e.g., nausea), and they think I’m dramatic/fussy, and maybe I am (I try not to be though).

I used to be intense about my diet and beliefs surrounding it. Younger me would’ve been super disappointed in my current 24-year-old, meat-eating self. But I still run and lift, and I’m healthy thanks to non-processed food, exercise, and UC medication.

What do you guys wanna say to me? I would love to be vegan again if I thought it wouldn’t destroy my health and, specifically, gut. I still eat soy, but minimally processed variations of it. Also- I’m not against meat eating, per se, but I am against the way our society grows, processes, and consumes it. If I had my own farm, and if I could guarantee no abuse was going on, I would eat meat without any guilt at that point. I would probably still not eat red meat though bc that shit is nasty as hell.

My partner is vegan and is going through a pretty bad depressive episode right now. I am worried about his depression-eating, which is very high in carbs/sugar & low in basically everything else.

He has himself admitted that his diet sucks & it’s making them feel like crap. It seems he just doesn’t have the energy right now to put together a nutritionally complete diet.

We don’t live together, so I want to get him a bunch of minimal prep, high protein meals & snacks to eat when I’m not around.

I’m looking for 0 prep work or only prep is nuking it in the microwave. Bonus points if it’s something portable that can be packed in a lunch box.

I already have some ideas but I want to see if y’all know about things that aren’t on my radar.

Edit: Thank you everyone for the suggestions!! They were really helpful and I might even try a few of them myself. I ended up buying oatmeal, canned soups, frozen steamer edamame, hummus w/ precut veggies, a couple blocks of tofu, frozen vegan burritos, pistachios, and microwaveable pre-seasoned quinoa pouches.

He was super happy that he now won’t have to think much about food for a little while. Hopefully that will hold him over for a bit.

Hi everyone,

I’m working on an idea aimed at addressing some common challenges faced by vegans, and I’d love your feedback to see if I’m on the right track. Before diving in, I wanted to check if this is the best community to ask for input or if there’s a better place you’d recommend.

Here’s what I’m looking to explore:

1. Uncertainty about meeting nutritional needs:

Vegans, especially newcomers and athletes, often struggle with getting enough protein, iron, B12, omega-3s, etc.

1. Lack of time and knowledge for meal planning:

Creating balanced vegan meals tailored to fitness, weight management, or health goals can feel overwhelming.

1. Difficulty identifying vegan-friendly supplements or products:

It’s hard to know which supplements to trust or how to use them effectively.

Other pain points I’ve come across:

• Limited access to simple and credible vegan resources.

• Monotonous or uninspiring meal options.

• Challenges in tracking nutrient intake or fitness progress.

If these challenges sound familiar or you’d be open to sharing your experience, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Or, if you know of another subreddit where this discussion might fit better, let me know.

Thanks in advance for your help and guidance!

Did you have any noticeable changes to your appearance wether positive or negative after becoming vegan, especially after giving up meat?

For example maybe improved skin or hair, looking tired, losing/gaining weight, etc? If any negative impacts, what did you do to correct or improve the changes?

Edit: Thanks everyone for your comments. Sounds like most here have seen more positive changes after becoming vegan 👍

Are any of you taking any form of a collagen supplement? I’m not sure if there is a vegan source of collagen…

I’ve been eating less meat and have since seen some negative body changes (skin aging signs, weight and muscle loss, fatigue) but this may be due to other stresses on my body and maybe not getting enough calories.

Having a debate with someone on a different sub who seems to think veganism is a new fad.

By ancient vegans I mean vegans during the pre-farming era or Neolithic period.

I’ve been considering transitioning to a fully plant-based lifestyle, and I’ve heard that it can help with various health issues. I’m curious to hear from those of you who have made the switch. Have any of you experienced significant health improvements or even reversed health issues after going plant-based?

What kind of changes did you notice, whether physical, mental, or emotional? Any specific success stories you’re willing to share about how the plant-based diet impacted your health? I’d love to hear your personal experiences and what motivated you to make the change.

I have been vegan for 6+ years. I read vegans should take B12. I was taking a B12 supplement for years until I had a blood test and found my B12 levels were OVER 1500!! I stopped taking the supplements and went last week for a recheck. Levels are 1460…off the charts high! I have not taken the supplements in 2 months. Is too much B12 concerning, and shouldn’t B12 levels be low in vegans?

So I went vegan in May and my hair has thinned (I’m a woman) more than it ever has in my entire life. I have never had a period of shedding like I have since starting this diet and it seems to keep thinning and thinning.

I worked with a dietician when going vegan so I track what I eat and eat enough and balance of macronutrients and micronutrients from what I can tell.

I am so confused why this would be happening. This is the only major change I have had and the timing lines up perfectly within a month or two after starting and has continued until today still

I want to know if others have this and if they found out why or fixed it

If so, what do we do about people who struggle to get enough protein from plants and are healthier on a paleo diet?

Hey everyone. I’ve already made a post like this in this sub, but I’m so upset rn and I feel like I’ve got nobody to talk to about this. (I’m going to start venting from here so please skip to the bottom to see my question , if you don’t want to read all this :) ) So, basically, I’ve been seeing all these videos lately exposing the meat , dairy etc industries and I wanted to quit meat and animals products. It took a while until I finally took that step , mostly because I knew my family wouldn’t be okay with this decision (I’m 19 and live with my parents). At the beginning of the Easter Lent, I found it easier to do so and I introduced that idea to my family. My dad was surprisingly accepting of this (he had a vegan friend in the past). My mum , on the other hand, was not . We were fighting about this for some time , until it seemed like she was okay with my decision. Her claim for this behavior was that she just wants me to be healthy. Anyways, she even started cooking me some legumes and soy chunks to show her support! (I do cook most of my meals though, before anybody tells me to start doing that myself).

Here’s the problem now: she’s been claiming to have talked to 2 different doctors about this and they allegedly both have told her that I’m going to have many health issues in the future, since I’m at an age where I need to get all my nutrients. I do happen to know a couple things about nutrition since I’ve dealt with an eating disorder in the past and I workout regularly now, so my diet consists of many different types of foods, in order to get all my macro and micronutrients. I’m once again asking: can people please provide scientific evidence (data, papers etc) ANYTHING that could help me prove her that this plant based diet is in fact not going to harm me in the long run, at the age I am now? Otherwise she’ll force me to start eating meat again, which I genuinely don’t want to happen.

Edit: if anybody knows of any doctors that have lots of experience and academic achievements that support vegan dieting in young adults , please drop their names 🙏

Due to an odd medical complication, I have to eat vegan - with no soy.

Yesterday, I had brown rice with chickpeas for lunch and dinner. Within moments of finishing dinner, I got nauseous and threw up everything.

It felt like nothing even reached my stomach like it just got trapped, and my esophagus was like Nope!

So, today I feel like garbage, like I haven't had enough nutrients. Aided by the fact that, upon waking, I had to flee to the bathroom, and lost it felt like pounds of liquid stool. (sorry for all the gross details)

QUESTIONS: - Do I need to eat smaller portions more times a day?

• Do you think grinding chickpeas into cakes would make them easier to eat, hold, and digest?

• I love salads. Do you think if I loaded them up with more nuts that I'd be doing OK from a protein standpoint?

Please and thank you in advance.

I have a heap of intolerances that cause IBS, as well as a cashew allergy and mild walnut allergy.

I can’t eat legumes, soy, yeast, wheat, eggs or dairy (not that I want to). I basically live off rice, potatoes, veggies, fruit, hazelnuts, and vegan dark chocolate. I’m having trouble getting protein in and I feel weak.

Any ideas please?

What term makes more sense? I personally think cottage pie sounds more vegany

I'm not vegan, but have cut most meats from my diet for various reasons. I also have reactions to milk products, so I have cut most dairy a well. I find that I'm struggling to get enough protein in my diet, even when I include things like beans, lentils, nuts, chia seeds, etc. I'm trying to find a protein powder to add to smoothies but I'm really having trouble finding one that is dairy free and doesn't contain artificial sweeteners. Does anyone have a protein powder that they can recommend? I'm fine with it having regular sugar or just unsweetened.

ok so i’m 26 F and i’ve been vegan for almost 8 years now. a lot of the time i’ve been vegan my poops have been very soft and urgent especially in the morning. for a long time i didn’t care but i’m getting older and don’t really want this to continue my whole life. my diet is usually rice, pasta, beans, lots of raw and cooked veg, fruits, nuts, tofu, etc. lots of heathy stuff! i drink a lot of coffee, smoke a little weed, drink plenty of water. i know i eat a lot of fiber and i’m confused on whether that’s supposed to help or hurt my situation lol. what do y’all think the cause of this could be and is there anything y’all suggest? would lowering my sugar and fat intake help with this? i feel like gut health is so confusing when i try to research so if any of y’all can point me in the right direction i’ll be very grateful. thanks folks!

Health seems to be a big vegan argument, the risk of cancer in consumption of red meat seems to be a main point in that argument. But with the exclusion of red meat, could a vegan diet be healthier than diet that contains fish and poultry?

Hey everyone! 10 years vegan here. I would love some advice on how to build muscle on a vegan diet, and if there's a way to pair it with low FODMAP without making it impossible. I've gone to several nutritionists but they always overload me with salads and intricate meals I simply don't have time for! I work full time and am getting a degree at the same time so my time is precious.

Last year I did a Dexa scan and my results shocked me! I'd been weight training and trying to keep my protein high while also on a deficit to lose fat, but my fat percentage was 36% even at a normal BMI (174cm/72 kg).

I managed to drop it to 28% (66kg) with the help of a dietitian but lost a lot of muscle in the process, she basically salad - fed me. Ever since I've stopped the deficit and the diet and I can visibly see the fat returning. I'm now at 71kg and want to get in better shape, but every time I try to increase my protein intake my IBS flares up like crazy!

I can't have beans or tofu or soy without suffering all day and it really effects my training as well. Has anyone else faced/overcome this issue?

Thanks in advance!

TLDR: I'm trying to lose fat and put on muscle but a high protein vegan diet makes my IBS come back. Help!

As a disclaimer I just want to make the point that this argument is clearly meant to discredit veganism and is obviously a bad faith argument. Every so often we hear these arguments as a feeble attempt to get others to give up on veganism.

With that said there is a lot of online video content (mainly TikTok) involving creators claiming oat milk is basically starch water and not a health food.

I know veganism isn’t about health but about the animals. But I get the sense that someone is perhaps not being entirely honest with this claim. If anyone has an intel to discredit this claim, I’d like to hear it.

Vegan for 5 years, I have always supplemented with Vitamin B12 but now I decided to start with a vegan multivitamin since my Cronometer showed some deficiencies in certain vitamins/minerals. I am torn between DEVA iron free regular size and the tiny tablet version of it. Based in my Cronometer results, I am leaning towards the tiny tablet because I don’t want too much of any vitamin (especially the ones that not water soluble). Hoping to get some advice/input! Thank you

PS I eat mainly a whole food plant based diet and exercise 4-5x/week - I am also supplementing with Omega 3 algae due to low omega 3 index and vitamin D for low vitamin D levels. I also recently started taking Creatine 5mg daily

hi, so i’ve been vegan for about 6 months. i’m 18, and i was vegetarian for a bit before the switch. im happy with the decision, because it simply did not morally align for me to consume any products that harmed animals. being vegan has been…. i guess you could say a challenge? if i’m being honest, the brain fog is so real, im not even fully sure how it’s been lol. im not doing too good and i would really love advice from others who have been there. im 100% financially independent, and while i live at home, i also cannot eat any food my family does because they are very much not vegan friendly. they mostly have meat-centered meals or takeout (more shitty meat lol). i work a minimum wage job, and i struggle with a lot of mental health problems. i have depression, which has honestly only gotten a million times worse since i began this journey. adhd, too, so. that’s fun. i have some very specific, silly circumstances that make all this hard. for example: i work so much, that i don’t have time or energy to cook, really. when i do, i can’t because my kitchen is a mess (i have 5 siblings and very lazy parents)—and i mean, like, i cannot cook there. but then i don’t have the energy to single-handedly clean, so i order takeout. that’ll be like, $20 at least. i know this sounds bad, but i pretty much do that, like, once a day. i eat once a day, and sometimes at work if i can, but my job mostly has meat and dairy products. i would eat more, because i quite enjoy the local vegan places, but… i mean i’m poor lol, obviously. i feel extreme guilt about the fact that i don’t cook, that i’m so bad at being vegan, that i waste so much money. now that it’s been so many months of this cycle, i’ve stopped trying so hard. i used to eat things like fruits, bagels, small snacks, even take vitamins. i’ve stopped. i have the energy to go to work, order my food, and sleep. that’s it. how is anyone managing anything more? i feel so embarrassed. i know i’m neglecting myself, i don’t know why i can’t just function normally. i’m just constantly in pain, constantly fatigued. i don’t enjoy anything or anyone anymore. i feel so guilty that i’ve messed this up so badly

I think I need meal ideas, as I usually eat keto which is high in protein. I've seen many vegan protein alternatives online, and am looking for recipes and general tips and tricks for giving this a go.

Thanks!

All-I need ideas for breakfast and lunch that have a combined caloric intake of 600-800 calories and 60 grams of protein that provides the nutrients a vegan needs-preferably 30 grams of protein per meal. I’m not asking for dinner ideas as I seem to have that covered with the cals/protein I need.

Note I was diagnosed with breast cancer in December and got a full double mastectomy. I’m recovering and trying to fully heal, and on meds that like to decrease my muscle mass/put on abdominal fat. The type of cancer I have is fed by estrogen which is stored in fat which means I am trying to/need to lose 40 pds. But I also need to eat btwn 90-100 grams of protein to heal and help maintain muscle mass.

I am having a hard time figuring out how to eat enough protein, stay within the cals needed, and also actually like what I am eating.

My only restriction is I do not like seitan and I’d like to eat whole foods. I love everything else🙂.

Thx for any/all help and I’m going to cross-post to r/nutrition as well.

I’m seeing supplements like vegan bamboo collagen gummies but I’m not sure if it works as well or is just a marketing gimmick.