Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular in today’s environmentally friendly world. Every once in a while, someone will try going vegetarian for a time to see how it feels. In many cases, they find that it suits their body and philosophy just right. That’s how a lot of vegans start out, but it’s not where the story ends. Being vegan is more of a lifestyle choice than it is a dietary shift, though most people don’t see it as such. There are a lot of misconceptions that surround veganism and its aspects, and it’s time to debunk them.

It’s just about cutting out the meat

It’s true that vegans will avoid meat, but this is an aspect of the lifestyle people put too much emphasis on. It’s not just about getting rid of meat and dairy products from one’s diet, it’s an entire philosophy that affects everyday activities, including food consumption. When you go vegan, you’re tacking on all of these responsibilities at once.

Everything from the clothes we wear to the food we eat can come from unethical sources. If a living animal is harmed to create these things, it doesn’t seem morally right to use or benefit from them. While you may not be holding the knife or the shears, by buying these things, you’re allowing the propagation of cruel methods.

The avoidance of exploitation of animals is what veganism is all about, and this is something that can affect just about everything in your day-to-day life. Eating plant-based food is just a small part of it.

Veganism is unhealthy

People often parrot the idea that veganism is an inherently unhealthy way to live. This is attributed to the fact that certain foods contain some pretty essential elements that our bodies need to function properly. It’s not quite as simple as most people make it out to be.

While meat, dairy, and fish are rich in nutrients that help our bodies grow and develop, they aren’t absolutely essential. More importantly, these nutrients aren’t exclusively found within animal and fish products. There’s certainly a risk in getting a nutritional deficiency or two, but this risk is severely mitigated when you compensate with the right supplements and foodstuffs.

Contrary to popular belief, vegans don’t just eat vegetables alone. The vegan diet can be pretty complex and often contain special fruits, nuts, grains, and many more. Vegan food can also replace most of the common foodstuffs people eat every day. There’s even vegan cheese available, which isn’t made from typical dairy products. There’s a lot more variety than you might expect of vegan food, which is precisely why so many individuals are turning to this philosophy of their own accord.

Vegans are pushy and annoying

It’s not exactly fair to throw veganism under the bus this way. While there might be a vocal minority of vegans that push their lifestyle onto others or try to guilt-trip them into changing, this is definitely the exception, rather than the rule. You have to consider that this kind of behavior is common in all lifestyles that differ somewhat from the norm. The good nature of veganism just provides a platform for those that might abuse it to try to influence other people. The vast majority of vegans are simply trying to live their life according to their principles, without trying to change or “convert” others. While encouragement is always there, it’s hardly ever aggressively shoved in peoples’ faces.

Vegan diets leave you weak

It’s no secret that people don’t exactly have the best view of veganism and those who adhere to it. In many cases, the root cause of this is the view that a vegan diet doesn’t supply your body with enough nutrients to keep it healthy and strong. There’s a pervasive view of vegans as being frail and relatively weak, even though this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The most oft-mentioned essential nutrient that should be lacking is none other than the common protein. A lack of animal products seems like it would decrease your protein intake, but that shouldn’t be the case with a healthy vegan diet. There’s no shortage of protein-rich vegetables and legumes that would satisfy the average vegan’s daily protein needs. Let’s not forget about grains and nuts, which also pack quite the punch with proteins.

Even if you don’t enjoy these options, there are tons of ways to supplement protein intake, whether you’re a vegan or not. Finding an organic protein powder that suits your diet isn’t such a difficult task anymore. Vegans can enjoy having more than enough protein to go around. This can help with diets that need to be adapted to increased physical training and exercise. It would be hard to differentiate between a bodybuilder that’s sticking to a regular diet versus one that is on a vegan diet. The results remain the same.

It’s not affordable

When you get everything else out of the way, money starts being an issue. Veganism is often thought of as a “rich man’s” lifestyle. If you’re able to avoid all the essential meats and dairy products, you must be able to afford some pretty interesting foods to compensate. The truth is far from it, as vegan diets aren’t particularly expensive or difficult to maintain. What you see at restaurants doesn’t reflect the real price of vegan food. You can make just about any vegan meal on a budget, as long as you are adept enough at cooking. A few spices here and there make a real difference, but the core foodstuffs remain cheap.

Conclusion

There are lots of harmful and untrue stereotypes that surround the vegan lifestyle. Debunking them isn’t a matter of making veganism more popular or widespread, it’s just about telling the truth. If someone wants to try out a vegan lifestyle, these stereotypes will only hold them back. It’s important that there are no lies or misconceptions that influence their decision.