JUST SAY NO TO SATURATED FAT

The Skeptical Husband brings up some interesting points to ponder. Is he losing weight by avoiding fast food alone or is it the vegan diet that is causing him to lose weight? Here’s the deal, one pretty much avoids all saturated fat by eating a vegan diet. That’s big time. So let’s say The Skeptical Husband eats 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. So 5 times a day for 7 days straight he has chosen not to consume saturated fat. That’s 35 times he said no to saturated fat. No wonder he is shedding the pounds.

The other thing is that when you're vegan you say no to the many foods that you are offered throughout your day. You're offered a slice of pizza at a kids party. You ask if it is vegan. Of course the answer is no. This little scenario repeats itself throughout the day and week at potlucks, parties, bake sales, food samples at stores, etc. As a vegan you are forced to say no to most of these calories you never wanted or needed anyway.

Recently we discussed whether a vegan food truck would do well in our community. Here’s what I’ve concluded, unfortunately the answer is NO. Most Americans have developed an addiction to saturated fats because they taste good. That’s why there are so few vegan items on most restaurant menus.  Just think about how the husband said that the vegan cheese was acceptable. Most diners don’t want to part with their money at a restaurant that has acceptable food, they want their food to taste amazing. For most long term vegans health, the planet, and ethical eating are their top priorities when it comes to food. Fantastic flavor is a bit lower on the list. Sadly, for the general population this mindset is rare.

Regarding the husband's circulation issue, I am quite surprised! You would think if a vegan diet causes nutritional deficiencies, the side effects would not be noticeable for months or even years. I’ve read that stores of Vitamin B-12 in your body will get you through the first few months of veganism. Honestly, I think perhaps The Skeptical Husband’s body is undergoing a bit a shock to the system after regularly consuming animal products for his entire life. I’d love to hear a nutritionist weigh in on this issue.

I can say for certain that long term vegans should find out what constitutes proper vegan nutrition, and then, if necessary, supplement any nutritional deficiencies with plant-based protein powders, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D2, vegan DHA capsules, iron, and calcium. Keep in mind that it is not advisable for pregnant women and babies to consume a vegan diet.  

That being said The Skeptical Husband brought up a good point the other day. According to Will Tuttle, author of The World Peace Diet, humans are not meant to eat meat. If we were our teeth and digestive systems would be designed differently. The husband’s argument is that if humans are designed to only eat plants then vegans would not experience any nutritional deficiencies and would not need to supplement their diets with vitamins to stay healthy. Hummm??? Food for thought.