Fun responses for vegans

[Veganitaliana]

My son just got asked the question "Where do you get your iron from?" by a fellow classmate. He's only eleven and he said that there's probably more in plant products than animal products. He wasn't satisfied with his answer so when he got home for lunch he asked me. We went through all the labels in the cupboard. All of the food products have pretty high iron contents but the black bean label specified that one cup had 70% of the daily requirement of iron. He brought that bag to school and told his friend to show his parents (who were most likely behind the question to begin with)

Ciao,

[erske]

recently calculated my nutritional intake of most nutrients for a bunch of test-diets and averaged 21g of iron, more than dubble the swedish recommendations... (even if it should be said that animal iron (hem-) is more esily absorbed)

[Cookie]

When asked if being vegan meant I ate grass-

Yes, I'm growing my fourth stomach as we speak.

The truly awesome thing was when my stomach gurgled right on cue- it was lunchtime but it just added to the effect

[Veganitaliana]

recently calculated my nutritional intake of most nutrients for a bunch of test-diets and averaged 21g of iron, more than dubble the swedish recommendations... (even if it should be said that animal iron (hem-) is more esily absorbed)

How fun to be taking tests-I should be doing that too-to check out my B12 levels for instance. Were you doing it for your own health reasons or participating in a study? Since I'm a new vegan, what specifically aside from B12, should I ask my doctor to look for?

BTW, John Robbins seems to suggest in his book "The Food Revolution" or possible "Healthy at 100" I can't remember which that just like protein, iron levels are probably way too much in most people. He even says that one of the factors that give women longer longevity is the loss of iron through our monthly cycles.

p.s. I love the "I eat my own toe nails" response.

[erske]

When asked if I eat gras I tend to anser that I do base a big part of my diet on diferent kinds of gras: oat, corn, wheat, rice, etc...

Veganitaliana :
I didn´t take any tests on my self (even if I would like to) but cept a food diary of everything I ate while I ate several special diets (For school, studying to be a dietitian, to determin if we could compose this diferent diets in a good way and get to feel how it was to eat them. ex. gluten free, soja free, lowfat, lowprotein, tubefeeding ) And then calculated the nutrientintake from that.

If you just recently became Vegen, low intakes of B12 might not show in bloodtest, since the liver can stor suficient suplies for up to 5-7years. When I have counted on my eatings, Riboflavin usualy comes up a little short (not to say that would be relevant for all vegans), also selenium since the soils in sweden are very poor off that. And vitamin D that could be a problem if you live in a northern country where the sun dosn´t shine for so long in the winter and consequently your skin is covered up for the cold.

[Godless Heathen]

If I didn't draw the line with plants there would be no stopping me, I'd eat pigs and cows and then move right on to golden retrievers and the occasional ill supervised toddler...

[Hiking Fox]

I just tell people I consider myself an adult, as I was weaned a long time ago.

[Enhydra Lutris]

If I didn't draw the line with plants there would be no stopping me, I'd eat pigs and cows and then move right on to golden retrievers and the occasional ill supervised toddler...

[erske]

A slow, litle by litle, developing grin folowd by: Why? Do You feel thretend??

[phaedral]

G'day all. I hope this isn't too extreme, but I often say "I was tripping on acid in the Indian Himalaya when this multi coloured cow approached me and gave me a full lecture on the evils of eating meat." Then I change the subject with "How about that traffic, eh?"

Erske's "Because it's cool" is probably the single best answer, for my money, straight away short circuiting the negative presuppositions and pejorative connotations behind most of the questions. It _is_ cool. But when I went through my brief pot-head stage being vegan was a necessity. I just couldn't fathom any other way to eat. My body was lighter and happier and cleaner, inside and out, when I forsook land animals and squeezin's.

I also like Erske's response because it's the polar opposite of the nearest and dearest veggie/vegan in my life, my little sister. I once saw her kick a dude in the shins with her steel toed boots for daring to eat a turkey sandwich in front of her. That attitude may not be as prevalent other places, but it always seemed to me too many vegans here in Southern California were humorless, stuck up, holier than thou sh*ts.

The very first time I went veggie (not vegan) I had sushi relapse dreams. Twice. Today I still allow honey and the occasional bit of fish and I haven't even thought about giving up my Birkenstocks. But I've been thrilled at the general attitude of folks here, which seems to be "let's encourage the good behavior instead of sh*ttng all over people for what we disagree with." So I get to hang out with cool folks who are ahead of me on the curve and learn from them. Pretty cool indeed.

Peace.

[passionforcompassion]

That attitude may not be as prevalent other places, but it always seemed to me too many vegans here in Southern California were humorless, stuck up, holier than thou sh*ts.

Yeah, I agree. I used to really not like vegans as a whole, till I met some nice ones and realized it isn't a good idea to base your opinions on a group of people just because of a few.

Anyway, I love when people ask me if I am a hippie.
I always say something sarcastic like "Yeah, I like to hold hands and dance around in circles in my commune"

This is really only funny to those who know me. I hate to admit it, but I am not the friendliest person.

[sage]

Q. Where do you get your protein?

A. Ever watch Popeye? He doesn't sit down and have a Big Mac.

[Frostfire]

Okay, okay, I just had to add my favorite:

Tofuck you meateater!

[Fancymushroom]

"Oh, ok. I'm a vegetarian... Except for chicken and fish."
"Oh right, coz I'm a non-smoker... Except for ciggarettes."

[Holly]

they are awesome. I am so going to use some of them Im sick of people asking me why and what I eat ect. I suppose y'll are too. haha now Im just going to ease the converstation with a joke.