Frequently Asked Questions

What is a vegan?
A strict vegetarian who consumes no animal food or dairy.  Go to What is Veganism for details.

How do you pronounce “vegan”?
vEE-gun

What do vegans eat?
Vegans eat from the new four foods groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. It is always a good idea to balance your diet and eat some of each food groups on a regular basis.

Why become vegan?
Overall, the reasons to become a vegan fit into one or more of four main categories. There are environment reasons, health benefits, concern for  animals, and religious reasons.

Where do vegans get their calcium?
From a variety of plant foods.  Read Vitamins/Nutrients for more information.

Where do you get essential nutrients?
Vegans get all their essential nutrients from the variety of vegetables and grains they eat.

Where do you shop for food?
Natural foods stores are the best choice, although any store will do as long as you read the ingredient labels.

When should you start?
The sooner the better!   

How can you start?
It is sometimes better to start out slow instead of making a complete change.

How much does it cost?
Veganism costs less than the consequences of the alternative. Although in general, you can expect to pay more for food, in the long-term veganism costs less. Vegans can often avoid expensive hospital bills, surgery, and medication. By eating vegan, you can save thousands of dollars by reducing or eliminating the need for this unnecessary treatment

What do vegans do about social events?
Social events can be a little more difficult, but there is usually always something vegan.

Don’t you need to eat meat, eggs, cheese, and milk to obtain the right amount of vitamin B12 and Calcium?
No, check out our Vitamins/Nutrients page for an in depth explanation.

Citations and References