Blog

Is Coffee Vegan?

4/19/2018

Is it OK for vegans to drink coffee?

Q:
Is there anything in coffee or that's part of the growing and processing of coffee beans that isn't vegan?

Tension at the Table

4/5/2018

Anger, no matter how righteous, can be as destructive and counterproductive as any other type of anger.

Q:
We are desperate for help to keep our family together and loving each other. My grandson has been a vegan since he was about thirteen. He is now twenty-five and currently lives with us. His continual anger toward us because we eat meat has created a great deal of unhappiness and division within our family.

Too Much Nooch?

3/22/2018

Is it possible to get too much of a good thing?

Q:
I love nutritional yeast and sprinkle it liberally on almost all of the dishes I prepare at home (beans, soups, sauces, steamed veggies, salads, popcorn, and more). Is it possible to overdo nooch, or is it pretty much harmless?

Should I Treat If They Eat Meat?

3/8/2018

A true gift takes into account the preferences of the recipient.

Q:
What should I do when I take meat-eating friends out to lunch and I offer to treat? I'm really disturbed by the thought of paying for a meat meal, but I feel equally uncomfortable saying, “Sorry, but I won't spend my money on increasing the suffering of animals.”

Will Veganism Make a Difference?

2/22/2018

Should the effect our ethical choices have on other people matter?

Q:
An acquaintance of mine recently found out that my boyfriend and I are vegan and was curious to know why. He said he hoped it wasn’t to “save the cows” because it won’t work -- one person not eating animal products isn't going to change anything. I explained that I wasn’t the only one and that there are quite a few vegans around the world. He still insisted that nothing will change because people's food habits are culturally ingrained.

Making Vegan Gelatin

2/1/2018

Q:
I would like to make vegan Jell-O. I know that I need to use agar, but what about the flavoring?

Rooming with a Vegan

1/18/2018

Can vegans and nonvegans get along living under the same roof?

Q:
I am a nonvegan who is searching for a roommate. I came across an ad placed by a woman who also is looking for a roommate. I called her, and she sounds great, but she did mention that she's vegan. I was wondering what I could expect sharing space with a vegan. She told me she has lived with nonvegans before, but one remark has me concerned. She said she may not be able to concentrate on her studies if I were cooking meat. However, she did express interest in living with me. If a vegan says she is willing to live with a nonvegan, should I expect that she will be tolerant of my nonvegan lifestyle?

Should We Prioritize Our Compassion?

12/7/2017

Should concerns about animals take a back seat to concerns about other people?

Q:
I had been vegetarian for many years and then became vegan, but I struggled with an ethical dilemma. After spending several months working overseas in Guatemala, I questioned whether veganism is for me. Aside from the dietary struggles facing a vegan in the poorer countries of the world, I faced some value conflicts. After seeing the extreme poverty and suffering of many Guatemalans, the plight of animals just seemed less important.

Holiday Heartache

11/16/2017

Many people have idealistic expectations for holidays, but reality doesn't always bend to our wishes.

Q:
My best friend, who isn't vegan, invited my family to a traditional Thanksgiving celebration. Initially I turned her down because I didn't want to be surrounded by a dead bird and other animal products. But she came back a few days later and offered to make a vegan feast instead. When her other friends were told of the change in menu, they reacted with extreme hostility, and now the whole thing is off. I want to help my bestie deal with her other friends' reactions, but I feel lost. Any suggestions?

How Much Is Enough?

10/26/2017

How can we distinguish between extravagance and necessity, desire and need?

Q:
In your writings you've mentioned that it's important for everyone to "learn how to maintain a comfortable and responsible balance between austerity and excess." This is something I grapple with every day. Do you have any suggested questions that I could ask myself when I'm in the midst of decision-making that would help me determine if my choices fit somewhere between the two?

Sharing the Table with Meat Eaters

10/5/2017

What should vegans do when friends, family, or colleagues eat meat in their presence?

Q:
A dilemma that keeps turning up in my life is the issue of sharing meals with nonvegans while they're eating meat. My wife is very much against it and has decided to arrive at gatherings after the food has been consumed. Some family members are okay with this, but others are not. My mother feels that we should be with the entire family to “break bread,” as she says. I say that “breaking bread” would be fine, just not “breaking animals.”

Instilling Vegan Values

9/21/2017

When it comes to food choices, where does a parent's rule end and a child's independence begin?

Q:
Most vegans seem to be concerned about how meat-eating parents react to nonconforming vegan teens. But what if the tables were turned? What if a child was raised vegan but later began eating meat against the family’s wishes? In that event, what should parents do?

The B12 Dilemma: Does It Invalidate Veganism?

9/7/2017

If vegans need to supplement with vitamin B12, doesn't that mean a vegan diet isn't what nature intended for us?

Q:
I'm considering going vegan, because the thought of consuming the products of animal suffering is becoming more and more unacceptable to me. However, I'm concerned that there really aren't any good plant sources of vitamin B12. If that is true, then doesn't it mean that nature intended humans to consume meat and/or other animal products? On the one hand, in would seem that our bodies are meant to obtain vitamin B12 through animal sources, but on the other hand, the ethical part of me feels that consuming animal products is wrong. Any insights?

Handling a Vegan Houseguest

8/24/2017

Most vegans are open-minded, flexible, and accepting, and hope for a similar level of tolerance in return.

Q:
My daughter is currently completing an internship out of state. She will be returning home soon and will be bringing a friend with her whom she met during her placement. We have been told that her friend follows a vegan lifestyle. We want to be gracious hosts and not offend her or cause undue hardships for her while she is staying with us. Could you give us any practical advice? We would like to make her feel at home.

Animal Suffering: Is There a Karma Connection?

8/3/2017

Is the suffering of animals an unavoidable consequence of their past lives?

Q:
Recently a friend and I decided to attend a vegetarian conference to find out what the fuss is all about. After discovering the countless reasons for becoming vegan, I decided to adopt the lifestyle. However, my friend is still adamant about eating meat. He strongly believes in karma and thinks that all the suffering that's brought upon the animals is just a part of the natural spiritual cycle.

Limited by Locality?

7/20/2017

Is it possible to eat ethically grown produce year-round?

Q:
I am trying to transition to a more compassionate way of living -- beyond eating a vegan diet and other lifestyle changes -- by purchasing local produce to reduce my impact on the environment. During the growing season in my state (May through October), I’ve been buying most of my fruits and vegetables at a farmer's market, where the produce is from local and often organic growers. I’m uncertain, however, about what to do in the cold-weather months.

Avoiding Potluck and Picnic Pitfalls

6/28/2017

Potlucks can be hazardous in terms of foodborne pathogens and allergens.

Q:
Please address a particular situation my family and I often encounter: the omnivore potluck or picnic. Yes, we do bring one or more vegan dishes for ourselves and to share. However, is there any tactful way to ask the proverbial question: "Is there meat in this dish?"

Shopping with a Conscience

6/15/2017

With vegan start-ups regularly being bought out by huge corporations, how can vegans make ethical purchases?

Q:
As a vegan, I try to make deliberate and informed choices. To that end, I have recently come across information that has left me a bit perplexed. It seems that quite a few vegan brands are being bought out by large corporations, some of which are involved in producing, processing, and supplying animal products -- the very products that we as vegans try not to support.

Are Vegans Driven by Guilt?

6/1/2017

Is guilt a good motivator to become vegan?

Q:
After being a vegetarian for about seven years, I developed lactose intolerance and a severe gluten allergy. I began avoiding dairy products for this reason. (I already intensely disliked eggs, so not eating them was a no-brainer for me.) After reading several articles about how animals are bred for food and other commodities, I was reluctant to use dairy products with reduced lactose content because I felt extremely guilty knowing the conditions dairy cows live in. Are feelings of guilt the reason why people choose to go vegan?

Plant-Based Panacea?

5/18/2017

Why can't people understand how easy it would be to improve their health with a vegan diet?

Q:
A number of my friends, family, and coworkers have serious or chronic illnesses that I’m certain could be cured if they became vegan. But every time I bring it up, they get angry and defensive. I’m deeply saddened and hurt by their reactions, and I’m frustrated they won’t listen to me or let me help them. It breaks my heart that they won’t consider such a simple dietary change, even though it could turn their health around. What more can I do?

<<Previous

Grassroots Vegan
Q&As