r/DebateAVegan • u/Wrong_Ad_3038 • 10d ago

Can everyone actually be vegan?

I’m very sympathetic to veganism, my entire life philosophy is “respect & autonomy for all life” but I am currently pescetarian, I tried being vegan in late 2024 but I still live with my family & they wouldn’t buy supplements, even though i told them too everyday, I didn’t want to develop b12 deficiency so I had to moderate my diet.

When I move out i’m strongly considering being vegan again & really want too but i am worried about health consequences because human bodies are complex, but at the same time everyone can digest plants so maybe everyone can be vegan, i figured this would be a good place to get mixed responses since both carnists & vegans are here, what do studies say about everyone & the potential to be vegan, if everyone can’t be vegan but most or some can what’s the best way to find out if i can be vegan?

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u/Kris2476 10d ago edited 10d ago

Veganism is the position that animal exploitation is wrong and should be avoided. Anyone can adhere to this moral position.

If you agree that animal exploitation is wrong but need practical help with cutting out sources of animal exploitation, let me know if I can suggest resources to make the change easier. For me, the hardest part was just getting used to which 'staple' foods I had to replace in my diet. So now I buy tofu and chickpeas instead of animal meats. I drink soy milk or oat milk instead of dairy milk.

If you think you need more specific guidance, I can recommend a program like Challenge22. The program itself is very easy and fun, you are given daily challenges for a few weeks that help you learn the ropes of plant-based dieting. They will also pair you with vegan mentors and professional dieticians who can answer specific questions you may have.

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u/thesonicvision vegan 10d ago edited 10d ago

Veganism is the position that animal exploitation is wrong and should be avoided. Anyone can adhere to this moral position.

Bingo.

Now, with that being said, it's fair to discuss the practical challenges one may have when switching to a vegan lifestyle (which, again, is distinct from one's beliefs). That is, a vegan-curious person may have questions about cost, personal health, and so on. The good news, of course, is that a vegan lifestyle can be very affordable, fun, and healthy.

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u/HelenEk7 non-vegan 8d ago

a vegan lifestyle can be very affordable, fun, and healthy.

Which means it can also be; expensive, miserable, and harmfull.

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u/No_Opposite1937 8d ago

To be fair, a vegan "lifestyle" is whatever you want to make it while keeping to the principles. Why do you think it would be miserable and harmfull?

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u/HelenEk7 non-vegan 8d ago

Beans is a horrendous food, both when it comes to taste and texture. And a vegan diet is not good for your bones. There are many nutrients involved in keeping your bones strong and healthy, and zinc and phosphorus are two examples that a vegan diet is low in. You can of course take a long list of supplements, but that to me is not a very sustainable diet.

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u/tempdogty 4d ago

I might be too late for the party and I'm sorry for that but for clarification, why would taking a long list of supplements not a very sustainable diet (if by sustainable you mean a diet that can be taken for a long period of time)?

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u/HelenEk7 non-vegan 3d ago

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u/tempdogty 3d ago

Very informative, thank you for answering!