LOS ANGELES: According to a recent study published by the Vegetarian Times, 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 0.5 percent, or 1 million, of those are vegans, who consume no animal products at all. In a country that consumes far more than its fair share of global resources, the need for sustainable agriculture and the ethical implications of consuming animal products have finally begun to get airtime. While the number of people freeing themselves from reliance on animal products is growing, the vegan lifestyle has often been presented in American media as politically extreme, unhealthy, and difficult to sustain. In the following conversation, vegans from the two largest US cities compare notes on what it's like to live day-to-day as a vegan. What they have to say might surprise you. Max is a New York-based musician, audio engineer, and music producer. He makes money as a bike courier. Cassandra is a massage therapist living in Los Angeles. BM: When and why did you decide to become a vegan? Max: I decided to become a vegan a few years ago when I read No More Bull. The book is a sacred-straight style text about the potential diseases in meat and lack of nutrition in dairy. I made the decision entirely for health reasons. I have compassion for animals, but it's never stopped me from eating them. Cassandra: I went vegan about six years ago, when I turned eighteen. I didn't really know what being vegan was, I just wanted to stop eating things that were poisoning the planet. Then I read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and it confirmed everything for me in a really beautiful way. I'm a vegan primarily because of the impracticality of our meat industry. It is completely unsustainable. We raise hundreds of thousands of cattle in feedlots, pump them full of hormones so that they can grow to full size months before they are ready, feed them a diet of corn which their stomachs are not able to digest, and use acres of land that could be used for agriculture. BM: Do you think people stereotype vegans? Cassandra: Yeah, people always think that you are not getting enough protein, you're weak, anemic, and you're bound to get sick. The truth is that eating a well-rounded vegan diet provides more digestible protein and a lot more iron than the standard American diet, so I've never really understood that. I mean, even if you're not balancing your meals perfectly, eating an avocado is still definitely healthier than eating a cheeseburger. Max: In New York people associate veganism with discipline and compassion, clothed in punk rock. They think we all like tank tops. BM: Is there anything you dislike about being vegan? Max: What I don't like is when people bend over backwards to accommodate me. That usually leads them to talk as if I'm part of a new religion they've only just heard of. I also hate it when people go out of their way to tell me why they aren't vegan. And, the lack of cheese. Cassandra: Traveling. It's difficult to find something acceptable to eat in airports, or in cities like New Orleans, Cleveland, or Houston, where they think that being vegan means you can still eat chicken. BM: What are some of the benefits of veganism? Cassandra: It is fun and inspiring! It changes your ideas about eating and what constitutes a meal. It's awesome to go to the farmers market, find what looks freshest and most vibrant, and then figure out how to eat it. It's a really satisfying feeling to create something beautiful and delicious that is also healthy and sustainable. Max: What I love about veganism is the clean feeling it leaves in my body. It's hard to remember that I used to feel sluggish, bloated, and always like sitting. Veganism and exercise make me feel like I'm always on a trampoline! BM: Do you ever “cheat?” Cassandra: I love poached eggs over spinach and sprouted whole grain toast. That's my favorite comfort food in the world. But I can only stomach the idea of eating eggs if I know they came from a small farm, where the chickens are running around free and assumably happy, eating a diet that is natural to them. Max: I've had extraordinary cheeses. Two years ago we ate some extremely old Vermont cheddar that produced a Zen state and mild hallucinations because my brain flooded with all the chemicals I like. Cheese might be the second greatest human achievement after music. Unfortunately, it's not really food the same way a yam is food. BM: Do you have any favorite recipes? Max: For a throwback junk food craving, I buy TVP (textured vegetable protein) beef and vegan cheese–as orange as I can find. I saute green peppers and yellow onions in olive oil, add the cheese and beef until it's a hot mess and slam it in a white hogey. Cheese steak! I also really enjoy green salads with walnuts, avocados and tofu. I like to make sauce and I count salad dressing as a sauce. Cassandra: My favorite kind of meals are usually combinations of fresh raw fruits or vegetables. I love to eat things like a pint of blueberries and a handful of raw pistachios for breakfast, maybe drizzled with a little bit of honey. I love an avocado and some cucumbers with hummus for lunch. It's easy to have some cooked quinoa always on hand. Add whatever vegetables you've found fresh. You can saute or steam them, and then experiment with different sauces and seasonings. I usually go with a soy-ginger theme, Italian olive oil and spices, or cilantro and lime. BM
