vegan cheese: First off all, I'm a vegetarian. I eat eggs and dairy but do not eat fish or animal meat. Every once and a while when I was online I would stumble upon a website {or youtube video} with reasons why veganism is a healthy choice. I understand that if a regular dieter switched to a vegan lifestyle, they would help the environment even more than if they were to go from a normal car to an environmentally friendly car. I do understand the mistreatment that animals go through and the mass breeding that female cows have to go through to make milk and meat products. I also understand that Harvord, Yale, Penn State, and the National Institute of Health have proved that milk does not reduce chances of, nor cure, osteoperosis, and that dairy products are a source of saturated fats which our bodies don't need. Other than the environment, animal abuse, and the "good fat bad fat" deal, what are some reasons that I should become vegan? Is it difficult to go out with the family and find something off of a regular restaurant menu that could be ordered? Do the vegan cheeses and products cost too much money? Is it hard to cook at home and be vegan? Would I need to take special multivitamins that have vitamins in them which vegans do not get through their diet, or can a vegan diet support all of the needed nutrients of the body? And last, but not least, should I reduce the amount of dairy and egg products that I consume and/or should I go from vegetarianism to veganism?|||I lost 30 pounds in a year living a vegan lifestyle(which is good as I was overweight). I felt a LOT better, I had a lot more energy despite people saying I should have less. It really does help your state of mind. I love to cook too, here are some websites I like to find recipes on: http://vegweb.com http://www.theppk.com/|||You seem very well-informed about veganism. I don't see why you would need any more reasons to become vegan, and I do it because of all the reasons you listed. It takes a lot of dedication; I still slip up sometimes, but I have been better recently :) It isn't too difficult to go out with family and be vegan. Most restaurants are willing to alter recipes for you or listen to your requests. You should skip buying the expensive vegan cheeses. They have more fat than regular cheese, and aren't a satisfying substitute. Rice milk, soy milk, and almond milk are pretty good to buy. Just watch out for consuming too much soy; it has estrogen in it. It's surprisingly easy to cook at home and be vegan. If you go to the website www.vegcooking.com, there's a big variety of vegan food options. I take a daily multivitamin, but you really only need to take vitamin B-12, which can be hard for vegans to get enough of. I quit eating dairy products cold-turkey, but everyone's different. I think it might be easier to ease into veganism, but it can also be better to become vegan right away. It's all up to you. I highly recommend the books Vegan With a Vengeance and Veganomicon. They have a variety of wonderful vegan recipes that don't require a lot of dairy substitutes. I hope I answered all your questions, and good luck!|||You have a lot of information in your question...wow. Good for you for talking about milk a bit. We're brainwashed into thinking we need it. Ya right, Me, a full grown human, need the milk from another mammal. Anyhow, going totally vegan is a large task, but it's doable. My mom and sister are vegan, and it's a big commitment. Vegan choices are very limited in many restaurants (you can only eat so many stir-frys). Vegan processed food is expensive, I suggest learning to make as much home made as possible. Taking a B-12 supplement isn't a bad idea either, although I know vegans who never do. If you do choose to go total vegan, may I suggest that you do it gradually. The transition will be easier if you make the occasional exception at first as you're learning the ropes. Also, it's your call as to whether you'll make exceptions on holidays, perhaps lifting a glass of egg nog, or having some brocolli with cheese sauce during Christmas. Some vegans do this, as it's easier than a vegetarian eating meat, which many find gross if they've been away from it for awhile.|||being a vegan is a little bit tricky...you don't really get a hang of it until you've been doing it for a while. i think it would be smart to take a multi-vitamin plus an iron pill. thats what i do since i mostly eat vegetables and tofu...yea its kind of awkward when you eat out or go out with friends or family vegan cheese and vegan "meats" do cost a lot :( you might want to drop one thing at a time to make it easier. good luck!