Vegan Diet FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)

Going Vegan With Teenagers 
Hi Sassy,

I have a 14 year old son, and I'm wondering what advice you have for going vegan with teenage children. Since he is still growing, I am concerned ...

Spouse won't go vegan 
Hi Sassy,

I would love to entertain a vegetarian or vegan diet but my husband is a die hard meat eater. I can't convince him to change his diet or lifestyle....

Weight gain on a vegan diet 
Hi Sass,

Love your website! My question is somewhat different from most concerning weight loss on a vegan diet as I am trying to actually gain weight ...

Vegetarian food for cats and dogs 
Hi,
Thanks for your excellent site! I live as vegetarian but like to get more into vegan stuff and it seems like your site could be of very good help....

Vegan breakfast ideas? 

Hi Sassy,

I own a cafe that does not allow black iron, no stove or grill. I have a small convection oven and a microwave. I have been searching for ...

Family not vegan 
I've been an avid vegan for some time. However, lately it's been getting worse and worse in my home for me to practice veganism. All of my family are ...

Vegan Wedding Food 
Hi Sassy!
I am looking for ideas for Vegan wedding food. I am planning my wedding (set for early September, 2011)and am wondering if you know of any ...

Green smoothie - why bitter aftertaste? 

Hi Sass,

I made my green smoothie today - just with spinach leaves, celery and one banana, plus cold water and a couple of ice cubes.

It tasted ...

Keeping greens fresh 
I am trying to get back into juicing and eating salads. It's a start. I have a hard time keeping my greens from going bad before I can eat/juice them....

Vegan philosophical question 
I've been vegetarian for 14 years, vegan off and on. My longest vegan experience lasted a year. I was off white bread and sugar during that year. I felt ...

What to do with non vegan gifts 
How do you handle the situation when someone gives you a non-vegan gift. This past Christmas, I received gifts of meat, cheese, non-vegan wines, chocolates ...

Fruit first thing in the morning? 
Hi Sassy!

I read on your site about starting the day with fruit. My daughter and I have been eating mostly vegan for a year. We both eat breakfast ...

Sea salt versus table salt 
Is sea salt better than table salt?
*****
Sassy Sez: Hi there - The short answer is YES sea salt is better than table salt.

Short answer is ...

Best vegan recipes for omni restaurants 
Hi there:
We at Ottawa's Vegetarian Association are doing a restaurant outreach campaign whereby we try to get omni restaurants to offer vegan options....

Vegan in a house of non-vegans 
I am a vegan in a house full of omnivores and on a fixed income. Discussions on the subject of diet here at home, just as in the real world, can get heated....

Soy Allergy 
Help, I have a soy allergy. Can I still eat a vegan diet?

Why is honey not vegan? 
I just recently became vegan and am still learning daily about the do's and don'ts. Every book I have read says not to eat honey, but I don't quite understand ...

Quorn: Friend or foe? 
Hi there, I am wondering what your take on Quorn is. It is quite prominent in the United Kingdom (where I reside) and although I really like the taste,...

Vegan as a Career? 
Hi Sassy - I want veganism to be part of my career. Wondering if you can share some tips on how to actually make money at it? Thank you!
*****
Sassy ...

Help! Have any vegans relapsed? 
For 5 months I was doing so well being a vegan. Then I gave in and ate some crablegs. Those crablegs opened the door to everything. I ate things that were ...

Adjusting to Vegan Diet 
Hi Sassy,

It seems to me that my digestive system started revolting once I started regularly eating more fruits and veggies, etc., and almost completely ...

Could Worldwide Veganism Work? 
Is it possible to have a world filled with vegans?

Does anyone else out there feel that it's a fools errand--and even a bit smug and 'aren't we more ...

Muscular Dystrophy and the Vegan Diet 
Hi Sassy,

I am aware that a vegan diet can reverse diabetes and cancer, and lower cholesterol. However, I'd like to know if you have any information ...

Daiya Vegan Cheese 
Hey Sassy!

I don't have a question, I would just like to recommend a product! Today at Whole Foods I was in the dairy section and happened to see a ...

How To Go Vegan? 
Hi Sassy,

I love your website. It is one of the most comprehensive that I have found--and I have looked a lot! My life-partner and I have been talking ...

Nuts hard to digest 
Hello Sassy, I read an article that you wrote regarding the importance of fats and how to avoid the bad fats. Well, I tried incorporating nuts into my ...

Family Still Eats Meat - Help! 
I'm mostly vegetarian, making the shift to vegan, but the two men in my family (hubby and adult son) eat meat, almost every day. They both hate beans, legumes,...

Substitute for soy products? 
I love your site! I've been on the vegan diet for about 6 weeks and I've discovered that I am sensitive to soy products and nutritional yeast.

What ...

Going Vegan 
Tips for transitioning to the vegan diet. Join this Q&A!

Should Vegans Discard Leather Clothes? 
This may sound silly, but I just found out that FELT is a no-no to the Vegan life. But I don't know why.

Also, what do I do with my leather clothes ...

Milk substitute for 12 month old 
So my daughter is coming up on her 1 year birthday and is supposed to switch to cow's milk. No thank you! Is there an alternative? Most things I read ...

Gluten-Intolerance and the Vegan diet 
I have always wanted to go Vegan, but what has usually stopped me is the fact that I am allergic to peanuts, gluten, and soy. Would the vegan lifestyle ...

Can cruise ships accommodate Vegans? 
We are going on a Carnival cruise this summer. I have inquired via my travel agent about vegan diet requirements. She says that Carnival carries soy ...

How to afford a vegan lifestyle? 
Hi Sassy!

First of all, I want to express to you how EXCITED I am about your website! My friend stumbled upon it and told me right away about it :)

I'...

Juicer Recommendation?  
Hi! I know you highly recommend the Vitamix for blending and other needs, but do you have a juicer recommendation?

Thanks!
*****
Sassy Sez:...

On The Go College Vegan! 
I am a college student and literally the only time I have something to eat is in between classes. I commute, so I try to pack some things, but I haven'...

Soy Milk Makers - Worth the investment? 
Do any of you make your own soy milk with a soy milk maker? If so, do you own one you like? Which brand and model do you advise purchasing, if any? Do ...

Vegan Candida Diet  Not rated yet
My question is regarding a vegan candida diet. I've got a 7-year-old son who's been diagnosed with a yeast overgrowth and we're now eating TONS of vegetables....

Refined carbs or nothing?  Not rated yet
Hi Sassy! We've all heard about refraining from refined carbs and eating whole grains instead. My question is regarding eating out and making the best ...

How To Make Sprouts?  Not rated yet
I just finished making a pot of lentils in my new pressure cooker that you recommended and I love it, like all of your recommendations. I also got my ...

One Week Vegan Menu for Weight Loss?  Not rated yet
Good Afternoon :)

I am trying to get a weekly menu that I can follow as a vegan for weight loss? Do you do anything like that?

I need to lose approx ...

Recommended Meat Alternatives  Not rated yet
I am going vegan-ish, although I am not even a vegetarian. In the process of taking this step, I am finding it hard to enjoy meat alternatives besides ...

Daiya vs Follow Your Heart vegan cheese  Not rated yet
Hi Sassy, I see that your recipes indicate that you use Follow Your Heart Cheese like in your Layered Tortilla Pie . Have you tried using Daiya Mozzarella ...

Vegan Food While Traveling  Not rated yet
I am new to the Vegan diet and my work requires me to travel 4 days per week. What are some easy ways to make sure I'm sticking to the lifestyle, when ...

Vegan Menu Planning (#2)  Not rated yet
Do you produce weekly vegan menu plans and grocery shopping lists or can you recommend a few websites that deal specifically with vegan/vegetarian menu ...

Is alcohol vegan?  Not rated yet
This question has puzzled me for some time now. How is beer, wine, or hard liquor (I'm not talking about liqueurs which can be made with dairy, nor am ...

My goal: Low Carb Vegan . . . HOW?  Not rated yet
Hi - for medical reasons I need to be on a low carb diet, and since I've done that instead of vegan, I've lost 60 pounds and have 100 pounds to go. What ...

Finding Vegan Food In A Non-Vegan Restaurant  Not rated yet
I turned vegan 6 weeks ago - had a heart scare and it was a wake up call as well as spending hours reading about the cruelty to animals.

I am okay ...

Going Vegan Without Spending A Fortune  Not rated yet
I have been a vegetarian for a long time and just made the switch quite easily to vegan. My husband is neither of these. My question is: What is an easy ...

Eating Vegan On The Go  Not rated yet
I drive a semi for a living. It is an 8 hr job so I do my eating in the truck. What is a good snack and lunch for this type of situation?

Also, I am ...

Raw or Toasted Seedalicious  Not rated yet
Should the seeds for the Seedalicious salad topping be raw or toasted before making the mix?
*****
Sassy Sez: Hi Cindy, While toasted seeds ...