FAQ

Here at Saucy Revolutionary we are giving you information and our opinions based on having been former animal product eaters, so we can comment on this from an experienced perspective. Yes, of course eating one way your entire life and transitioning to another way can be difficult. But given the fact that the decision to become vegan is primarily predicated upon your individual ethics and well-being, these factors should be motivating during your transition. When you see the reality of where meat and dairy comes from, how animals are abused, and learn about the environmental and personal health ramifications, then making a change becomes easier. How one approaches change depends on the individual and the methods that work best for that person. However, based on our personal experience, making the transition from eating meat and dairy to a vegan diet is best approached incrementally. Start somewhere like removing red meat, pork, and lamb. Do this for a period of time that works for you. Then drop chicken and turkey. Then diary… and so on. Do it in whatever order you think will be easiest for you and help you to be most successful. We believe that changing over to being vegan is not difficult if you approach it this way and get the appropriate information and recipes. Of course if you think it would be easier to transition all at once, then you should do what works for you. Being vegan means eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, and meat alternatives. We have a long list of food options in our Vegan Foods and Drinks List (www.saucyrev.com/#)page to help you.

Answering as former consumers of meat and dairy, the simple answer is, no. "Extreme" is a tricky word. Any change in general for most individuals can feel “extreme” when one begins to take action. Also, when a person does anything different from what they have learned to do growing-up, or from what the majority of society deems acceptable, then their actions can be described as “extreme.” The dismissive notion that veganism is “extreme” comes from challenging people on their beliefs regarding how animals should be treated, as well as their disconnected and uninformed actions that support the horrific treatment and unnecessary slaughter of animals for food. There are individuals who try diets with no carbohydrates, or that come from all pre-made foods, take diet pills, or only consume mainly shakes. In our opinion these types of “food plans”, which can be highly advertised, are far more extreme and unsustainable than eating plant-based foods. You have a massive amount of food options when you are vegan. For some, it’s just a matter of educating yourself to make sure you're getting a variety of nutrients because it may be a new way of eating for you. Nevertheless, you can eat all forms of fruits, vegetables, oats, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, nut proteins, bread, rice, pasta, vegetable oils, vegetable proteins, and meat and dairy made alternatives. Can there be an adjustment period and does it require you to learn new recipes? Yes, of course! But it’s not “extreme" if it's sustainable, and there are millions of individuals out there who formally ate meat and dairy and have changed to veganism for years. If you are visiting Saucy Revolutionary we assume you are here to get information on becoming vegan or some help transitioning to eating more healthy plant based foods. Remember, we do not spread the idea of being “extreme” in any way on Saucy Revolutionary. Our outlook is that any change you make in the direction towards eating plant-based foods and using cruelty free products is a step towards bettering the lives of innocent animals, the planet, and your health.

In a word, yes! A vegan plant-based diet is ideal for health. Doctors and dieticians have long considered a healthy diet to consist of a variety of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds; that is high in antioxidants, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol to be the most ideal. Yes, fish and lean meats can also be part of a recommendation because most people eat animal products, but if you are vegan you wouldn’t eat them, and there are plenty of alternatives. Eating a plant-based diet can also be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and some cancers. Nevertheless, regardless of being vegan or not, any diet can be unhealthy. There are plenty of vegan junk foods out there, and if you only eat fries, soda, and vegan ice cream, that wouldn’t be healthy. A healthy diet comes down to one’s choices. If you have any questions about your personal diet and health concerns, you should consult your doctor or medical professional.

It has been written that there are four kinds of vegans, although at Saucy Revolutionary we do not fall into a type. We choose a vegan lifestyle for all of the reasons below (except religious), and feel they’re the main motives for being vegan. Still, we will post the formal list below for informational reasons. Furthermore, there is a school of thought that there are “different kinds of vegan diets,” such as, only eating fruit. At Saucy revolutionary we will give recipes embracing all ways of eating plant based foods. However, there’s a link below if you want more information on this specific topic. 1. Ethical Vegans Ethical Vegans choose a vegan diet because they are against the exploitation of animals. Ethical Vegans embrace animals as sentient beings and don’t want to live a life that involves supporting any type of animal cruelty. 2. Environmental Vegans Environmental Vegans eat a vegan diet because the scientific evidence shows that eating plan based reduces one’s contribution to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and all of the negative environmental effects of animal agriculture. 3. Health Vegans Health Vegans are individuals who eat a plant based diet due to its proven health benefits. 4. Religious Vegans Religious Vegans eat a vegan diet due to their religious or spiritual beliefs. For more detailed information on “types” of vegans, as well as various “kinds of vegan diets” here’s an informative article on Veggie Visa : “4 Types of Vegans & 8 Different Vegan Diets” click here.(https://www.veggievisa.com/types-of-vegans/)

Undoubtedly since the beginning of and throughout history people of all cultures have depended on fish, seafoods, various livestock, and poultry for their survival. This is especially true in times of war, famine, or of populations of people living in certain geographic locations where living off the land or sea is most convenient. Nevertheless, discussing whether or not humans have depended on eating meat and dairy for their survival throughout history isn't relevant to whether it’s necessary, or even beneficial in today’s world. Particularly given how meat and dairy is predominately manufactured, its abuse practices towards animals, and its negative environmental impacts. The truth is, individuals who are living at this point in time in developed countries cannot credibly assert that they need to eat animal products for survival. Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that the grains used to feed livestock wold-wide, which create massive waste (both food wise and environmentally), could go towards feeding those who are starving in famine laden countries. If people were truly focused on feeding those in need, then adopting a plant based diet where you are not contributing to this waste would be a great way to start making a difference.

While it’s true that humans are higher on the food chain than many animals, that doesn’t mean that we should eat them. When meat eaters choose to argue with you they often like to present a world they are living in to be a middle of nowhere, in desperate circumstances, in a hunter gatherer situation. But we all know this isn’t the reality of the current time we are living in. The truth is, in this day and age it is not necessary to eat animal products in our diet. But being vegan is generally a moral decision where one embraces the fact that there’s plenty to eat without torturing and slaughtering innocent, sentient animals, and destroying the environment. It’s a choice. And when you make that choice, questions about the food chain aren’t relevant. It’s also a choice that can lead you to a healthier life!

Protein seems to be a big question and concern for people when they go vegan, or for others who ask about eating plant based, when in fact it’s not really an issue at all. The truth is protein is practically in everything we eat. True protein deficiency is uncommon in the Western world. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine,(https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/protein) "An average woman needs 46 grams of protein per day; the average man about 56 grams. And research shows that most Americans already get more than enough protein. A varied plant-based diet of whole grains, vegetables, and beans can easily meet your daily protein needs without the risks of animal products". You can find a list of vegan protein sources on our Vegan Foods and Drink (www.saucyrev.com/#)page. Also, here is a link (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/protein-for-vegans-vegetarians)to an excellent article from the website Healthline about vegan protein and great sources of it. Professional Vegan Athletes: Additionally, there are many professional athletes and bodybuilders who are vegan. If these individuals aren’t concerned about protein, which directly affects them physically and professionally, then neither should you! We encourage you to read their books and follow their social media pages to get a sense of their plant-based lifestyles and regimens. Some we love are: ultra endurance athlete Rich Roll,(https://www.instagram.com/richroll/) bodybuilders Kim Constable (https://www.instagram.com/thesculptedvegan/)of The Sculpted Vegan, Coach Jordan Dranes (https://www.instagram.com/conscious_muscle/)of Conscious Vegan Muscle, and famous strongman Patrik Boboumian.(https://www.instagram.com/patrikbaboumian/) Hit the link to the Great Vegan Athletes (https://www.greatveganathletes.com/)website for a comprehensive list of professional vegan athletes in a large range of sports.

Yes you will! Plants are an excellent source of iron rich foods. Vegetables such as spinach, dark leaf vegetables, beans, lentils, seeds, nuts, dried fruit, and whole grains are high in iron. Also, there are many foods such as orange juice, soy and almond milk, and cereal that are fortified with iron. As always, check with your doctor to have your iron levels tested if you think it’s an issue.

The best way to ensure you are getting B12 as a vegan is to take a supplement, or multivitamin that includes it. But it is not necessarily an issue exclusive to being vegan. The truth is both vegans and non vegans can have difficulty getting enough B12. B12 is an essential vitamin in the metabolism of all the cells in the body, that is water soluble, and is vital in sustaining the well-being of our nervous systems, blood, bone marrow, and the development of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is produced by bacteria, not animals or plants. B12 is made from microorganisms that reside in water or soil. It can be found in unsanitized water or manure. Both animals and humans ingest these microorganisms through their food and water. It’s important to understand that B12 supplements are given to livestock and that’s why it is in meat. There is no natural way in our modern world to get B12. Our ancestors could get enough B12 through the bacteria that formed around root vegetables that were pulled from the ground, as well as from drinking water from natural sources that were not sanitized. Also, the meats that were eaten had bacteria in them because the animals had ingested the bacteria from the untreated water and soil. The problem with humans getting enough B12 today has to do with the required hygiene of modern day sanitation of produce and decontamination of the water we drink with chlorine. Furthermore, the soil today is rampant with pesticides and antibiotics, making plant foods an unreliable way to get this bacteria. Today, there are still some plants that contain B12 from soil and it can be found in seaweed and a few mushrooms. Other natural sources of B12 for vegans are: nutritional yeast, marmite and yeast spreads, tempeh, chlorella, nori seaweed, cremini mushrooms, fortified cereals, and plant milks. Nevertheless, it is recommended that everyone over age 50, regardless of their diet, takes a B12 supplement because the ability to absorb it becomes more difficult with age. The form of B12 that is in supplements and fortified foods is crystalline, and it is preferable to the “protein-bound” form that is in foods from animals because it absorbs easier in the body. People can also get B12 shots. B12 is absorbed from food and stomach acid and as we age the acid in our stomach declines. B12 deficiency is now the most common in the world (Brennan, Dan MD. Webmd.com. 2021). It is important as you age to always discuss getting tested to check on your B12 levels or any vitamins you need with your doctor.

You are most certainly going to find yourself in situations where your options for vegan food are incredibly limited. But before we get into discussing ways to handle this, we want to go over a few things. Every person should approach becoming vegan how they want to and do what works best for them. Nonetheless, here at Saucy Revolutionary we have repeatedly mentioned that we recommend doing this incrementally, meaning you begin with removing animal flesh, then seafood, then certain dairy products, and so on. This would make a person first a “vegetarian” and the definition of this is, “A person who eats no meat at all, including poultry or fish. Other types of vegetarians are: lacto-ovo vegetarians who eat dairy products and eggs and some who eat dairy but not eggs. Also, ovo vegetarians who eat eggs, but not dairy.” We mention all of this because we feel these are good steps to eventually becoming vegan. Now, if you have gotten to the place where you were a vegetarian and have successfully switched over to being completely vegan, and then you are in a situation such as, vacation in another county, or a wedding where you have no options that are totally plant based, we recommend reverting back to being vegetarian just for that moment. That is, having something with dairy in it, but no animal flesh. If you want a little cream in your coffee, or a cake that has dairy in it, or a croissant in France when there are no other options, do what you need to at that moment, and then go back to being fully vegan. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, and really want to stay on track, then make every effort to see if there is fruit, vegetables, or some bread you could eat. But do the best that you can and if you get off course, just get back on when you are in the right environment again. You are going to see many times on Saucy Revolutionary that we stress the concept of, “Do not let perfect be the enemy of the good.” This point of view is very important. Perfectionism stops a lot of people from making progress in many areas of their lives. You can’t let a moment of deviation from your vegan food journey derail you. Unfortunately we live in a world where cruelly using animals for all kinds of products is commonplace. It will take time to transition to what you use for products and for food options everywhere you go. However, we can say it’s absolutely possible to be vegetarian everywhere. You can confidently forgo all animal flesh and should be okay not being in situations while traveling or at a function where they don’t offer at least something vegetarian. Lastly, we don’t want you to worry! This is why we at Saucy Revolutionary are going all over the United States and world hunting for vegan options to tell everyone about, so that YOU are not finding yourselves in these situations!

If you change your eating habits to a whole foods, plant-based diet, you will probably lose weight. This is particularly true if you are overweight or in an unhealthy physical state. This is because a plant based vegan diet will have a person eating whole foods, generally not processed, and lots of fruits, vegetables, and legumes. An interesting study published in the Journal of Obesity Research and Clinical Practice (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871403X15001210)stated that because of the way food has been developed over the past thirty years, an individual who maintains the same diet as a person did in the 1980’s would have a higher body mass index because of the overprocessing of foods. Over the past thirty years there have been extreme alterations in food processing and nutrients that, regardless of maintaining the same diet, a person today would carry more weight! What’s compelling about this information is it’s regarding foods that are altered through years of processing, but if you are eating a whole food plant-based foods such as, (preferably organic) fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, this would not apply. There is one caveat. Although eating a plant based diet is healthy and great for weight management, we have to point out that it is possible to be vegan and overweight. Many individuals are vegan solely for animal activist or environmental reasons and don’t necessarily care about their health or weight. At the end of the day a large part of weight management is calories in and calories out. If you are overeating, not exercising, eating lots of processed vegan foods or sweets, then you will most likely not lose weight and may even gain some. All in all, being vegan is not a diet, but a lifestyle, and doesn’t always automatically guarantee a way to lose weight, it depends on one’s actions. Lastly, you should always be sure to consult your doctor or medical professional regarding your weight management and personal health.

Many people are unaware of the despicable practices and animal abuse on dairy farms. The practices on these farms towards innocent animals, that are conscious of their circumstances, can seem like they are out of a horror movie. To be clear, being vegan is the better alternative to vegetarian because not eating beef, but eating dairy does not eliminate an animal going to slaughter. While beef comes from slaughtered cattle, dairy products come from cows that are designed for butchery. At the end of the day, there is no difference. There seems to be a major misconception out there that cows need to be milked, that they naturally produce milk, and that this is the dairy humans buy at the store. Conversely, cows are just like humans in that they only produce milk when they are pregnant. The truth is dairy comes from female cows being forcibly impregnated, they in turn produce milk, and the common practice in the dairy industry is to take her calf away and take their milk for dairy to sell. This is horribly cruel for both the mother cow and the calf. The calf is given a cheap formula replacement and then they are usually sent for slaughter for veal. The mother cow is generally hooked up to an industrial machine that milks her (the milk that was meant for the baby cow, not humans) and in a few months after her milk peaks, she will be forcibly impregnated again and this cycle starts over. It is a terrible life for these animals. The sheds they reside in are usually very hot, dirty, and disease is common, this is why animals are overloaded with antibiotics. Mastitis, which is a painful inflammation in the breast tissue that sometimes causes an infection, is common in cows. Even if you buy dairy products that are “organic”, the practices are the same. Dairy from animals, whether in milk, cheese, ice cream, or yogurt is not naturally meant for human consumption. That is why many people are lactose intolerant. There have been innumerable amounts of people who have removed dairy from their diets for various health reasons including, ear infections, nasal congestion, acne, and weight management, and digestive issues. See Nutritionfacts.org f(https://nutritionfacts.org/?s=dairy)or more information on the effects of removing dairy from your diet. The good news is there is a massive amount of dairy-free options on the market today and it's ever growing! Most grocery chains carry a variety of dairy free milks, cheeses, ice creams, butters, yogurts, and coffee creamers. Saucy Revolutionary recommends that you remove dairy from your diet the same way you would handle meat, incrementally. Gradually removing animal products will support you in achieving the best success of total elimination in the future. A good approach is to change one dairy product at a time. For example, you may switch to oat milk to replace milk while still having regular dairy cheese and trying out non dairy options until you are ready to switch, and so on. Visit our food list page (www.saucyrev.com/#)for specific suggestions! Furthermore, if you have any questions regarding dairy relating to your personal health, you should reach out to your doctor.

There is a huge range of dairy alternatives on the market. These cover delicious and similar tasting alternatives to milk, cheeses, butter, sour cream, ice cream, and yogurt. In fact, there are so many alternatives we are going to link you to our Vegan Food List (www.saucyrev.com/#)for lists of options! You can also look up in search engines, as companies are always creating new products!

Of course you will! After all, cows themselves are herbivores and they do just fine! According to the National Health Institutes of Health, the recommended calcium daily intake for adult women and men, ages 19-50 ranges from 1,000 to 1,300 mg of calcium per day. Great vegan sources of calcium are: soy (Organic Non-GMO), beans, peas, lentils, almonds, brazil nuts, seeds, ancient grains, seaweed, blackstrap molasses, raw figs, oranges, dark leafy greens, kale, okra, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, orange juice, and most plant milks and some juices are fortified with calcium. It’s important to remember that vitamin D assists the body with the absorption of calcium and daily sun exposure for 15-20 minutes a day is a great source. If you choose to also take supplements, there are many vegan products on the market. Furthermore, if you have any questions regarding supplements or your personal health, you should reach out to your doctor.

Honey is not vegan, as it is an animal product. Bees make honey for other bees, not for humans. Bees depend on their honey as a source of food when pollen and nectar are limited. This sustains them and keeps them healthy in the colder months. The honey industry views bees as commodities and requires that they are factory farmed. Bees are forced to live in unnatural environments and they are given antibiotics. They are also given sugar to substitute the honey that is meant for them as their energy source and contains the vitamins that they need. The queen bee is artificially inseminated, her wings are clipped, and she is killed after one or two years of being used. The way the honey is extracted requires that the box the hives are in is opened and scraped away from the honeycombs. As a consequence, the bees are mangled, squished, and killed. When beeswax is made the combs are removed from the bees home environment and melted down. The bottom line is that bees are exploited and killed for the food that they worked tirelessly to make for their own supply. There are many plant-based products that can replace honey and they include: • Maple Syrup • Agave Nectar • Brown Rice Syrup • Date Syrup • Golden Syrup • Barley Malt Syrup And great substitutions for beeswax include: • Carnauba Wax • Soy Wax • Candelilla wax

Regardless of the title “free range” or “organic” vegans shouldn't eat eggs because they are an animal product and are a part of the exploitation of chickens for profit. Like all animals, chickens produce eggs as a part of their natural reproductive cycle, not for human consumption. To directly answer the question of “organic” and “free range” eggs being any better than regular ones for chickens, it's generally a matter of marketing. Yes, the circumstances for chickens may be slightly better, but not by much and many investigative reports have proven these animals live and die in horrific circumstances. The term “free range” implies that hens roam around freely, but the outside areas are generally small with a tiny entrance and exit hole. Many of the hens cannot reach outside because of overcrowding or others commonly get trapped trying to get back in, leading to them to get eaten by animals like foxes. Hens normally live on average for ten years, but after their productivity drops they are killed. The hens that are “free range” are generally the offspring of the birds who were kept for their lifespan inside often squalid, filthy sheds. Hens and roosters are put in the same area with no rest or escape to force them to constantly mate. The hens backs become sore and they lose feathers from roosters incessantly mounting them. Female chicks are sent to be caged or barn laid while the males chicks who are unwanted and considered incidental are killed after hatching. This is generally done in the most despicable way, by grounding them up in a macerator while they are alive. Eggs that are marked as “organic” means that they have the stamp of approval with the USDA National Organic Program where the hens are fed an organic diet and produced without fertilizers or pesticides. This still doesn't change the aforementioned inhumane circumstances for the chickens. For more information on how eggs are produced visit PETA.org (https://www.peta.org/features/egg-industry-cruelty/)or Farm Transparency Project.(https://www.farmtransparency.org/campaigns/eggs-exposed) But we also encourage you to search on your own.

Yes! A lot are! Most hard liquors, including rum, gin, vodka, bourbon, whiskey and distilled spirits, with the exception of cream based or honey, are vegan. When it comes to wine, ciders, and beer it is more complicated because of the filtration and fining process. Many wine and beer manufacturers use animal products such as isinglass (fish bladder), albumen (from eggs), casein (milk byproduct), and gelatine as a way to filter and clarify. When in doubt, visit Barnivore (https://www.barnivore.com/ )and see if your drink is vegan. There are many wines and beers on the market that are vegan. We get deeper into the topic of alcohol on our Vegan Foods and Drinks (www.saucyrev.com/#)page. Click on Alcohol (www.saucyrev.com/#)for more detailed information and lists of vegan alcohol products.

Of course you don’t have to eat tofu! What you eat is completely up to you. There are plenty of vegan foods to eat if you have an aversion to eating soy products. Before getting into the topic of whether or not soy is or is not healthy, we at Saucy Revolutionary want to say that we only recommend buying organic non GMO Soy products. When you are out to eat you can’t control that, and we are sure what you have in that moment is fine. But when you buy soy products for regular consumption that are USDA Organic, it not only ensures that at least 95% of the product is organic and has no pesticides, but regulations prohibit any genetically modified (GMO) ingredients in it. When you buy a product that says non-GMO it doesn’t really mean anything because the FDA hasn’t set any regulatory standards. Basically any product can claim to be non-GMO. But if you buy organic products, then you know they are not genetically modified in any way. Soy is an Asian legume that is not only rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but it also contains all essential amino acids, so it’s considered a complete protein. There are several types of soy including: Edamame, Miso Paste, Tofu, Tempeh, Soy Sauce, Textured Soy Protein, Soy Protein Isolate, Soy Cheese, Soy Butter, and Soybean Oil. Soy is a widely consumed crop throughout the world. It has been a tradition in Asian diets for thousands of years. It is a great plant-based protein source and is also used as a filler in numerous processed foods world-wide, yet it is still considered a controversial food. Soy has been widely studied and some studies praise it for its positive health effects regarding menopause symptoms, cholesterol levels, and cancer risk, but other studies claim to show that it possibly has negative impacts on digestive health, some cancers, ovarian, and thyroid function. The bottom line is that there needs to be a higher caliber of research to conclusively determine if there are any negative effects of soy products on one’s overall health. Our personal experience as individuals at Saucy Revolutionary regarding all soy products has been favorable. We have not had health issues as a result of our moderate soy consumption. Nevertheless, every person is different and has to do what is right for him/her/they/them. You certainly have many other plant food options if you do not want to consume soy. We encourage you to always consult your doctor if you have a specific concern regarding soy products. Here is more information regarding soy from the Harvard School of Public Health.(https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/soy/) Also, Dr. Holly Wilson, MD, answers concerns (https://freefromharm.org/health-nutrition/vegan-doctor-addresses-soy-myths-and-misinformation/)regarding soy.

Edamame are young soybeans that are harvested prior to ripening. Edamame is a popular plant-based food that is gluten free and low in calories.

Given fish and seafood are living animals they would not be considered acceptable for a vegan diet. There is plenty of strong evidence that fish and sea animals are sentient, and can feel pain and show fear. Most methods of catching fish are extremely vicious. The bulk of commercially caught fish die from suffocation, and when they are pulled up to the surface after being caught in deep waters, their eyes and internal organs can painfully pop out from the depressurization. If you don’t care about fish and sea creatures' personal suffering, then there is plenty of research and information to support the negative effects of the fishing industry on the environment. The majority of fish you buy and eat are sold to the masses either through traditional commercial fishing or aquafarming. The destructive effects of animal agriculture on deforestation, pollution, and biodiversity loss is well publicized, but the fish and seafood industry are equally as damaging to the environment as the production of dairy and meat. For more detailed information on the catastrophic effects of the fishing industry on our environment visit these web pages: • The Human League (https://thehumaneleague.org/article/fishing-industry ) • World Atlas (https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-environmental-impact-of-the-fishing-industry.html) Furthermore, we recommend the book What a Fish Knows: the Inner Lives of our Underwater Cousins (https://www.amazon.com/What-Fish-Knows-Underwater-Cousins/dp/0374288216?&linkCode=ll1&tag=vegancom&linkId=c6e27112a6a943ffab8dd293499c143a&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl)by Jonathan Balcombe. In it Balcombe methodically investigates the topic of what fish feel and how they live.

There are MANY meat, barbecue, chicken wing, and bacon vegan alternatives. In fact, the answer to this is way too long to write out. We recommend going to Google or any Internet search engine, and researching each food you are interested in individually for recipes and ready made items. There will be a lot of responses and options, that is why looking up each of these separately is best. Saucy Revolutionary will definitely be recommending brands and giving our recipes in these areas as well, so be sure to follow us on social media and always read our blogs!

In today's day and age being vegan is no longer a foreign concept. Many regular restaurants offer vegan items, make it easy to make a dish on their menu vegan, or even have a separate vegan menu. When it comes to wholly vegan restaurants, you are bound to find at least one if not many, in any major city in the United States and throughout the world. There are some ethnic food restaurants that lend themselves to having a bigger variety of vegan options such as Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, Moroccan, and Indian. We at Saucy Revolutionary have often found that steakhouses (that we have to go to for a family event) can also be very flexible about creating a vegan meal for a customer. The best advice we can give is if you are invited to a restaurant you are unfamiliar with, check out the menu beforehand, give the establishment a call, see if the manager is helpful, and they are willing to create something for you. Also, if you are in a restaurant don’t be afraid to ask the chef if he or she will make something for you, as they usually will be helpful.

Products that say “may contain” on them are the manufacturer’s way of letting the consumer know that the product may have been in the vicinity of other foods that could be allergens to the buyer in the process of its production. “May contain” statements can be worded in a variety of ways including:  • “Produced in the same facility as” • “May contain traces of” • “Manufactured in the same facility as products containing” • “Made on shared equipment with” When you see these statements they are simply a statement of caution that there is a small possibility of cross contamination. They are not saying that any of the allergens are actually in the product. When you are looking at a product that says this you have to make your own decision, as to whether or not you are comfortable consuming it.

Plants do not feel pain because they don’t have a central nervous system. Plants don’t have nerves, pain receptors, or a brain. Plants appear to be living because they have chemical responses, but that is not the same as a person or animal's ability to feel or respond. Plants are living things in so much as they respond to stimuli. For example, plants grow because of sunlight, water, and conductive soil. There is some scientific evidence that plants can sense the world around them, but there is no legitimate proof that they have the same fight or flight response to the threat of pain and death as humans and animals have.

We have been in the position of having to shop for our family of meat and dairy eaters, as well as purchasing wholly vegan foods, and we personally have not noticed a significant monetary difference. Perhaps on specific individual items there can be, but overall, the answer is no. The reality is that shopping can be expensive either way. And regardless of what you eat, if you eat junk foods, they are probably cheaper. Also, if you buy organic regardless of being vegan or not, those products will be more costly. Meat and dairy are definitely higher priced items. When it comes down to a particular product such as, say, a pint of Ben and Jerry’s regular ice cream compared to their dairy free,(https://www.benjerry.com/flavors/non-dairy?utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_source=google&utm_name=B&J_Product&utm_term=&utm_content=serp&utm_topic=flavors&utm_objective=discover&utm_root=o&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7PCjBhDwARIsANo7CgmE9AFLM0YhBEcztyT4ykYQMhqFJGJsnbNPS7QlFKx3AnnT7ykfM5kaAmJ8EALw_wcB) there is about 10-25 cents higher with vegan, depending on the flavor. Another example is vegan cream cheeses can be generally more expensive, but there are some brands like Trader Joes (https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/vegan-cream-cheese-alternative-070942)or Tofutti (https://www.tofutti.com/better-than-cream-cheese-plain)vegan cream cheese that are less expensive, so it depends. With regard to restaurants, there is no difference. We have eaten at “all vegan” restaurants, as well as “regular" and the cost is the same if it's an equivalent dining experience; meaning if you go to a diner versus a vegan diner, or fancy restaurant. The truth is, you could spend a lot or less money either way. The cost of food is not a valid reason to not make a change and remove animal products from your diet.

No, because it’s simply an issue of supply and demand. Animals may be living, sentient beings, but in the world of the meat and dairy industry they are viewed as commodities. If more people became vegan, and less meat and dairy was being consumed, then fewer animals would be bred and farmed for that purpose.

If veganism is a moral decision not to consume animal products and not to contribute to the breeding, torturing, and killing of animals, then that logic also applies to what we wear and the products we use. Just like switching over to eating no animal products is at first challenging, changing over to only using vegan and cruelty-free products can also be difficult at first. This transition definitely requires research, as well as trial and error. When it comes to clothing it’s not as challenging because it’s easier to personally identify what not to wear. Basically it’s not wearing leather, any real fur, feathers, silk, and wool. There are plenty of alternatives to these materials on the market and they are also lower priced, and very fashionable. Finding beauty products that are vegan and cruelty-free can be more tricky. Everyday beauty and personal care products, including make-up, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste could contain ingredients from animals, or be tested on them. First we are going to explain the difference between “vegan” and “cruelty-free” labels on products. When a product is marked “vegan” it means there are no animal based products in the ingredients, but it doesn't guarantee that this is the case in the production process. The “cruelty free” label means that the product has not been tested on animals and that it is not developed, manufactured, or sold in countries that require animal testing, such as China. Unfortunately the “cruelty free” label is only applicable to the final stages of product testing and that during the production process there may still be ingredients that were tested on animals. We have found that unless a brand advertises that their products are vegan, as well as cruelty free, that some of the language companies use can be confusing, and you sometimes have to dig for the truth. Thankfully we have the internet! Just like meat and dairy products, we advise eliminating products that aren’t vegan and test on animals slowly and eventually you will get there. If you have any questions regarding your beauty products we recommend doing a specific internet search. This is due to the fact that circumstances are constantly changing products, companies selling, or developing new standards.

Being vegan is not just about the foods we choose to eat and not consume, it is an overall commitment to not contributing to harming animals. When animals are used for experimentation and entertainment, they are being forced into captivity and situations that are generally harmful. When it comes to zoos, more often than not the answer is no, you should not support zoos because animals are in captivity, unnatural circumstances where they cannot thrive, and because they are used for entertainment. Nevertheless, answering this question can require more detail, so we are going to link articles that give ample information on the topic of zoos below. Regarding the circus and places like SeaWorld the answer to whether or not vegans or any true animal lovers should be supporting these venues is a resounding no! These are essentially businesses that are using animals to make money by putting them into circumstances where they are in captivity, forced to perform unnatural tricks, and are generally in horrific environments. This also includes aquariums, dolphin rides, sea lion shows, horse and buggy rides, elephant rides, dog sledding, bullfighting, or anything not mentioned in these realms. Please don’t support them. Additionally, we encourage you to sign petitions against these operations, and if you have the means, to donate funds to them to help them fight for animals and be their voice. For more detailed information we recommend reading the following articles: • The Vegan Review (https://theveganreview.com/entertainment-problems-zoos-aquariums-circuses-animal-rights-cruelty/ ) • Vegan Food and Living (https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/are-zoos-vegan-we-explore-both-sides-of-the-debate/) • Sea World Of Hurt (https://www.seaworldofhurt.com/features/dont-visit-seaworld-on-vacation/) • People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals (https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/)

It’s important for each of us who inhabit the planet Earth to do our individual part in minimizing our carbon footprint. According to the scientific global environmental non-profit organization The Nature Conservancy a carbon footprint is, “The total amount of greenhouse gasses, including carbon dioxide and methane, that are generated by our individual actions. The average carbon footprint for a person in the United States is sixteen tons, one of the highest rates in the world. Globally, the average carbon footprint is closer to four tons. The major contributors to carbon footprints are: food, consumption, transportation, and household energy. Food is a major contributor to carbon footprints, and meat in particular is an issue. Livestock is responsible for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions, and beef is one of the biggest contributors. By going vegan for a month,(https://www.veestro.com/blogs/food-for-thought/what-difference-can-one-person-make-by-going-vegan) you would not only save 30 animal lives, but also: • 620 pounds of harmful carbon dioxide emissions • 913 square feet of forest • 33,481 gallons of water Read more about the carbon footprint (https://www.greeneatz.com/foods-carbon-footprint.html)from food production.

The definition of processed food is, “any food that has been altered in some way from its original state during preparation.” Basically unless you are eating a raw food diet, processed foods are part of your diet. Now there is another category of processed foods called, “highly processed” and this means foods that have high levels of oil, sugar, salt and are packaged. We wanted to clarify this first due to those who will voice negative opinions regarding vegan meat and dairy alternatives as being over processed and bad for your health. A regular hotdog is a highly processed food that is made often from a variety of unidentified animal body parts. A vegan hot dog, such as the brand Lightlife Smartdogs,(https://lightlife.com/product/smart-dogs/) is absolutely processed and can sometimes be high in salt for example, but definitely less than a meat hot dog, and the ingredients are all plant-based—not dead body parts. Also, if you don’t want soy in your hot dogs there are plenty of other alternatives on the market and many are organic. But the notion that people who eat processed meat and foods are suddenly nutritional experts and are going to lecture vegans on manufactured foods is silly. All meat cold cuts, for example, are factually highly processed and the American Institute of Cancer Research recommends not eating them because analysis shows they are carcinogenic. Another example of a processed product is cheese. Cheese is certainly not a natural product. It comes from the breast milk of a cow (meant for its baby) and is then processed with salt and other additives, and from there manufacturers create different kinds of cheeses. Now you could eat cheese from a dairy derivative, or if you are vegan from a variety of plant milks, which are often Non GMO, organic, and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol. Nonetheless, both are processed. Moreover, with the success of products like Impossible (https://impossiblefoods.com/)and Beyond Meat,(https://www.beyondmeat.com/) these are big commodities that people will try to incite arguments about. The fact is, when you buy ground meat it is not in a natural state. The process of getting ground beef that is sold is: killing a cow, clearing out its organs, cleaning out the blood, spraying chemicals on it such as pesticides, chlorine, and bleach to lessen the chance of diseases, and then ground it with a machine. Beyond Meat, for example, is also a processed, but made of plant-based ingredients which are: water, pea protein, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, rice protein, natural flavors, dried yeast, cocoa butter and methylcellulose (thickener); it also contains less than 1% of potato starch, salt, potassium chloride, beet juice color, apple extract, pomegranate powder, and beet juice. A person is welcome to eat regular ground meat that is high in cholesterol, saturated fat, or from a Beyond Meat product which is primarily made from peas, low in cholesterol and saturated fat. Both are not in a natural state, therefore processed. But please do not let anyone argue with you that vegan alternative products are processed therefore bad for you. When compared to animal products it's a misnomer and not a valid reason to forgo plant-based products. Lastly, It’s important to remember that many individuals adopt a vegan diet and lifestyle not necessarily for health reasons, but because they don’t want to contribute to animal cruelty and the negative environmental impact of the meat and dairy industry. Just because people stop eating meat and dairy products doesn’t mean they didn’t enjoy them. Many people are looking for vegan alternatives to satiate their desires for these foods. And many alternatives, while being processed, are certainly more healthy than their animal product counterparts. However, there are a multitude of individuals who don’t care about that. Here at Saucy Revolutionary, we love a good vegan hot dog during the summertime and crave some vegan sausage here and there. We try to find a balance and generally aim to keep our diets as natural and healthy as possible. Nevertheless, we are here to disseminate vegan recipes of all kinds and it’s up to each person to decide what they want to eat.

In 2014 an analytics company named Faunalytics (https://faunalytics.org/)did a research study to look into how many people who are vegan go back to eating meat. The statistic they published was a whopping 84 percent! Of course anti-animal protection and pro-meat and dairy groups/companies would cling to this one study and produce it as fact. This article from Plant Based News (https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/do-84-vegans-and-vegetarians-give-up-diets/)that goes into this in greater detail. We are mentioning this because if you did an internet search of the initial question of the truth behind people who are vegan going back to eating meat, this statistic will come right up and be cited as fact. Here’s our opinion at Saucy Revolutionary on this topic: it’s irrelevant. Every individual has to do what is right for her/him/them. If you have a moral conflict with eating animals because they are sentient beings, the factual way they are mistreated, and you want to do you part to not contribute to greenhouse gasses, and also better your health, then I’m sure you will be motivated to doing your best to follow a plant-based lifestyle. Studies have shown that currently there are around 88 million people world-wide who are vegan and that this lifestyle has had a recent surge of popularity. But again, all that matters is what YOU believe in and endeavor to do. However, maintaining consistency in eating a vegan diet is one of the reasons we recommend approaching it incrementally (instead of all at once) because we feel you will have more success in your plant-based journey. Nevertheless, the truth is there are many things in life that people struggle with in trying to do such as, stopping smoking, saving more money, reading more, exercising, drinking less alcohol, losing weight; the list goes on and on, and yet they give up. Does this mean that they shouldn’t try at all, or keep making an effort to find a way to achieve success? Of course not. Assuming the initial question of if many vegans go back to eating meat is even true, what significance does this have on your personal truth, decisions, journey, or methods of doing what is right for you? None, is the answer. So don’t pay attention to the noise from others who may attempt to question your choices, and simply do what is right for you.

We don’t have a good answer for this. It is difficult for us to understand why people behave belligerently and question in a quarrelsome way when they find out we are vegan. Truthfully, we cannot imagine being as defensive, argumentative, or weird with other people who tell us something about themselves, as others have been with us when we tell them we are vegan. And we aren’t being saucy! Here’s the thing, we are going to point you to two links with great articles on the fantastic websites World of Vegan (https://www.worldofvegan.com)and A Considered Life (https://www.aconsideredlife.co.uk)that give helpful advice on how to respond to even the most awkward questions! We know these articles have helped us! World of Vegan 14 Things Said To Vegans (And How To respond Without Losing Your Cool) (https://www.worldofvegan.com/things-said-to-vegans/ ) A Considered Life Common Responses When You tell People You're Vegan (https://www.aconsideredlife.co.uk/2018/02/common-responses-going-vegan.html)