veganism: I take meds that require A LOT of protein and I cant stand animal cruellity to poor animals, that cant speak for themselves. So i want to be a vegan but I dont know how too properly and I cant afford (in my family) to buy both soy and regular milk. My siblings wont go veggie and so its just me...what do I do?|||Do you have a source of income and can you help the family afford soy milk? The Whole Foods near me has a store brand that's fairly inexpensive, and their store brand tofu is also quite inexpensive. The soy milk comes in tetra packs and will last several months on the shelf or until you open it. What do you mean "a LOT of protein"? More than the average person, who only needs .3 to .5 grams of protein per pound of body weight? Most vegans get twice what they need anyway. Clif Bar has a line called Builder's Bars, which are very high protein. I've seen them at Target and Bed Bath and Beyond, as well as Whole Foods. The packaging states that it has about 20 grams of protein. Luna Bars are also good sources of protein (my S'mores bar has 180 calories and 10 grams of protein). Except for the Mojo line, which has honey, all the varieties of Clif Bar (including Luna Bar, Nectar, Builders) are vegan. If you can have one of these a day, would that help? Nuts are a good source of protein, but they are high in fat, so do take that into consideration. Beans are an excellent source of protein and fiber. You don't need to mix beans and rice at the same meal, as the protein combining theory has been shown to be a myth. You can use crumbled tempeh or TVP (textured vegetable protein) to make chili. Check out www.vrg.org for more information on what foods are good for protein. And if you can't go vegan, would you go vegetarian and consume as little milk and eggs as you can and then go vegan when you're living independenly? Good luck.|||your healths more important.|||eat lots of nuts. also if you dont mind, you could eat eggs. also beans are a good source of protien. good luck!|||You will need to take supplements if you can't get enough protein in your diet by eating. Try making soy protein smoothies and eating a lot of beans, nuts, and of course, tofu.|||Baby steps! Don't cut out all of your animal products all at once, or your body will revolt. Don't worry so much about "committing" to veganism. You can try it, and if you start to get sick, you can always go back to eating animal products again. Would your siblings consider buying organic/free-range animal products? That way they're still getting the milk and meat, but the cruelty level is much lower. Remember, it's not all or nothing, black and white. Every little thing that you do for the cause helps!|||Lots of protien in beans and nuts. Sometimes grocery stores have dietitians (Hy-Vee stores do); perhaps you can see if your local grocery store chain does and ask them about protien. --------------------------------------鈥?br> I've raised beef cattle, and frankly, they are not treated cruelly, even when they are taken to the packing plant. Frankly, most plants are more intelligent than cows, IMHO. When you look at animals, preditors have their eyes on the front of of their head, so they can triangulate and estimate the distance to their target. Prey, on the other hand, have their eyes on the sides of their heads, so that they can scan for preditors better. Cows, goats, sheep, all have eyes on the sides of their heads. Cats (lions, etc.), dogs, humans, etc. have their eyes on the front of their heads. Pigs, BTW, are preditors and have their eyes on the front of their head (think of their nearest relative, the wild boar). Animals with the eyes on the side of the head were intended by God to be eaten by the preditors (us included). That's my $.02 worth. --------------------------------------鈥?br> Now don't get me wrong. If not eating meat makes you feel better, more power to you. I just think a lot of people go into vegitarianism based on feelings rather than facts.|||Mind if I just bombard you with some links? Heh. Two things that might be helpful to specifiy: How much is a LOT of protein? and Are you already vegetarian? I'm sorry if you are, but, if you're jumping straight to veganism... wait ;D Start by cutting out the meat if you haven't already. Remember, every little bit helps, right? It'd be better to consume some dairy rather than as much as you would normally, (and staying healthy) - it isn't all or nothing. Be proud that you're even thinking of taking the step in our meat-obsessed nation. Know that a) most people get more protein than they need anyway(which is why I ask just how much extra you need). and b) there are plenty of sources you may not have realized! While animal protein may be the most easy to access, it isn't the only source, and it isn't all that healthy really... The links provide some interesting facts about protein and how to get it, just some basic FAQs|||Eh, I'm personally a meat eater. However, here's some tips. 1 Cup of Oatmeal has 6 grams of protein. 1 Bagel has 9, 1 cup of Soymilk has 7, 1 cup of cooked brown rice has 5, 1 cup cooked broccoli has 4, only 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter has 8 grams of protein. Lentils are a vegetable commonly available at stores, 1 cup of cooked Lentils has 18 grams of protein. Here's a couple sites. http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm鈥?/a> http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournut鈥?/a> You're afraid because you don't know how to do it. Knowledge is your weapon, now pick up your sword! >.>|||Meals that include rice & beans provide you with "complete protein" like you get from meat. Rice is cheap and so are tinned beans (chick peas, kidney beans, cannelini beans etc). You could also get protein from lentil dishes (soups, dal, lentil patties). My problem is not that I can't afford soy milk, but that I absolutely hate it. I just gave up milk altogether - black tea isn't so bad! I am moving onto herbal stuf now. If you are worried about cereal, you can have it with OJ or have toast with peanut butter instead! (Peanut butter is stacked with protein.) Tofu is another cheap protein option but it's useless to you unless you a) like it and b) know how to cook it well! Nuts are also a good source of protein but can cost a bit more at the supermarket. You could also up your intake of seeds - such as sesame! These are also packed with calcium. I throw a handful in most of my salads and stir fries. The possibilities are endless... don't let expense or a disease get you down. You can do it on a low budget, believe me!|||first off, soy milk does not give you any appreciable amount of protein (and neither does cows milk) If you want a good protein source, and you have a high protein need, you could consider getting a soy protein shake mix (such as my personal favorite Super Green Pro 96 Soy Protein, which has 30 grams of protein per serving) This product is not so expensive, really -- it tends to be sold for around $25 - $28 for a 2lb can which will give you @30 servings. Good luck|||First get a life. and life is about moderation. not limitation.|||Some good vegan protein sources are: almonds, black beans, cashews, fake meats, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, peanut butter, pinto beans, seitan, soybeans, sunflower seeds, textured vegetable protein (TVP), and tofu. Also, Cliff Bars and Luna Bars are vegan. For cheap vegan food ideas, see this list: http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/?v=07budge鈥?/a> Hope this helps!|||Millions of people are vegetarians for different reasons; they are not malnutritioned. If you know how to get your meals planned out and always eat well-balanced meals, you will be fine. Have you talked it over with your parents or the member/members who handle the cooking in the house about your desire to become a vegetarian? Soy products are not expensive; on the contrary, they are cheap in comparison with diary products. You can make your own soy milk at home; it's not difficult and it tastes better than the commercial ones. You don't have to let your siblings be like you or eat like you. Go to the library and get books on Vegetarian Cooking and discuss the alternatives with the person in charge of grocery shopping and cooking in your house. It's hard if you don't do your own cooking. You will have to let the rest of the family to agree on what they will accommodate; with good recipes, they may want to try a few different dishes each day and don鈥檛 have to be a complete vegetarian like you want to be.|||Soy is not a requirement to be vegan. Either you want to do it and you figure out how, or you decide you can't and you don't. http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/09鈥?/a>|||Beans are a great source of protein, as are nuts and sprouts. Also, my mom had a similar issue and needed protein for medical issues after surgery, and her doctor recommended this stuff called Unjury. You can mix it into soymilk, ricemilk, or whatever non-dairy milk you choose. Well, you can actually mix it into almost anything because they have plain as well as chocolate and vanilla, and probably more flavors also. And, it's not too expensive :) Good luck!