[at-l] Vegan - was GARUCK LIST

[daveh@psknet.com (Dave Hicks)]

Red

I'm a omnivore -- albeit I avoid meat about 3/4 of my meals.  However, I
have eaten animals as well as animal products and parts in various parts of
the world that most folk on the list would avoid (including chitlins, souse,
scrabble, blood sausage, haggis, lots of game, snake, etc, here in the good
old US of A).

However, I have a number of family and friends that are vegan, or
vegetarian.  So, I often cook vegan, or vegetarian.  I am well aware of the
problems special diets cause for folk with special diet needs at gatherings,
of this sort.  Hence the offer to do a vegan dish of some sort -- to keep
them from being limited to just what they bring, themselves.

So, I would not want you to look to me as an expert on vegetarian nutrition.

However, a number of vegetarians have thrued.  A number of ATC seasonal crew
members (e.g., living in the woods & working hard) are vegetarian.  I know
hard working (physical work like sustainable farming) vegetarians, who have
no problem after many years of going meatless.  Much of the typical thru's
diet is meatless.

There are lots of "meatless" cookbooks, w/ good sections on nutrition.  In a
nut shell, it is a matter of getting combinations such as beans and rice
that provide complete protein and other items that cover your vitamin and
mineral needs (or take supplements).  With a little reading and discipline
going meatless should not be a problem, with nutrition or with re-supplying
in route.  Vegan, OTOH, will be a supply problem; unless you mail drop.

I am sure others on the list are far better qualified to answer your
questions.

Chainsaw