Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of questions we frequently receive by those interested in a vegan diet. At Free Vegan Recipes, we do not offer medical advice and recommend you consult your physician before making any dietary changes. If you still have questions after reading the answers below, please check our resource page or contact us and we’ll try to redirect you to the appropriate expert.

• What is a vegan?

  A vegan is an individual who does not consume any animal products. Animal products include pork, lamb, fish, chicken, turkey, honey, red meat, cheese, and all dairy products.

• What are dairy products?

  Dairy products are those ingredients derived from cows, goats, and other milk producing animals. Dairy products include but are not limited to:

  • Cheese
  • Milk
  • Butter
  • Cream
  • Casein (cow’s protein found in many soy products)
  • Yogurt
  • Cottage Cheese
  • and more

• Why should dairy products be avoided?

  Dairy products have proven harmful to the health. Devoid of natural phytochemicals and loaded with antibiotics, uric acid, and other counterproductive components, countless studies have shown the clear cut relation between animal product consumption and disease. In The China Study (The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health), T. Colin Campbell demonstrates the undisputed relationship between animal product consumption, disease, poor health, and cancer.

• Where do you get your calcium?

  This is a common question for those following a vegan diet. According to Joel Fuhrman, M.D., author of Eat to Live, usable calcium is found in many vegetable sources, including:

  • Green vegetables
  • Beans
  • Tofu
  • Sesame seeds
  • Almonds
  • Oranges

  Dr. Joel Fuhrman explains that, “Many green vegetables have calcium-absorption rates of over 50 percent, compared with about 32 percent for milk.” The problem is not with a lack of calcium consumption, but more in calcium loss from consuming certain foods, such as animal products, sodium, sugar, and caffeine.

• How do I get my family to eat this way?

  Changing your diet is never easy, especially if you have others for whom meals need to be prepared. Most think a vegan diet consists of carrot sticks and lettuce. The free vegan recipes listed here will show you how delicious vegan food can be. Further, these vegan recipes will open the door to new ingredients that are superior in taste and health than their traditional counterparts. Knowing where to shop, what ingredients to buy, and how to prepare them is crucial when implementing a vegan diet.

• How do I access the free vegan recipes?

  The main vegan recipe page is divided by category. Simply choose the meal or event for which you need free vegan recipes and print or save the .pdf document. Access to Free Vegan Recipes is available 24 hours a day, without charge or obligation.

• What is the difference between a raw food diet and a vegan diet?

  A raw food diet is a vegan diet where the food is not heated above 120 degrees (+ or -). Raw food diets are very much in vogue these days as their health benefits are supposed to be superior to a traditional vegan diet. Depending on whom you consult, this opinion varies. Most experts agree that raw foods are beneficial to your health; many professionals feel a diet consisting of 80% raw foods offers equal benefits to a strict 100% raw food diet (see Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens).
  

• What is a macrobiotic vegan diet?

  A macrobiotic diet is the opposite of a raw food diet. Primarily vegan, with some fish on occasion, the macrobiotic diet espouses only cooked vegan food. Michio Kushi has assisted individuals reverse disease and prevent over 200 chronic disorders in his book The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health. Other highly-regarded doctors feel that eating only cooked food is dangerous and creates digestive disorders.

• What types of free vegan recipes are offered?

  At Free Vegan Recipes, our recipes are not limited to one type of vegan food preparation. We believe there are benefits in eating raw food, cooked vegan food, and a combination of both. The free vegan recipes listed here include both cooked and raw vegan recipes that are tasty, satisfying, and easily accepted by those who follow a more traditional diet.

• How can I stick to a vegan diet while traveling?

  The beauty behind eating a vegan diet is its mobility. All restaurants have vegetables in the kitchen. Salads are the easiest vegan food for any chef to prepare. The vegan diet is gaining in popularity and many menus are now offering strictly vegan dishes.

Beware of vegan meals that are fried, high in salt, oil, sugar, or scream heart attack when presented. You might be better off eating a piece of broiled fish over some of the more exotic, saturated dishes many vegan restaurants offer! Don’t be afraid to ask about the ingredient in a certain menu item. In most cases, more healthful ingredients can be substituted. Avocados are a good staple food that most restaurants stock. They can be sliced up in salads, used in sandwiches, and much more.

• How can eating a vegan diet help the planet?

  According to John Robbins (son of the famed ice cream mogels and author of many NY Times bestsellers, including Diet for a New Americaand Diet for a New World), “it takes sixteen pounds of grain to make one pound of feedlot beef. It takes only one pound of grain to produce a pound of bread.” Mr. Robbins continues by stating, “if Americans reduced their meat consumption by 10 percent, enough grain would be saved to feed sixty million people.”Additionally, the waste products from cows are causing numerous problems in the way of stream run off, manure pile ups, methane gases, and other environmentally hazardous conditions. For more information on helping the planet, visit Earth Cool.

• Should only organic ingredients be used?

  That depends on how much you value your health. Organic foods offer almost twice the number of vitamins and minerals than their pesticide-laden counterparts. From genetically modified foods to Roundup Ready crops, the best thing you can do for your health and the planet is to support organic farmers when shopping.

According to SourceWatch, “Monsanto’s Roundup Ready crops have been genetically engineered to permit direct application of the Monsanto herbicide glyphosate allowing farmers to drench both their crops and crop land with the herbicide so as to be able to kill nearby weeds without killing the crops. Roundup Ready soybeans are heavily herbicide dependent.” 

For more information about Monsanto’s involvement in the disasterous state of our food, view the poignant film that uncovers it all: The Future of Food.

• Do you accept vegan recipe suggestions?
  If you have a favorite vegan recipe you’d like to share, please e-mail us the recipe and, if it’s not too similar to one already on the website and has healthful components, we’ll post it at our earliest opportunity.

For more information about Free Vegan Recipes, please contact us.