Favorite Vegan Spots In NYC

I am incredibly lucky to have attended school in New York City. Being a vegan in New York is so easy, and so fun. There are so many options, and below I will give you a list of some of my favorite places to eat out in New York as a vegan/vegetarian (in no particular order).

1. Juice Generation
This really isn't a restaurant, but it is my favorite place to get an acai bowl in New York. I have tried countless places, but none of them come close to Juice Generation. They have locations all over the city and do not disappoint. My go-to order is the PB Acai. All of their ingredients are natural and healthy. Especially in the summer, it is a great treat to cool off too.

2. Champs Diner
Possibly one of my favorite restaurants in New York. Champs Diner is located in Bushwick, Brooklyn. It is almost always jam-packed on weekends, but the food is worth the wait. All the food you loved before you went vegan, you will find at Champs Diner. It is known to be vegan comfort food, and it is just that. My favorite dish at Champs is the cookie dough pancakes.

3. Screamers Pizza 
Another amazing spot in Brooklyn. They have a huge selection of pizza, and the cheese is incredible. Definitely check this out if you are ever in Brooklyn.

4. The Cinnamon Snail
The Cinnamon Snail not only has great food but amazing desserts. They have endless amounts of pastries to pick from, that not only look delicious but taste amazing.

5. by Chloe
by Chloe is pretty well known in the city, and also has many locations. They have great healthy food, and my go-to is the Quinoa Taco Salad. 

Are Humans Carnivores or Herbivores? part 2.

In a previous post, (https://alixbehar.blogspot.com/2019/07/are-humans-carnivores-or-herbivores.html) I discussed how I changed part of a  Wikipedia post due to misleading information. The previous information said that humans are natural-born omnivores, but after doing my own research, and finding the science to back up that we are actually herbivores, I put the correct information in there. Unfortunately, somebody changed what I put in to what it was before,

"Humans are omnivorous, capable of consuming diverse plant and animal foods. Fossil evidence from wear patterns on teeth indicates the possibility that early hominids like robust australopitthecines and Homo habilis were opportunistic omnivores, generally subsisting on plant based diet but supplementing with meat when possible"

I still think this information is not correct, especially since it says that humans are capable of eating meat, which doesn't mean that it is not natural. I also would like to highlight the fact that it says that early humans were herbivores, only eating meat when it was available, meaning that we could survive fine on a plant-based diet.

"8 Proven Reasons Why Vegan and Vegetarian Diets Ruin Your Body" Response

As I searched for blogs relating to veganism and health, I came across one that really angered me, with the blog post titled, "8 Proven Reasons Why Vegan and Vegetarian Diets Ruin Your Body" You can read here Blogpost.

The creator of this blog is a man named Alex Fergus, whose bio says he's passionate about health and wellness. While it's great that he's running a blog to share his advice, there's a difference between not wanting to follow a diet as a personal choice rather than saying the diet is not healthy as a whole.

In his blog posts, the first thing he says is that it is not possible to get the needed amount of protein on a vegan diet. It's 2019 Alex, and this is simply not the case.

It is more than possible to get enough protein as long as you are consuming enough food as a whole. When I went vegan, I tracked my nutrients on a great website called "cronometer" where it breaks down all the food you're eating, and I never had a problem getting enough protein. There are so many plant-based foods that are protein-rich like nuts, legumes, plant-based meats, and more. Also, some of the biggest and strongest animals on our planet are actually plant-based, such as elephants, gorillas, and rhinos. Would you ask them if they're getting enough protein? Probably not.

Another thing he mentions is that it's hard to consume enough healthy fats. Also wrong. 

I myself, and my vegan friends have never had a problem getting enough fats. As mentioned, it's 2019 and there are so many options to choose from: flax, chia, hemp seeds are a great source of healthy fats. There's also almonds, cashews, and other nuts. There are also so many vegan cheeses and "plant-based dairy" items to pick from that contain all the nutrients and are free from all the added hormones in real dairy products. 

The last thing Alex mentions is that being vegan only feels good in the beginning, but fades as your journey continues.

I have been vegan for over five years, and have felt great in the beginning, and to this very day. If you do it right, you shouldn't have a problem eating a vegan diet, unless you have an underlying health problem. It is also very unfair of him to make such a large generalization because I can guarantee there are so many people who have been vegan for a long time who still feel great. 

Overall, I felt his post was really just a way to get people to not go vegan. He's provided outdated information that can easily be solved now due to the demand of veganism. He, of course, can choose not to be vegan, but it is not right of him to put down the diet as a whole.

My Response to "10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Vegan"

Matt Frazier, a writer for HuffPost, wrote an article titled, "10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Vegan" which you can read here. 

In this article, Frazier talks about all the things he wishes he could go back and tell his former self what would happen when he went vegan. Reading his advice for his pre-vegan self, I can relate to much of what he said.

1. "The Jokes Will Never Stop"

This is true. No matter how much people respect you for being vegan, there will always be the time you get people saying, "But bacon though!" or "So all you eat is lettuce, huh?", and more. My family has come a long way, but to this day, I still get called "extreme" for not eating certain foods. For example,  this past weekend, I was at my grandma's house and my dad ordered pizza for dinner. He got me a Margherita pizza with no cheese. When he picked it up, and my grandparents saw it, the first thing they said was, "How can you eat that with no cheese? That's not pizza," Those kinds of comments hurt a lot more when I was younger, but now I'm just used to the fact that not everyone will understand your reasoning for going vegan, and that's okay.

2. "Giving Up The Cheese Isn't Nearly As Hard As It Seems"

This is one of the reasons why people don't want to go vegan, believe or not. When I went vegan, I found there were more alternatives to cheese than ever. Giving up real cheese was not at all as hard as people made it out to be. I found when I stopped eating cheese, my skin cleared up and I felt a lot better. It was not the life-changing crisis people made it out to be.

3. "You Will Impact More People Than You Realize"

This is true, and one of the most fulfilling things that could happen as a vegan. Over the course of me being vegan, I have seen my mom stop eating turkey because when we visited a farm sanctuary, she met a turkey who changed her life. She saw that he had so much personality, and she realized she couldn't eat it anymore. My dad as well has stopped eating all meat except fish. Seeing my family realize that this lifestyle is so beneficial has been amazing to watch. I even have had friends told me they went vegan because of me, and nothing feels better than that.

4. "Be prepared for a feeling of responsibility, and the compulsion to hold yourself to a higher standard than before."

This is especially true. When people find out you're vegan, they begin to think you're also up to date on all the important social justice movements, and that your lifestyle is pure in all aspects. In some ways, this can be true, but in others, it can be really difficult. For example, because I'm vegan, people also think I'm 100% plastic-free. Although I'm trying really hard to get there, I'm not right now, and because of the vegan title, I have been judged for that. Also, because I don't eat many veggies, but mainly carbs, I'm also told I'm a "fake vegan" (whatever that means). That is also hurtful because I'm vegan for the animals. Not to be a healthy eater.

These are just some of the things Frazier listed, and I relate to them all. It will always be hard being vegan (not because of the food, but dealing with the people who do not approve of your lifestyle) but the positives have always outweighed the negatives for me. Going vegan will always be one of the best things I decided to do, and I'm proud of that.

A Weekly Grocery List For A Successful Vegan Lifestyle

Grocery shopping doesn't have to be dreadful, and as a vegan, I've found it is actually more exciting looking for new foods to try. Below I will share with you some of the things I buy weekly, and other foods you can incorporate into your grocery list whether you're already vegan, or trying to eat more sustainably.

• Veggies 
• Whole grains
• Fruit
• Proteins
• Snacks

That is a general list of what anyone would probably look for when grocery shopping, and now I am going to go into specifics.

I am not a fan of most vegetables, but do find the favorites that I can eat daily/weekly. So if you don't see lots of veggies on this list, that is why. But I'm working on it!

• Potatoes. I love potatoes. Possibly more than any other food. The great thing about potatoes is that you can do SO much with them. I usually just bake them with olive oil and garlic and it is so delicious, and when bought in bulk, it will last you a while. The great thing about potatoes is that they are so affordable and also full of healthy carbs and nutrients.
• Romaine. As I mentioned, I am not a fan of vegetables or salad, but do find that I can enjoy some romaine lettuce. I definitely do not eat it in a salad, but sometimes just stick in a bowl with some rice or veggie burgers.
• Rice. Rice is another great affordable food that you can buy in bulk and it should last you for a long time! I love rice because it is so filling and I can also just put it in a container and take it to go. When I first started college and wanted to eat as healthy as possible, I was always eating brown rice. I also find that brown rice gives me so much energy, especially if I eat it a few hours before I work out.
• Hummus. Another one of my favorite foods. I love eating hummus with carrots, chips, and obviously pita bread. Hummus is a great healthy snack full of lots of healthy fats! I do find it hard to find a hummus that is as good as real authentic Mediterranean restaurant hummus, but there is always a huge selection at grocery stores!
• Healthy chips. I love getting healthy chips made out of beans or just good ole regular corn chips. 
• Granola. Another fave. I love love love granola. My favorite granola right now is the Kashi Toasted Berry Crumble. It is so good and has 9 grams of protein per serving (and we all know no one ever eats one serving of anything). 
• Beans. Beans are yummy and super healthy. Nothing else to say about that!
• Oatmeal. Another food that is super filling and you can do so much with. Add your berries, nut butter and granola!
• Peanut butter
• Skinny Pop
• Larabars
• Fruit (my favorites are strawberries, oranges, and apples)
• Veggie Burgers (Gardein and Beyond Burger are great!)

This is just an example of a weekly grocery list for me. It changes weekly, but you get the gist. 

What snacks do you like? And how do you make your veggies more exciting/ enjoyable? Comment below!