As I wrap up week 2 as a vegan, I feel ever more confident that I could do this on a permanent basis--and be happy. But while I feel certain that veganism is good for the planet and for other living creatures, I have reservations about how good it is for me.

Vegan diets have some clear health benefits: low in saturated fat, high in fiber. Lots of fruits and veggies. But last week, a friend of mine who is in medical school told me flat out that he doesn't know any doctors who would advocate veganism as a healthy diet.

In my post a week ago, I questioned the health effects of soy. From what I can tell, the research the still very mixed on whether soy is good or bad for you. This has me concerned, as I'm finding that soy has a way of sneaking into many of the things I eat now.

A family member also brought to my attention the concept of complete proteins--a phrase I'd never even heard before. Wikipedia tells us: "A complete protein is one that contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids that must be provided to the human body because of the body's inability to synthesize them." Apparently, those who consume meat, eggs and dairy needn't worry about getting complete proteins, but vegans require different combinations of foods to achieve them.

According to the Savvy Vegetarian, food combinations such as legumes with grains, nuts or seeds provide complete proteins. Some sources say it's sufficient to simply eat a variety of these foods during the day, while others suggest strict food combining is necessary. Fortunately, many of these desirable food combinations are intuitive to begin with. Rice and beans, whole wheat pita and hummus.

The Vegan Society Web site says vegans must also be concerned about finding sources of Vitamin B12, Iodine, Vitamin D2 and Omega 3.

From what I can tell, it very well may be possible to eat a vegan diet that satisfies one's nutritional requirements. But it just seems like it takes a lot more work than I would prefer to dedicate to it.

Of course, nutrition isn't confusing only for vegans. The thinking on what constitutes a healthy diet seems to be constantly evolving (think low-fat vs. low-carb). I've always subscribed to the theory that you should eat a wide variety of foods to be healthy, and ignore the trend diets. But becoming a vegetarian, and now a vegan, has cut into that variety dramatically. I'm wondering if I should consult a professional to ensure a vegan diet can meet my needs.

An unrelated observation:
Helen and I both agree that after a few weeks of being a vegan, all of a sudden being vegetarian seems totally easy and mainstream. Like, people seriously still eat meat? And what on earth was I complaining about before? Nothing to eat at restaurants? That's silly!