Hi all,
I'm an American living abroad in Beijing and struggling with food at the moment. I've been a vegetarian for 13 years now, for some of which I was a vegan. I gave it up when I started spending a lot of time volunteering because I was living in communal spaces with others which made it difficult. I haven't picked it back up since because of the difficulties I've been having with Chinese food and supermarkets. I'm joining you in the hopes that I can become better educated about ethical veganism and hopefully get some positive encouragement. Treat me kindly.
Estellaona
莫圆
Hello from Beijing
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- Red
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Re: Hello from Beijing
Hey Estellaona!
Sounds tough over there, hope you'll be okay.
What inspired you to give up meat?
Sounds tough over there, hope you'll be okay.
What inspired you to give up meat?
Learning never exhausts the mind.
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- Jebus
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Re: Hello from Beijing
Hi Estelleana and welcome to our forum.
I recently heard that veganism is getting popular in China. Is there any truth to this?
I recently heard that veganism is getting popular in China. Is there any truth to this?
How to become vegan in 4.5 hours:
1.Watch Forks over Knives (Health)
2.Watch Cowspiracy (Environment)
3. Watch Earthlings (Ethics)
Congratulations, unless you are a complete idiot you are now a vegan.
1.Watch Forks over Knives (Health)
2.Watch Cowspiracy (Environment)
3. Watch Earthlings (Ethics)
Congratulations, unless you are a complete idiot you are now a vegan.
- brimstoneSalad
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Re: Hello from Beijing
While there are eggs in some noodles, Chinese don't put milk in everything like companies in North America do (although they may be getting worse about this), so a lot of things are accidentally vegan unless they contain lard or beef fat.
As long as you're avoiding the overt things, you're probably doing pretty well. An accidental trace of egg or lard isn't going to make a big difference.
It's probably a bigger challenge to avoid partially hydrogenated oil for health reasons. It's generally a good idea not to eat Chinese snack food unless it's just nuts (which AFAIK only commonly contain gelatin in North America for the sugary coatings).
Peanuts are a good go-to emergency snack in most countries.
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/4f/58/6f/4f586fc9933a28d8bd85ddd2b3be3ab5--china-food-in-china.jpg
Have you been to any of the vegan restaurants in Beijing? (I assume you know about happycow, which has listings for pretty much every country)
As long as you're avoiding the overt things, you're probably doing pretty well. An accidental trace of egg or lard isn't going to make a big difference.
It's probably a bigger challenge to avoid partially hydrogenated oil for health reasons. It's generally a good idea not to eat Chinese snack food unless it's just nuts (which AFAIK only commonly contain gelatin in North America for the sugary coatings).
Peanuts are a good go-to emergency snack in most countries.
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/4f/58/6f/4f586fc9933a28d8bd85ddd2b3be3ab5--china-food-in-china.jpg
Have you been to any of the vegan restaurants in Beijing? (I assume you know about happycow, which has listings for pretty much every country)
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Re: Hello from Beijing
Thanks for the responses!
My main difficulty is the things I usually eat are not in most Chinese supermarkets so I've resorted to eggs as a hold-over. I'm not a great chef, and I'm not used to the foods they eat here.
Part of my problem is I live in the sticks of Beijing, where happycow pretty much doesn't exist. There is a great vegetarian restaurant near me though, Chinese buffet stylebrimstoneSalad wrote: ↑Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:18 pm Have you been to any of the vegan restaurants in Beijing? (I assume you know about happycow, which has listings for pretty much every country)
My main difficulty is the things I usually eat are not in most Chinese supermarkets so I've resorted to eggs as a hold-over. I'm not a great chef, and I'm not used to the foods they eat here.
I really don't know, but there's definitely more vegan things geared towards expats who live in central Beijing than I would've imagined. It goes hand in hand with the fitness community here.
Thanks for the love! I'm really fine, but thanks for worrying about me. I gave up meat when I was 10, I think it was based on my love for animals, but honestly an argument with my father spurred me on- he said, "If vegetarianism is so great, why aren't you a vegetarian?" I hate to lose an argument.
- brimstoneSalad
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Re: Hello from Beijing
What are the things you usually eat?Estellaona wrote: ↑Sat Nov 11, 2017 11:06 pm My main difficulty is the things I usually eat are not in most Chinese supermarkets so I've resorted to eggs as a hold-over.
If you can find fresh tofu in a market you can eat that without cooking. The easiest way to eat it is if you smash it up in a bowl with some seasoning blend and use it basically as an tofu "egg salad" on some bread or with crackers.
Otherwise, you can make a soup: not hard for even a bad cook to do in a rice cooker.
Can you find Liangfen on the street? That's typically vegan.Estellaona wrote: ↑Sat Nov 11, 2017 11:06 pmI'm not a great chef, and I'm not used to the foods they eat here.
Not much protein, but it can hold you over if you're hungry until you can get some tofu or peanuts.
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Re: Hello from Beijing
Erg, I can't eat Liangfen, it gives me the heeby jeevies. You're absolutely right about the tofu, I need to eat more of it- I've failed cooking it several times so I've been tentative towards using it, but I'll try the mashed way.brimstoneSalad wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:35 am Can you find Liangfen on the street? That's typically vegan.
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Re: Hello from Beijing
Alright, good to see you'll be okay.Estellaona wrote: ↑Sat Nov 11, 2017 11:06 pm Thanks for the love! I'm really fine, but thanks for worrying about me. I gave up meat when I was 10, I think it was based on my love for animals, but honestly an argument with my father spurred me on- he said, "If vegetarianism is so great, why aren't you a vegetarian?" I hate to lose an argument.
I actually have a story similar to yours. When I was 12, I started questioning the morality of meat-eating, told my mom about it, and she asked the same damn question. It's good to see I'm not the only one with a story like that .
Learning never exhausts the mind.
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Re: Hello from Beijing
+1. I was 9 years old at the time - questioning eggs/chickens, but I was run over by both school and parents...Red wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2017 1:49 pmAlright, good to see you'll be okay.Estellaona wrote: ↑Sat Nov 11, 2017 11:06 pm Thanks for the love! I'm really fine, but thanks for worrying about me. I gave up meat when I was 10, I think it was based on my love for animals, but honestly an argument with my father spurred me on- he said, "If vegetarianism is so great, why aren't you a vegetarian?" I hate to lose an argument.
I actually have a story similar to yours. When I was 12, I started questioning the morality of meat-eating, told my mom about it, and she asked the same damn question. It's good to see I'm not the only one with a story like that .
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Re: Hello from Beijing
Hello, and welcome!
I've only traveled in the US, so I can't imagine how challenging it can be to live in an entirely different continent! (I know this is a Vegan based forum, but they welcome all inquiring minds, and they tolerate my non-Veganism, though I have quit eating most meat.)
Dietary issues aside, what was it like going from the States to the Orient? It must have been quite a culture shock.
I enjoy talking to travelers, seeing as how most of my countrymen haven't explored their own country, and I envy you your travels!
I've only traveled in the US, so I can't imagine how challenging it can be to live in an entirely different continent! (I know this is a Vegan based forum, but they welcome all inquiring minds, and they tolerate my non-Veganism, though I have quit eating most meat.)
Dietary issues aside, what was it like going from the States to the Orient? It must have been quite a culture shock.
I enjoy talking to travelers, seeing as how most of my countrymen haven't explored their own country, and I envy you your travels!
Alcohol may have been a factor.
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Taxation is theft.