What Should I Do If I Accidentally Eat Meat as a Vegan? (2024)

What Should I Do If I Accidentally Eat Meat as a Vegan? (1)When you become vegan, it may feel like you’re adopting an all-or-nothing lifestyle. In certain regards, that’s true! By definition, veganism involves zero consumption or use of animal products or byproducts. It’s not always abundantly clear, however, which foods and products are truly vegan and which are not. Many vegans can recount times in which they have accidentally eaten meat or a meal that involved animal byproducts.

What Should I Do If I Accidentally Eat Meat as a Vegan?

  • Don’t Panic
  • Drink Water
  • Manage Any Food Sensitivity
  • Refocus Food Consumption
  • Maintain Vegan Nutrition

Starting a vegan family? Learn about vegan prenatal vitamins here

Don’t Panic

More acute than any other effect may be the feeling of psychological distress after unintentionally eating animal flesh or an animal byproduct. Panic may be the first thing you want to do, especially if you don’t feel like the lapse was your choice. Understand that a momentary slip doesn’t mean that you aren’t vegan anymore. Give yourself some grace and try to think positively about the ways you can get back on track moving forward.

Manage Any Sensitivity

Very few people are allergic to meat, but many vegans do report symptoms of food sensitivity when meat is accidentally introduced into their diets. Sensitivity can include symptoms as mild as headaches and irritability and as inconvenient as bloating, gassiness, or heartburn. If you do experience sensitivity, drink plenty of water, and typically, any symptoms usually subside within a few hours. Taking a digestive aid or doing something lightly active like taking a walk may also help alleviate discomfort sooner rather than later. In most cases, your body will process the animal product appropriately, even if you’re experiencing mild discomfort. If you find that you are one of the rare people who does experience an allergic reaction, take appropriate measures to consult a physician or emergency doctor to manage your symptoms.

Keep Nutrition Top of Mind

If intense cravings and subsequent lapses are frequent occurrences for you, you may need to look to your overall nutrition for answers. When all of your nutritional needs are met, cravings for “forbidden” foods are often less severe and less frequent. Make sure that you’re aware of the nutrients that are harder to come by for vegans, and take extra measures to include them in your diet on a regular basis, whether by finding new recipes or by making a supplement part of your routine. Maintaining a state of optimum nutrition through nutrient-dense plant-based foods and supplements will keep your body strong and capable despite any setbacks in your diet.

Pick Up Where You Left Off

Above all else, know that your momentary detour from veganism doesn’t mean that you can’t jump right back into that lifestyle with dedication and excitement. In the grand scheme of things, an accident or two will not negatively impact the benefits of a plant-based diet. Remind yourself of the reasons you started. Remain consistent and feel confident that your choice to maintain a plant-based lifestyle will keep you healthy and happy in the long run regardless of a mishap or two.

What Should I Do If I Accidentally Eat Meat as a Vegan? (2024)

FAQs

What Should I Do If I Accidentally Eat Meat as a Vegan? ›

In most cases, your body will process the animal product appropriately, even if you're experiencing mild discomfort. If you find that you are one of the rare people who does experience an allergic reaction, take appropriate measures to consult a physician or emergency doctor to manage your symptoms.

What happens if you eat meat after being vegan? ›

No, You Haven't Lost the Ability to Digest Meat

A common misconception about the vegan diet is that you can no longer digest meat properly, causing you to get sick when you eat it. But eating meat again is easier than you think. You might feel a little “heavier” after eating, especially if you have a large portion.

Would a vegan get sick if they ate meat? ›

Some vegans are concerned that they may get sick if they eat meat after not consuming it for a long time, but while accidentally eating meat is certainly an unsettling experience, it's unlikely you'll become seriously ill.

Is forcing a vegan to eat meat illegal? ›

It would be against the law to force someone to eat anything against their will. The courts have ruled that ethical veganism is a philosophical belief which qualifies as a protected belief within the meaning of Section 10 of the Equal Act 2010, so is already protected under this legislation.

Can a vegan live with a meat eater? ›

Another tip to combine plant-based options for non-vegan family members is to make the vegan meal the main meal with a side of meat or added cheese. Pasta dishes can also be made vegan with options for cheese to make them vegetarian. Also many meals can be made plant-based and enjoyed by the whole family.

What to do if a vegan accidentally eats meat? ›

What Should I Do If I Accidentally Eat Meat as a Vegan?
  1. Don't Panic.
  2. Drink Water.
  3. Manage Any Food Sensitivity.
  4. Refocus Food Consumption.
  5. Maintain Vegan Nutrition.

How to get rid of vegan face? ›

Once vegan face has taken hold of your complexion, can you fight it? “The effects of veganism are reversible,” Theron reassures, “if you fuel your body with rich, plant-based protein, fermented plant and pre- and pro-skin biotics and look at collagen supplements.

How unhealthy is vegan meat? ›

Specifically, they found that those who consumed plant-based meats fell below the daily requirements for calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B12. Plus, those eating these foods exceeded the reference values for sugar, saturated fat and sugar. This group did consume more fiber than the meat-eaters.

What illnesses are vegans prone to? ›

As you read along, you'll find out that most health conditions developed by vegans are related to vitamin B12 deficiency. Without the familiar sources of vitamin B12, certain bodily functions can be disrupted, leading to anemia, gastritis, stroke, Crohn's disease, and Celiac disease.

Do vegans recover faster? ›

In addition to preventing cardiovascular disease, following a plant-based diet can also help speed up recovery. “A long run or a tough workout can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and stiffness in your tendons and ligaments,” Loomis said.

What is it called when you are vegan but eat meat? ›

Flexitarian – people who mainly have a plant-based diet but that sometimes includes small portions of meat and seafood; sometimes also called 'semi-vegetarian'.

Does Jesus eat meat in the Bible? ›

Did Jesus eat meat? Many Christians readily assert that Jesus ate meat. Yet there isn't one instance in which he ate meat recorded in the Bible or other historical texts. Historians have frequently noted that Jesus' brother James was a vegetarian and had been raised vegetarian.

Can vegans eat fake meat? ›

As vegans we're very passionate about our ethical beliefs in regards to animals. But consuming meat analogues does not harm animals, nor does it compromise our ethics. And although there may be some uncanny similarities in names, appearances, flavors and textures, there is no cruelty involved.

Why do vegans live longer? ›

Nevertheless, vegan diets have been linked to “the reduction of risk for multiple chronic health conditions associated with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and obesity”, Brooke Jacob, a registered dietician, told Live Science.

Are meat-eaters happier than vegans? ›

Meat-eaters suffer less anxiety and depression than vegans and vegetarians. A meta-analysis examined the effects of meat consumption on mental health, revealing significant differences between those mental health and those who don't.

How many vegans go back to eating meat? ›

In 2014 Faunalytics (formerly Humane Research Council), an organization that conducts research to support animal welfare, discovered that 84% of the 11,000 vegans and vegetarians in their study pretty quickly reverted back to their omnivorous ways.

What happens to your body when you go raw vegan? ›

A raw vegan diet devoid of supplements can be low in vitamin B12, iodine, calcium and vitamin D and may provide too little protein and too few calories, leading to an array of health issues. It may also cause tooth decay and fertility issues.

Can vegans eat meat that died naturally? ›

Although eating an animal that has died of natural causes could be seen as harmless, if taken subjectively and acknowledged as an equal life rather than just a piece of meat, doing so would not align with our usual morals or beliefs.

What happens to your skin when you stop eating meat? ›

It's worth mentioning that some individuals who regularly eat meat can actually experience acne breakouts if they suddenly stop consuming meat. The body is complex, and there's no way to know for sure how eating meat or cutting it out will affect one's skin until enough time has gone by.

What happens to your body when you stop eating meat? ›

You may feel tired and weak if you cut meat out of your diet. That's because you're missing an important source of protein and iron, both of which give you energy. The body absorbs more iron from meat than other foods, but it's not your only choice.

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