The REAL Reason so many Creators are LEAVING Veganism (I'm not holding back...)

[@eringaines]

Also: the “why I’m no longer vegan” videos get a ton of views, so I would argue that this is a financial incentive for them.

[@desireemeredith4929]

Absolutely! And because their content is so high in the algorithm, they now have the potential to be seen by the larger public, and are able to transition their platform seamlessly.

[@thebowandbullet]

100%! It caters to the non-vegan demographic which is much bigger than the vegan one, and gets discussed on countless vegan and non-vegan channels.

[@terryjackson9395]

exactly. There are influencer agencies that will make them a lot of money if they go along with the narrative. There's no money in not killing animals, and big money in giving people excuses.

[@jebidyah]

to suggest they are going against a diet they were vehemently supporting and promoting just to make money is delusional.

[@Unmasking_Viandalisme]

After 9mo almost entirely WFPB, decided to "go vegan". Long story short: WF omni. better suits my physiology. Your "argument" is baseless.

[@mickilicyes5399]

I am 67 years old and have been vegan for 7 years and have NEVER felt better!!!

[@stevenvitali7404]

I’m 50 and been vegan for 4 years, had blood test and everything is great!

[@jeremywvarietyofviewpoints3104]

I've been a vegan for a few years, and it has improved my health in some ways. Unfortunately, it hasn't caused weight-loss but then nothing else does that either. I don't find it hard being vegan. It is better for the environment. It doesn't solve all my health conditions but over time I find medical solutions.

[@TheGreatSaveeni]

I just hit my 7 year anniversary too! But 25 lol

[@mickilicyes5399]

@@jeremywvarietyofviewpoints3104 I lost a bit the first year, but it wasn't until I followed the starch solution that I was able to loose the weight.

[@mickilicyes5399]

@@TheGreatSaveeni I wish I had done it when I was that young. Good for you!

[@mistybaylock]

"Just like.... eat normally" lmao more people need to hear this

[@kerryfirehorse]

Absolutely. When I got very sick ( not from being vegan) and couldn’t digest and process my food, I lived on brown rice and apple juice, then apples for months. I slowly reintroduced foods over the years, starting with broccoli and carrots. I’m an ethical vegan and having animals killed for me was never an option. 9 years of healing later, I can eat all vegan food, even processed, in moderation. I don’t believe there is ever any excuse.

[@longevitycoach1573]

@@kerryfirehorse so, you kill the potatoes 🪲 beetle to eat the potatoes 🥔 and I kill the 🐄 cow to eat the 🥩 meat.

[@kerryfirehorse]

A video about vegan content and toxic comments, then this joker comes along just to prove the point ⬆️ 🙄

[@longevitycoach1573]

Why idiots get offended by listen the truth?

[@VeganLinked]

@@longevitycoach1573 you kill astronomically more than we kill, you're not just killing the cow, you're intentionally killing the cow in addition to accidently killing via all the crop deaths to feed the cow and the cow depends on more accidental death than you would eating plants directly. By intentionally eating animals the intentional killing alone exceeds the accidental death from eating plants directly and the bykill alone exceeds it because the worst, most pesticide and herbicide laden monocrops go to animal agriculture.

[@AmonarayIsalay]

Pamela Anderson created a vegan cookbook and purposely didn’t use the word vegan in it. I think that’s the best way to go. Just make really delicious food and focus on that rather than the stigmatized word.

[@dianamendoza6829]

Interesting!!

[@MikaAltidorMMC]

Yes, I saw that. Plus, I am removing the word vegan from our cafe, because some people walkout when they find out that it's vegan. But, we are 100% vegan food at our cafe.

[@tudormiller887]

Didn't Gwyneth Paltrow create a 'vegan cookbook' too ?

[@VeganLinked]

yet, I've never met anyone who went vegan just because the food is delicious. doesn't sound like very effective advocacy.

[@VeganLinked]

@@MikaAltidorMMC that's sad, I specifically go to places that are explicitly vegan when I travel. And I know lots of people that do. But, probably not enough to keep your doors open... too bad you have to acquiesce to such benighted people.

[@KnittyKnut]

I was really disappointed, but not entirely surprised, when Kalel stopped being vegan. The vague "my health" reason was given, but that was it. Where once she shared so much about her health, suddenly she was tight lipped. Then cut to her eating McDonalds and Taco Bell. Uh huh. Muh health :/

[@terryjackson9395]

For these young 20-something chicks, it's unwillingness to give up social life. Healthy vegan must prepare their own food at home (mostly). Of course it's not cool to admit "I'm just not willing to give up the social life" so they lie and say 'health problems'. It would be better if they never did it in the first place.

[@ceeemm1901]

@@terryjackson9395 As John McDougall might have wanted to put it...."It's the 'Likes', folks👍"

[@bryceandrewmusicofficial]

Kalel was NEVER VEGAN. She admitted in her why I slit animals throats open now video that she was sneaking in candy bars with dairy on purpose at the grocery checkout because the poor girl felt deprived of candy bars. Poor Kalel!

[@ClassicJukeboxBand]

She wasn't lying. Health problems are rampant in the vegan community.

[@thebowandbullet]

Most of them were never vegan. They were either on a plant-based diet, crash dieting for weight loss, or on some purity/woowoo spiritual me-myself-and-I journey. Being healthy on a vegan diet is extremely easy. Like you say, just eat normal foods: some cooked, some raw, pasta, pizza, stir-fries, salads, BBQ, etc., whatever you ate before but without corpses and animal products.

[@killmat1c]

Bingo. If you get a craving it's not cus you're missing a nutrient. It's cus you stopped doing something you always did. If you feel symptoms that are actually imaginable (brain fog), it's not a missing nutrient, it's symphony of issues. People are just lazy. Plain and simple.

[@ube4856]

​@@killmat1c also, not everything is because of diet. Like maybe you have brain fog because you're not sleeping well, you're too sedentary, you don't leave the house enough, or you're not drinking enough water. People act like they never got brain fog pre-vegan.

[@ube4856]

The purity thing is definitely true. A lot of people who get into veganism have this expectation that it alone should and will perfect their bodies and solve and ward off every ailment. A plant-based diet can do a lot, but at the end of the day diet is only one aspect of health.

[@chelsiemitch490]

70lbs 9am 8am 9am 7 9pm 7y797 y 7

[@mariapap8962]

Calling oneself an "influencer" is cocky, to begin with. They are CONTENT CREATORS, not some kind of leaders guiding sheeple. Secondly, a TRUE vegan would never want to go back to sponsoring animal abuse. Therefore, their vegan content was only created for the likes, the money and the publicity.

[@ChristopherGronlund]

I'm a big guy (like professional wrestler/offensive lineman big), and my wife is very active. We've been vegan for almost 25 years without issue. I know some people have a hard time getting all they need, but so many seem to go from one extreme diet to the next. Like you mention in the video: if you're actually vegan and go back to supporting the killing and consumption of animals, you don't then turn around and make a carnivore diet channel. I have a health issue that I've had since before going vegan, and it requires two annual detailed blood draws. My doctors love that I'm vegan and are impressed by my results.

[@Useernaamee]

You should expose that brand

[@alexandragatto]

1000%! It sounds like Just Egg to me... If they still haven't paid she NEEDS to spill the tea. Name and shame!

[@taradevito6751]

As I sit here and have an “egg” sandwich. I know the brand and that’s total shit!

[@MikaAltidorMMC]

I need to know that I am not supporting a brand that didn't pay you😭

[@madddoll8685]

Aren't contracts signed when you are making deals with brands as a company? I don't get how there was no recourse.

[@EnviroArtiste86]

@@alexandragatto i think it was a brand called vegg. she used a lot of their products if i remember correctly

[@kateliness2]

I completely agree with the idea that even if for some bonkers health situation I "had" to go back to eating animals, I'd never advertise it if I had actually cared about veganism as a movement.

[@laranadesign4764]

@3:00 I'm a 13yr vegan and have always said "GNC is not a franchise because of Vegans". The supplement market has always been driven by omnis. We vegans just don't have the numbers even if we single-handedly wanted to push the profits of that market. Most of the protein shakes being made are not for Vegans, so as soon as we do the exact same thing, it's met with the most juvenile of hypocrisy. 🙄 Come on, guys. Admit you only care about yourself at that point.

[@neurospicyrainbow]

💯👍

[@KillerTofuDrums]

Daily multivitamins are supplements. Protein shakes are supplements. Enriched flour, whole milk (w/ vit-D added), baby formula, crap with "omega 3" slapped on it. Supplementation is an every day occurrence for everyone unless you're specifically avoiding it. Taking a multivitamin isn't the reason those people aren't vegan. They're just trying to justify living in malicious ignorance. They dont want to believe it's wrong.

[@Angela_Clark]

My. Thoughts. Exactly. It's obvious they were never vegan, and if that's the case, instead of trying to make justifiable reasons, just say "I don't give a fuck about ethical reasons", and leave it at that instead of trying to make themselves feel better. Makes no damn sense.

[@DamnTastyVegan]

You’re one of my favorite long time vegan influencers on here. You’ve stood the test of internet time by eating normally. No weird smoothie cleanses, raw till 4 bs. You show the bounty in being vegan and that we can eat all the same things.

[@dianamendoza6829]

Her recipes are bomb too

[@FelixHarald]

Hello 👋

[@MsFlamingFlamer]

I’ve been vegan for 14 years. I feel like a lot of the big names that went carnivore etc had issues with food to begin with so I’m not surprised they are not vegan anymore. I really do wish them physical and mental health. I’m sorry what you’ve dealt with with shady vegan brands.

[@ceeemm1901]

They weren't really "big names" in the first place. They just want to be part of "The Cult Of Personality" because mommy and daddy never gave them enough love.

[@tinknal6449]

And they ARE experiencing physical and mental health, often for the first time in their lives.

[@JauntyCrepe]

My boyfriend (also vegan) and I have talked about this a lot. We’ve been vegan since 2011 and I’ve been vegetarian since 2008 and we’d noticed this boom of vegan products and people around maybe 2020, but then now it seems like stores and restaurants are dropping their vegan options. And people who were “vegan” are suddenly not now

[@sundragon13]

That's because people are waking up to the fact that it's unhealthy

[@JauntyCrepe]

@@sundragon13 I’m going to listen to the American dietetics association that literally says it’s a healthy way of life for all people in all life stages instead of a rando on the internet. And tbh since America has an obesity crisis and eats way too much saturated fat and cholesterol, I’d say we’re def not going to suffer from cutting meat and dairy out of our lives

[@JauntyCrepe]

@@sundragon13 also I see that all your recent comments on this channel are about how veganism is “unhealthy”, so you’re obviously a troll. The facts support me, not you.

[@sundragon13]

@@JauntyCrepe the facts do not support you. Tell you, do you actually check for conflicts of interest on the studies you look up? Do you unbaisedly look at all nutrition studies or do you just cherry pick the ones that agree with you?

[@sundragon13]

@@JauntyCrepe I'm not a troll I'm just a girl who almost died on a vegan diet. I used go think it was just me, but after thoroughly searching for answers, I've come to realize that veganism is not an appropriate diet for our species and is bad for everyone. Yes, lots of people can tolerate it better than I can, but I've literally never seen a long term vegan that doesn't look sickly

[@Eco_Hiko]

There's also something I wanted to mention in regards to vegan content creators that should be highlighted in videos like this. With lots of creators doing extreme veganism for weight loss, I've found that if you engage with lots of vegan content online you start to see troubling adverts. I usually get targeted by ads for pils, surgery, work out programs and other things that are perfectly designed to target people with poor relationships with food. (Whether that be an e.d or not.) I've also noticed I'm getting more and more alcohol adverts too. Even though these types of ads are blocked. It doesn't even matter if I use a VPN. I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere in the algorithms there's a link between vegan content and fad diets. This stuff shouldn't be allowed any where. Full stop.

[@PaulJKurucz]

Vegetarian for 31 years - mostly vegan - and feeling great! A healthy and well balanced plant-based diet works...key words: "well balanced". 👍🏻

[@bastianena]

There's mostly plant-based, not mostly vegan. A healthy plant-based diet is balanced with a variety of keyword PLANTS, not dairy and eggs.

[@glitterandglueforyou]

@bastianea Just stop. He knows what he eats & if it’s mostly vegan…cool. You don’t have the right or responsibility to police how he describes himself.

[@kimberlysue594]

I've been vegan for decades. Ethical reasons. My life is rescuing and rehabilitating animals. You are the only Vegan I follow. You speak the truth girl!! I adore you

[@kimberlysue594]

I'm sorry but, why did Kim K get the Beyond deal?😮

[@clankfish]

veganism is not a diet. please stop.

[@staceylandfield5002]

65 veg since 14 vegan 16 years, feeling great!!

[@lolacookie453]

❤️❤️❤️

[@BDSandM]

I've noticed that many ex-vegan YTers tend to have pretentious personalities. They're full-blown into some spiritual shit or something about them that seems exaggerated and not real. Like a sub-niche within veganism they've found to connect to their gullible fans. Like they're catering their personality to other people to personally benefit from that fake persona. The YTers I watch that have remained vegan are less of an exaggerated persona, more laid back, and do what they want and not what others' want to get them more favorability. I understand there's some level of giving the people what they want, but there's reasonable fanservice and there's selling your soul. I won't be surprised if there's another vegan boom like in 2015-2016 at some point repeating the trend of cashing-in and cashing-out. Thanks for remaining real. It's one of the reasons I will continue to support you. =^^=

[@veganreikiangel]

I've been a vegan for 25 years... I'm into high raw eating, is post of my spiritual path and I'm not deficient or going back! I'm vegan for MULTIPLE reasons... The animals, health, the ecosystem etc..... I see more ex vegans who lived on an the highly processed sh*t most vegans love on these days and it's no wonder they got deficient....

[@MarlaSingersCancer]

Yeah, it tends to be Americans who seem rife to get into culty type thinking, very anti science, very Main Character syndrome. I've only followed normal vegans online and have never managed to follow one who stopped being vegan.

[@tinknal6449]

LOL, you just described EVERY vegan You Tuber.

[@TheAbbybabs]

I think these "influencers" are always about ego, diet, latest trends and following what's popular at the time. If you see all the ones who've gone back, they are obsessed with image, extreme dieting and seem very self obsessed and image focused, and some with eating disorders. A family member of mine who was "vegan for the animals" for over 5 years, her kids were also vegan. The youngest going vegan 4 years old, and was a little activist! She would talk about how awful the egg industry say yuk if she saw people eating animals near her, and knew all the facts about the meat industry. This family member, just all of a sudden went back to eating animals.. No reason, just started eating animals, and all the crap processed meat, like salami, meat sticks, cheap processed ham.. And seeing those kids so passionate, eating this, hurts my heart. The youngest now 9, just the other day, was asking for a ham sandwich and asking for her peparami stick for her lunch.. I don't get it at all. But then I remembered a conversation with this family member, we had last year, and she said " we as vegans, are much better than those that aren't vegan, and are above them" and I was shocked, as I really don't think that, but it is clear to me now, it's about ego and following a trend for a lot of people. I am vegan for the animals for 9 years and will never ever go back!!

[@blondey3261]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@aliciacarmona5004]

Well of course look what they eating junk food , u go back eating meat or eggs but only grass fed and organic , pastures raised eggs ok they ate the wrong foods after leaving vegan I used to be vegan for a long time until my younger child got so sick . Don’t want go all into details because he went through a lot of illnesses including allergic reaction and now developed Hives. I had no choice but to go back to our regular diet and balance the food on the plate with all good food vegetables beans rice potatoes just like before becoming vegans. We always ate healthy before and after homemade food always even cooked from scratch. I stop vegan for my child my son he was 7 yrs old at the time always bloated and more . Now after the yrs we eat grass fed meat only eggs pastures raised vegetables of course potatoes . But he can not anymore eat things that has to do with flour he gets hives so bad red burning feeling numb on his fingers do to the allergies he can die with this . Vegan effective my son health unfortunately is not for everyone . I cooked all my meals never ate unhealthy at all being vegan or regular diet. Ok I didn’t it for my son.

[@lifeiswonderfulbao9143]

I m 40 years and being vegan since almost 20 years. I look 10 years younger

[@louisah6020]

Yes!! I also feel like people hold vegans to this unrealistic standard and because we choose not to eat meat that also means we're not allowed to have an iphone (because of those factories) and can never shop at H&M(fast fashion). It's like we have to fight ALL the battles while they are sitting there on their couch, fighting none but judging those of us who are least trying to make the world a less cruel place. It's exhausting. Diversify your content and keep doing what you need in order to support yourself and we'll keep supporting you, just please don't ever go carnivore. 🤣

[@zooweellama]

Perfectly said. These people have the “all or nothing” mentality which helps no one.

[@diemdia]

Yeah I also think there’s already a lot of crossover between people who are vegan and people who are trying to be otherwise conscientious consumers due to unfair labor conditions, environmental exploitation, etc. I think it gets downplayed, but moving through the cognitive dissonance and personal defensiveness to recognize that what you’re doing is causing avoidable harm and then changing your behavior is very counter to our neurology and is not as easy as some people make it seem. If you can do it for one system of exploitation, I think it’s easier to recognize and try to make changes regarding other systems of exploitation too. The thing is - I personally can live a perfectly fine life without eating animal products, but I can’t survive without wearing clothes or (in this day and age) without a smart phone or a car because at a bare minimum, I have to have these things to keep a job. I try my best to get everything I need second hand and to minimize unnecessary purchases, but I’m also just one person with limited resources, time, money, and support and sometimesss I’ve gotta buy socks. Sue me

[@rebeccastock4107]

34, Vegan for 7+ years, i genuinely feel repulsed at the thought of eating animals or their products. VEGAN FOR LIFE!

[@lyssarida236]

I 100% agree with you on this topic! I used to have a rapidly growing ig account with pretty vegan food. It was fun! I had brands starting to reach out- it was all a blast. And then the hate started, and I don’t put up with bullshit. I quickly learned that protecting my energy in the real world, also needed to be applied to my online life. So I pivoted in social media. I’ve been vegan for 9 years and haven’t died 😂 I’m healthier than I’ve ever been and promise to all those worried about my protein consumption- that I’m really doing more than ok. I used to love watching some of those big vegan accounts. I never followed the extreme diets, I just always wanted to support veganism in any way possible. Anyways, thanks for talking about this!

[@sitaeve108]

Been vegetarian for all 26 years of my life. Never had decencies. My family ate normally, pasta with veggies, oatmeal, cereals , stir fry with tofu, veggie burgers, Salads, fruits, rice and beans, etc. I was vegan for 6 years and felt great. But living in a state with local organic dairy products everywhere you look , I decided to go back to vegetarianism. And I’m still very healthy! Never once had an issue with my vitamin lab tests at the doctor.

[@Michaela_Hearne]

I love the diversification! Some of my favourite Gaz Oakley videos are his travel and gardening videos. I also need some fashion and lifestyle videos from yourself please!

[@unrox]

Really sucks that the brands are being scammy with vegan creators. I appreciate you telling us tho! I’ve been seeing less vegan content from my faves as well but adapting is a part of the job too.

[@stevenvitali7404]

Made a lovely Lentil soup last night, it had onion,garlic,celery,carrot,kale,tomatoes,tomato purée,veg broth,salt,pepper,green lentils,cumin,oregano,basil,thyme and lemon juice, most non vegans I know have a really unhealthy diet and eat next to no vegetables

[@lolacookie453]

Sounds so yummy and satisfying ❤

[@DoreenBellDotan]

My Husband is 84 years old. He's in excellent shape for his age. Been Vegan most of his life as his Mother switched over to Veganism for health issues when he was a kid. I'm Vegan for ten years. We eat like you do - a large selection of fresh, cooked and even processed Vegan foods when I'm missing something from my carnivorous past. I think a lot of long-time Vegans are no longer doing it as a trend. It's just the way things are and no need to talk a lot about it.

[@sarahpauline4904]

I agree, veg since 92, vegan since 07 here. What I eat is not part of the conversation. It's a non issue.

[@AC-yb9ml]

Such a great and much needed video. Thank you for being open about sponsors etc. For the others… I too roll my eyes at them. I’ve been vegan 40 years and my husband for 10, we are in great shape and in better health than anyone else we know. People are always shocked we are vegan because of our physiques, energy etc. these crash dieters who claim to be vegan and then not for clicks are so upsetting to the truth.

[@0411emc]

I’m 7 years vegan in August!

[@pumpkinsuit892]

congrats! 8 years for me in august! :)

[@ShaneTheGeek]

So as a former plant based (vegan but not for the animals) for 7 years I started to have issues with brain fog issues that were becoming a problem. I was eating a varied diet of cooked whole foods, fruits and veg. In fact I used your cookbook :) hello Tofu Scramble and Cheese Sauce! After taking some blood tests it was an Omega 3 deficiency. I tried flax and algae supplements for a few months with no change. At a certain point I made a decision to add fish back to my diet. Well I have to say there is no more brain fog. I suppose I have malabsorption issue and I don't have the greatest digestion so that makes sense. I do give you props for normalizing eating vegan and being super consistent. You're here because you want to be here and love what you do. I love you, Simnett Nutrition, Gaz Oakley, YeungMan Cooking and Derek Sarno. Making the world better one little video at a time. :) 😘

[@meegy2]

Have you considered eating mussels instead of fish?

[@JDuke-uw3fk]

Ive had similar issues to you with the brain fog! Pure WFPB 8 yrs, now I have added egg whites, hunted lean meat like venison, and some wild caught fish. Small portions, 1-2 servings per week, but I feel better. I even switched from bluetooth earbuds to wired buds to see if that was contributing to the brainfog. I really wanted plant based to be the cure-all. I'm still 98% plant based and I will continue to seek ways to be animal free wherever possible. Honestly, I'd prefer egg whites over protein powder because its more of a whole food. I do buy local eggs where I can see and pet the chickens because I refuse to support factory farming practices.

[@ShaneTheGeek]

@@meegy2 I have not and have only eaten them a few times in my life. I don't see them in grocery stores around me even though I live not to far from the Pacific Ocean.

[@blondey3261]

Look up Challenge 22 they provide free access to real nutritionist that help you make meal plans based in your location and budget. It's a 22 day challenge with support to answer any health questions or concerns. You do not need to harm animals to thrive. You can do it. Look them up

[@cookiecrazycool]

@@JDuke-uw3fkbackyard chickens still support the hatchery though which is the most fucked up part of the egg industry.

[@meg659]

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau just put out a podcast episode about hate within the vegan community that is so good

[@hippie1252]

I was literally just thinking about you today ❤️ I'm a baby vegetarian. I love how straight forward you are about the topics in this video, especially the disordered eating part. Once my work picks up after summer, I want to contribute to memberships, including you. I think the work you do is so important and it's not fair you're getting boxed out of sponsorships by omnis. The way you dress is amazing so hopefully you get fashion sponsorships! If you branched out in that area, I'd definitely be on board.

[@lindseyfleming5124]

Please keep up these chats, so informative and interesting.

[@joshuaswilling9428]

"content creators" and "influencer" are pretty fickle and only go with the trend that's hottest. Im still going strong, I can bulk on a vegan diet and cut, Ive adapted to it thanks to these KZbinrs but I understand demand.

[@mardi3027]

This is such an important conversation to be having!

[@marvin2678]

why

[@scruffylives9224]

Thank You for the explanation. I’ve been frustrated with some of my favorite vegan channels not talking about the ethics (you included) but you peeling back the curtain a bit to explain the business side of things allows me to get it. So thanks. Sorry about you getting stiffed by that company. Also your “just eat normal” line needs to be shouted from the rooftops. No vegan has ever gotten sick by eating a normal diet. Why the “I ate nothing but watermelons and air for a month now I’m sick………it’s veganism’s fault” people ever had a following is beyond me. I guess folks were fascinated by weird diets.

[@Ilovechickpeas]

I've been vegetarian mostly vegan for almost 20 years. Plan to eat this way for the rest of my life.

[@bingsby9085]

I made the mistake of going back to animal products during my third pregnancy because some reason i was convinced my anemia during my second pregnancy was because of me being Vegan: going back omnivore I gained over 80lbs, suddenly had high blood pressure which was NEVER a struggle I had I had low blood pressure MY WHOLE LIFE, I could barely breathe even chilling in the bathtub. I went back Vegan now, my blood pressure is back to 105 (it was 140's during omnivore), I can BREATHE, and I my thyroid levels are also back to normal (I went Keto and it messed up my hypothyroidism worse than ever).

[@julia______]

Commenting for engagement! And also to add that I would love if you made some fashion/hair/makeup content because your style is so cute! ❤️

[@peggypolo3643]

Thank you for your commen sense!

[@msicottevt]

THANK YOU for saying it!! I super appreciate you!

[@CyanHope]

My uncle was the opposite, he had to go vegan because of medical issues and slowly started informing himself more, and more. Educate himself, see what it was about and more and it kind of naturally evolved into an ethical eating. Same as my aunt, his wife, she was lactose intolerant so she was already not eating many non vegan foods, and when my uncle made the switch she did it as well because she was like what’s the point of avoiding things, always be on the edge wether or not there was lactose in food, so she made the switch with him. Me and my sister are vegetarian, the rest of our family are omnivores but we often include vegan food and recipes in our day to day eating, either because it’s simply what we wanted, or what we could afford or what we simply we were inspired by. I know that being vegetarian is not at all the same thing, as we still consume animal products but I personally believe it’s kind of good that we include many times vegan in our life style and I think as long you are convincing people to at least include veganism in their diet it’s great. I hope no one attacks me for this comment, especially the last bit.

[@PlantBasedBistro]

Thank you for making this video. I run a plant based cooking show myself, but I don't really call myself vegan, for a lot of reasons! Seeing many influencers change their ethos made me really question a lot of things. I avoid animal products for my own health, and I've learned a LOT about how much more healthy this choice is. When I see those extreme diets, you can tell they are doing it for views. When they change, it's because they see greener grass across the fence. There are some that truly had issues, but most really just did it wrong from the start and had to change or suffer serious side effects. There needs to be more open talk about diet in this world, and less people just crapping on each other for their choices. I totally feel for you with all the negative comments too! We run a few YT channels and OMG, people can be super awful. We always just try to keep it real and pay attention to the people who WANT to see what we're offering, and ignore the haters. It's hard though.

[@andrewdl6824]

Regarding the brand sponsorships, as a small vegan brand founder, who doesn't have funding or wealth, I can't afford influencers' flat rates. At their rates, it's a big gamble that rarely produces enough immediate sales to cover the costs. From a branding perspective, it makes sense as a long-term investment. Branding is the act of paying for the possibility of sales many years in the future. That's a corporate strategy that takes massive funding. We need quick sales. We need to pay commissions. I offer an affiliate program with automated payments but any real influencer declines. Then I get spammed with non-influencers trying to get free products and coupon websites trying to vulture commissions. So I gave up on that route. Social media also demotes native posts from brands/businesses, forcing us to pay for views. So, I'm trapped ad spending with social media companies to generate quick sales to survive. I'd much rather the commissions be going to influencers. Maybe I just need some help making a plan for this, but the agencies are ridiculously expensive.

[@EnviroArtiste86]

i've been vegan 22 years. vegetarian 30 years. i've been dealing with some horrible health issues lately but honestly i don't think it's my diet, if anything my diet makes it better. i have autoimmune disorders since i was a kid and going vegan actually cleared that up and left me in remission for many years. only in the last couple of years work stress, covid stress, having to leave my apt and moving stress, being miserable in the life i'm currently living stress, have things gotten so much worse. i think it's the state of the world that is hurting people. i work at whole foods in the supplement dept and i hear so many people talking about their health issues since covid and they aren't vegan. it's the high state of stress we have all been in because of a worldwide pandemic. we all experience this trauma at the same time, some had a better time dealing with it, some not so much. i think our nervous systems are all out of wack , honestly.

[@carlacookingvegan]

I noticed the vegan content creators are dwindling 🤷🏾‍♀️.

[@carnismiscancer2108]

Not me! I'm gaining subs and fighting back! 👊💪

[@darlenedevegan7401]

I did not notice that at all.I've noticed more actually many more

[@carlacookingvegan]

@@darlenedevegan7401 I guess I’ve just been in my own content creator bubble. I find I have less time to seek out creators, but the ones that I follow either don’t post, aren’t vegan anymore, or shifted their content focus from just posting recipes.

[@KennyChesty]

@@darlenedevegan7401 Really? That's amazing! maybe we have totally different feeds but I've also noticed less vegan grocery store options, less vegan restaurants, less vegan options in general in the real world. It makes things harder.

[@marvin2678]

@@carlacookingvegan drop some names pls

[@suziezurfreiheit6825]

It's almost impossible to have a plant-based diet that's not heavy in carbs. Also, there are several minerals and vitamins that are missing in a vegan diet such as vitamin a, omega 3 (dha, epa), choline, carnitine, carnosine, low levels and absoption rates of iron and zinc. ... The "just eat normal" is not convincing here. I don't even talk about b12 and vitamine D, but these ones are easy to supplement. So, well, interesting that a diet that can be deficient in many ways is supposed to be "just fine" and that you consider people who no longer follow it to be show-offs.

[@InsanityisSanity]

youre 36 yet you look in your mid 40s.. enough said

[@Vegancutie]

I’m loving this outfit!

[@Jain1906]

Irrelevant.

[@Dipper33101]

@@Jain1906 shut up

[@bugsandsnakes]

@@Jain1906rude

[@SamanthaManning-xy8fu]

I also appreciate you being compassionate towards the one person who had to eat animal products. My personal moral philosophy is that I abstain from meat because it is not necessary for an animal to die for my existence. I find eating meat in today’s age immoral because the act of eating meat is mostly done out of greed and selfishness. Too many people insist that being vegan is unhealthy, unaffordable, unsustainable, not tasty and those people won’t even try being vegan so they don’t even know what they’re talking about. It’s one thing when you HAVE to do something for the sake of survival, but it’s quite another to make animals die unnecessary deaths when you could very well be the type of person who could go years without needing meat for survival.

[@allyncampbell9834]

I have always loved and respected you. I love watching you grow. I am 75 and have been plant based since 1975. You are so honest.🙏💕🙏

[@echopeco7313]

My boyfriend and I were actually talking about this recently! One of my personal favorite vegan restaurants doesn't say vegan on their menu anymore its just "plant based". I've asked multiple times if everything is still vegan and they have confirmed so I wasn't sure reason for the change.

[@DarthFurie]

The word "vegan" has some baggage attached and is associated with a specific movement and lifestyle, so a non-vegan consumer may see that label and think "this isn't for me." Whereas the term "plant-based" has been used as a term to attract people with all kinds of diets, and doesn't have the same "baggage" attached, so to speak

[@citigirlqueens6242]

Because “plant based” is a more inclusive terminology…

[@audreym3908]

Can you lower the music a bit when talking? It's a bit hard to hear.

[@citigirlqueens6242]

Thanks for shedding light on this subject 💕 please keep doing you!

[@resa31802]

I was vegan for 5 years. Nothing crazy. I just didn't consume animals. I developed Interstitial Cystitis and IBS and was diagnosed Psoriatic Arthritis NOT FROM BEING VEGAN. Stuff just happens. When I cross reference the plants I can tolerate with Interstitial Cystitis and those that I can with IBS, there are like 10 left.😂😂😂😂😂 The only legumes I can eat with out causing a flare are tofu in moderation, lentils, and blacks beans...and I really shouldn't eat black beans😂😂😂. I tried for 6 months to stuck it out, but it took so much time, energy, and money. In the end I could afford it, and I physically couldn't keep up with it. Now I just do the best I can.

[@annafirth6738]

It's nice of you do declare who was a real vegan or not. And to pardon some of the people who get out of it. The carnivore thing, seems to be temporary, while people restore the nutrients they've been missing for years.

[@BeccaAl]

Imo a lot of pushback comes from ppl who don’t want to feel the guilt of eating another animal. I also see a lot of young people especially women, using vegan or raw or plant based as a cover for a pre-existing eating disorder. If content creators want to do diet content that’s one thing, if they want to do vegan lifestyle, ethics and diet, that’s a different thing. Most of the vegan creators I watch now are very down the earth, normal people. Otherwise I can’t consume too much aspirational content rn, it’s just jarring for me.

[@CharGC123]

I'm not trying to be cynical or imply it sounds like a shady excuse, but I'm puzzled at how someone can suddenly become allergic to a whole kingdom of plant proteins? I also can't wrap my head around the fact that "meat animals" are herbivores that only eat plant proteins... which don't just go away!

[@reaperkollyns6495]

That sounds crazy to me too. I've never heard of that before. It sounds like hypochondria of some sort

[@Adnancorner]

maybe you can wrap your mind around the study of genetics probably and the way the gut process the food in ruminants vs non ruminants, its not difficult a simple biology book can explain you.

[@sarahpauline4904]

A lot of animals eat a mostly or exclusively plant based diet. Not just ruminants. The point stands

[@mima9277]

I'm also down for a visual podcast series

[@sueannesorrentino8430]

I'm 61 been vegan for 10 years. never ever going back. Feel good and the animals. Mostly whole food but love the plant based options now easily available in local stores. Love your channel and a few others. Keep up the great work.

[@shiverwind4361]

so interesting, I'd not thought of the brand partnership part. I really enjoyed this, thank you.

[@SuzanneSwint]

Thank you! Hang in there,you are a joy to watch and I appreciate your honesty. There is plenty to go around and more.

[@neurospicyrainbow]

My mom’s best friend has been vegan 40+ years and her adult kids r vegan. They eat a pretty balanced diet and the only restriction is wheat since one of them has celiac. Otherwise they do not restrict themselves on their “journeys” lol 😆 and I am on a plant based diet myself since I do have health issues and my doc and I think plant based is the way to go. Do not follow influencers on “diet advice” lol

[@aesoeldner9259]

To me, "vegan" is a beautiful word. Been vegan coming up on 8 years and truly my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. I really don't care if someone calls themselves plant based or a junk food/whole food/raw based vegan just as long as people are leaving animals TFA.

[@ErinRhoda]

SO happy to have found your channel! 🙌This is exactly why I am trying to make my own foodie/art business more "health/plant-based" I am trying to make a happy safe space for people to ask questions without feeling shame or judgement(especially for ADHD). Before going vegan and was just vegetarian I got vegans commenting like I'm not good enough or something. So I want to change that perspective🫶

[@licenciadamaria-b2d]

I think being hyper focused on food is scary. Extreme diets are never healthy. Eating a balanced diet with good quality, whole foods is the way to go.

[@mbasta1979]

Makes so much sense. Everything you mentioned!! Thank you❤

[@BehindTh3Mind]

For so many years I waited and prayed to see you again as a blondie and my prayers had been heard. You're so pretty that I'm melting.

[@GamerBunny2024]

Sigh, you're a gem in the vegan community. I had to quit being a vegan because my body stopped digesting vegetables (I had to boil and puree them, and they still would make me sick) and I had to go back to being a vegetarian to get more calories and protein, and a lot of vegans were just cruel. They said they'd rather die than have animal products, and it was the most insensitive comment they could say to someone as sick as I am. I can't eat honey because I have a weak immune system, no dairy because I'm allergic... but yes, I ate eggs (and therefore I was evil). Can't even tolerate eating fruit anymore... but the main killer to being a vegan was becoming allergic to legumes. I felt like I had nothing to eat anymore... ended up having to go back to omnivore and drinking bone broth when I was too sick to eat solids. And vegetable broth just didn't have the protein I needed... I just eat to live now, and I still struggle because I can't take supplements since they make me sick. I just wish I knew more vegans that understood like you do that sometimes the human body just has to do something different and we have no choice in the matter. It really does suck!

[@claram4610]

Thanks for this perspective. This has really made me think. I love knowing what is really going on behind the scenes so to speak, so I can understand and support my favourite content creators from a more informed standpoint ❤

[@gregorymcmahan3914]

Thank you for the honesty, EV. Truth be told, the plant-based space, especially in the United States, is not very big. There's certainly more brands operating in the space than ever before (including the Big Food incumbents), but there's also more content creators and influencers than ever before (and given the low barrier to entry, this is to be expected) and the latter vastly outnumber the former. And over time, brands die off, brands get bought out (almost always by an incumbent from Big Food), brands consolidate or change focus, which is all fine and good and to be expected. What this means is simple: opportunities to profitably operate in the space for any but the most popular among the influencers and content creators steadily contract. So be forewarned. Also, too many people who choose to create content and influence in the space follow extremely restrictive diets, often in a dubious bid to get attention. Thanks for calling that out. I have always advocated learning before trying, but too many people, especially in the plant-based space, put trying before learning, and almost always with disastrous results. Additionally, a little bit of time spent at a community college taking some nutrition courses goes a long way to avoiding problems when attempting to go plant-based (whether you define that as plant-focused, plant-dominant, plant-forward, vegetarian, pescatarian, lacto-vegetarian, ovo-vegetarian, vegan, ovo-lacto-vegetarian or SOS-free-vegan). Finally, please, please, PLEASE do not go by what you see on the internet by way of nutrition advice, people, as most of what is presented to you is staged. There's what they show you and tell you while in front of the camera, and then there's all those things that they don't. Which, if you really think about it, goes far to explain not only this topic, but also a related--and very disturbing--one: the increasing numbers of deaths among so-called "health influencers", "vegan influencers" and my personal favorite, "fit-fluencers". Above all, find a dietary pattern that is simple, safe, sustainable and most important, reasonable for you to pursue where you currently are with what you currently have and that aligns with your current state of mind. Please, stay safe, people. Peace!

[@donnitatalavera9770]

This is why you have always been my favorite content creator!!! You always keep it REAL! I remember one time you shared a no longer vegan video and I literally cried and it took me a long time to watch it! I was soooooooo thankful you didn’t leave us! Veganism needs your edge!!!

[@HappyViviSky]

Thank you, Candice, for your honesty and authenticity! Much appreciated!

[@the_madhadder]

Hi! So I just wanted to write because this is the first video I’m seeing of you. I actually had no idea who you were before I decided to go vegan cookbook shopping for my new lifestyle change. I saw your book and I flipped through pages and realized how many amazing recipes that I wanted to try. So I bought it. I then decided to look you up and I fallen down the rabbit hole. I love finding creators who make food look not only amazing but I can tell that it’s going to taste good and make me feel good. It’s thanks to you and all the other non-performative vegan creators that help make veganism feel actually accessible. It was thanks to your cookbook that I found your channel and now I can’t wait to continue the ride with you.😁

[@SamanthaManning-xy8fu]

Thinking of that one article about the vegan lady who died early and she also happened to be on a “raw” vegan diet. This video is spot on! Also thanks for telling people it’s not healthy to only stick to 1,000 calories of fruits and veggies. You maybe could get away with 1200 calories of eating meat, but going on a vegan diet will teach you that not all calories are created equal. I eat 2500 calories (+ multivitamins everyday) and I’m celebrating health milestones and toned arms. There’s so many good reasons to go vegan just by being on this diet you’re cutting down on the risk of high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, gout on top of saving the animals. 😊

[@sarahpauline4904]

She was also certainly anorexic. She even refused to drink water. Veganism wasn't the problem there

[@j.lahtinen7525]

About three years ago I switched from a diet heavy in meat (and very unhealthy in other ways) to a Pescetarian diet (vegetarian + fish, occasionally). I lost weight, and felt better - but my diet was still largely unhealthy. Ate way too much cheese. Finally, last Easter, I did some research on how I could improve my diet to lose the remaining excess weight I had around my belly. Ended up going with adding legumes to my diet - one meal every day contains beans or lentils, essentially. That was a game changer - very fast I felt a lot better, felt more energetic, and in about a week, I noticed that I wasn't really craving cheese anymore - I just had dropped it without even trying. The same with fish. I also did more research, and now my diet is maybe 90 - 95% vegan, with the remainder being an occasional dairy product of some kind. I'm eating a lot of legumes, I eat berries and nuts and seeds, whole grain bread (and oatmeal for breakfast), mushrooms, cruciferous vegetables and other vegetables and fruit. Definitely not a raw diet, but more raw food than I've previously eaten, and only very rarely do I eat anything ultraprocessed. This diet agrees with me very well! I feel great. I also make sure I'm not deficient in anything, I use some B12 fortified products (like fortified soy milk, and nutritional yeast), and if I find myself skipping on fortified foods for any amount of time, I take a B12 supplement. Recently had my bloodwork done, and everything is looking great! My LDL is lower than it's ever been, it's ridiculously low, and I've stopped taking the low dose statin I was taking for lowering cholesterol - going to have another blood test taken in a few months, to see what my LDL is without the statin. Healthy plant based diets, that focus on whole foods work, when they are well planned, and not extreme or absolute. I'm very happy with my current diet. I enjoy the food I'm eating, I'm never hungry, and I've gone down about 6 kg close to my optimal weight, and my weight seems to have settled here.😊

[@anitak8056]

I am 67 and have been vegan for 15 years and i cannot imagine eating animals or their byproducts, ever again.💚

[@MoonBeams777]

Oh Candice, you’ve been working so hard for so long. I see you and I appreciate you! ❤

[@Raddiebaddie]

Yep, you nailed it. Its always the restrictive dieters. Like Rawvana for example did a THIRTY DAY WATER FAST nothing but water for an entire month!! That has NOTHING to do with veganism

[@summerkoenig3412]

Not vegan enough, I felt that. It’s ridiculous

[@LF-pe9ok]

I just went to the doctor today to get X-rays of my foot because I hit my toe really hard, and the doctor said that even though I hit it very hard (lots of swelling and bruising, and I could barely walk), it’s not broken because I have strong bones. I literally just celebrated my 6th year being vegan.

[@Rowanne80]

I’m not vegan but have been plant based for years. It always ticks me off when people use bad health as a reason for going back to meat, it gives omnivores fuel for their “plant based isn’t healthy” argument. If you’re sick on a vegetarian/plant based/vegan diet it’s because you’re not doing it right. And truth be told all these meat eaters most likely need to take supplements too.

[@SamanthaManning-xy8fu]

3:02 It doesn’t matter if veganism is natural or not. The fact is humans now possess the technology that helps us survive without needing to touch the dead body of an animal. And learning to hold life in such a high regard is critical for keeping the planet healthy. Humans biggest problem is over hunting, over fishing, deforestation, pollution and overall just engaging in behaviors that hold no reverence for nature.

[@melfhlzahlpd]

Vegan here- i just want to say you're cool as I head over to the complement affiliate link

[@kellymiller4920]

Such a great conversation!

[@ZibiZiby]

I love this vid ❤ also normal vegan for over 10 years

[@laeti4242]

I totally agree! Finally a video that makes sense

[@yangtse55]

I'm 64 and thriving on a totally "unplanned" WFPB diet for decades.. My only dietary issue in the past was the one shared with half the world now - eating too many calories and getting heavy though I carried it well and was regularly cycling tens of miles as a fat 40-something.. When I became vegan for the animals and the planet in 1981, I also discovered a delicious as well as super healthy diet. I was aware of raw foodists back then but associated them with naturism and quack medicine....

[@SkyeClaussen]

your awesome girl keep spreading the kindness

[@Patchouliprince]

I’ve been plantbased for 5 years and it really transformed my health and diet in the best possible way, I also hated cooking before but now it’s practically my biggest passion. I met a neighbor recently who said he was vegan for 10 years and asked how I’m not tired all the time. I was like what do you mean? He said he was tired from always eating raw foods and I said, you mean raw vegan? He said, wait I thought that was the only way to be vegan! I was really baffled. Then he gave me spiel about how he eats raw meat now and it’s the best for you

[@ddawson100]

Glad you're still here and we all knew you were the real deal all along. Keep it up!

[@sylviacox3380]

If it is for health reasons, why not just eat eggs and stay primarily plant base?... For those who go for them extreme change. You know?

[@emip8746]

Im french canadien and theyre are few vegan meal creators here. Recently one of them was not vegan anymore. She said it was related to health issues. Ive belived her first. She said she didnt digest vegetal protein anymore except for soy. She went to vegan to vegetarian with a lot of dairy products. I noticed she continued to put recipes with White beans and cheak peas so it was not true. For me it is just for the money and the buzz it not honest at all.

[@Mindy-Joy]

I've been vegan for 12yrs too! I appreciate this video❤ Vegan for the animals, plant based for health😊

[@reaperkollyns6495]

This was a great video. I think a lot of KZbinrs follow trends and trends change, so they change. I'm 21 years plant based and feel great.

[@PotatoWisdom]

This was such an interesting video! I'm a small content creator but was still earning enough of a living to quit my full time job. But my mental health declined during the pandemic, I'm doing better now but the desire to talk about veganism or food just isn't there anymore. You are so right that there is so much more to us than Veganism.. or food. I've been more interested in mental health, perimenopause and neurodivergence these days ... but absolutely terrified to share those topics.

[@HappyVegan72]

I am SO HAPPY you made this video. Thank you ❤

[@stewieDM]

One of my favourite "Vegan" cooking KZbin channels, Yeung Man Cooking very rarely mentions being vegan, and coincidently he's the channel a few of my non vegan friends now follow.

[@brendaross9333]

What a great vid Candice. Well thought out and presented.

[@crisssands2373]

This is so right on. Thanks!