8 things people assume about vegans that couldn’t be further from the truth

Crafting a plant-based life comes with more misunderstandings than soy lattes come with foam art.

I’ve lost count of the times someone has slid a half-joking myth across the table as if it were scientific fact.

So let’s clear the air—quickly, conversationally, and with plenty of real-world evidence.

1. We’re protein deprived

“Appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits…” notes the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

In other words, our macros are fine.

My daily plate looks like a color wheel: black-bean tacos, edamame in my stir-fry, a scoop of peanut butter before a run. Track it and you’ll find the grams add up fast.

Add quinoa, hemp seeds, or tofu and you’re sailing past most omnivores without even flexing.

Still worried? Mix and match legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds during the day—your body builds complete proteins in-house. Variety, not beef, does the heavy lifting.

2. We can’t build muscle

“The world’s strongest animals are plant eaters—gorillas, buffaloes, elephants, and me.” — strongman Patrik Baboumian.

Patrik carried a 1,224-pound yoke for ten meters. I’m not trying to match that record, but I dead-lift more now than when I ate chicken every day.

Muscles respond to resistance, rest, calories, and consistency—not steak. Well-designed vegan sport-nutrition plans (think lentils + whole-grain rice + creatine) deliver the amino acids and glycogen your fibers crave.

The Game Changers documentary lines up endurance athletes with VO2 max numbers that make gym bros sweat.

So next time someone smirks at your chickpea curry, invite them to your next pull-up contest.

3. Our meals taste bland

Last summer in Lisbon a tiny tascaria served me a smoky seitan bifana that could out-flavor a pork sandwich any day.

Basil-pistachio pesto? Check. Miso-glazed aubergine? Had it in Kyoto. Taste buds love umami, fat, salt, acid, and crunch—none of which require animals.

If you still picture sad iceberg salads, swing by a Korean temple-food joint or scroll through #Veganuary on TikTok.

Charred corn ribs, gochujang cauliflower wings, and peanut curry ramen routinely go viral for a reason: they slap.

4. Our grocery bills explode

Quick reality check: an Oxford University analysis found that vegan shopping lists trimmed costs by up to one-third in high-income countries.

Beans, oats, sweet potatoes, and seasonal produce remain some of the cheapest items in any supermarket.

Sure, novelty faux-meats can dent a wallet, but so can aged parmesan or grass-fed rib-eye. Swap two pricey steaks for lentil shepherd’s pie and watch your savings account smile.

(I’ve mentioned this before but a five-kilogram sack of dried chickpeas cost me less than a single craft-beer flight in L.A.—and fed me for weeks.)

5. We preach 24/7

Yes, some vegans slip into lecture mode. So do CrossFitters, crypto bros, and new parents.

Most of us are busy living life—bingeing podcasts, hitting deadlines, trying to remember our mom’s birthday.

At a friend’s BBQ I answer questions if asked, then pass the guac and talk indie bands. Lifestyle doesn’t equal moral scoreboard; it’s just my choice. If you’re cool with that, great.

If not, I’ll still bring killer maple-sriracha tempeh skewers to the party.

6. We lack nutrients

“All of the essential amino acids are made by plants, so it makes sense that we can get them from these foods,” explains dietitian Brenda Davis, RD.

Protein isn’t the only micronutrient under scrutiny—iron, calcium, and omega-3s join the rumor mill.

Reality: lentils, fortified soy milk, chia seeds, tahini, and dark greens cover the bases. Toss in a reliable B-12 supplement (cheap, chewable, done) and the panel is complete.

Bloodwork? Mine came back stellar last physical. My doc spent more time asking for tofu air-fryer tips than critiquing my ferritin.

7. We stay hungry

One cup of black beans plus a fist-size baked potato equals 15 g fiber—half the daily recommendation—and slow-burning carbohydrates that keep glucose steady for hours.

Fiber swells with water, signals satiety hormones, and feeds gut microbes that churn out feel-good short-chain fatty acids.

Translation: you stay full. I often forget snack breaks because steel-cut oats with almond butter carried me clear into late afternoon.

Compare that with a croissant breakfast and watch who raids the vending machine first.

8. It’s a passing fad

Plant-based eating predates hashtags by millennia (Buddhist monasteries, Seventh-day Adventists, Rastafarians), and longevity studies keep stacking up.

Markets change—remember when oat milk was niche?—but the core motivations (health, ethics, environment) aren’t exactly trend-dependent.

I’ve clocked a decade on plants. Friends who teased me in 2015 just texted for tofu marinade advice.

Supply chains, climate reports, and food-tech innovations only make the lifestyle stickier. Fads fade; movements evolve.

Wrapping up

Assumptions crumble when you stack them against lived experience, expert consensus, and a plate full of vibrant food.

Next time someone drops one of these myths in your lap, counter with curiosity, a dash of humor, and maybe a bite of your paprika-roasted chickpeas.

Odds are they’ll ask for seconds.

Keep exploring, keep asking questions, and keep your meals—whatever they look like—honest, colorful, and satisfying.