9 common vegan myths people still believe (but aren’t true)

Every vegan has experienced it. You're at a dinner party, a work lunch, or scrolling through comments online, and someone drops a myth about plant-based eating like it's established fact.

"But where do you get your protein?" "Isn't soy bad for you?" "Vegan food is so expensive."

Here's the thing. Most of these beliefs aren't rooted in science or reality. They're cultural scripts we've inherited, repeated so often they feel true.

Behavioral science calls this the illusory truth effect. Hear something enough times, and your brain starts accepting it as fact. That's how myths survive even when evidence says otherwise.

So let's look at nine of the most persistent vegan myths and why they don't hold up. Not to be preachy about it. Just to set the record straight.

1. You can't get enough protein on a vegan diet

This one tops every list because it comes up constantly. The concern makes sense on the surface. We've been told our whole lives that protein equals meat. But the math tells a different story.

Most adults need around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. That's roughly 56 grams for an average guy, 46 for an average woman. A cup of cooked lentils has 18 grams. A cup of black beans has 15. Tofu, tempeh, seitan, edamame, quinoa, nuts, seeds. The options are everywhere.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics confirms that well-planned vegan diets provide adequate protein for all life stages. You don't need to combine specific foods at each meal either. That theory got debunked decades ago. Eat varied whole foods throughout the day, and you're covered.

2. Soy is dangerous and messes with your hormones

The soy panic started with studies on rodents that processed isoflavones differently than humans do. Somehow that turned into "tofu gives men breasts" in the popular imagination. It's a wild leap.

Phytoestrogens in soy are not the same as human estrogen. They're much weaker and can actually have protective effects. Large-scale human studies show no feminizing effects in men and potential benefits for heart health and certain cancers.

Asian populations have consumed soy for centuries without the hormonal chaos some people predict. The fear is largely a Western phenomenon, amplified by industries that compete with soy products. Enjoy your edamame. Have that tofu scramble. The science is on your side.

3. Vegan diets are automatically healthy

I wish this were true. It would make my life easier. But Oreos are vegan. So are plenty of processed snacks, sugary cereals, and fast food options. Going plant-based doesn't automatically upgrade your nutrition.

A vegan diet can be incredibly healthy when built around whole foods. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. But it can also be a parade of refined carbs and vegan junk food if that's how you approach it.

The health benefits associated with veganism in research come from well-planned diets rich in fiber and nutrients. Not from simply avoiding animal products. Think of veganism as a framework. What you build inside that framework matters just as much as the framework itself.

4. Plant-based eating is expensive

This myth frustrates me because it keeps people from even trying. Yes, specialty vegan cheeses and meat alternatives can cost more than their conventional counterparts. But those aren't the foundation of affordable plant-based eating.

Rice, beans, lentils, oats, potatoes, bananas, cabbage, carrots. These are some of the cheapest foods in any grocery store, and they're all vegan. Research published in The Lancet found that plant-based diets can reduce food costs by up to 30% in high-income countries when focused on whole foods.

The expensive vegan stereotype comes from fancy restaurants and Instagram influencers showcasing $15 smoothie bowls. Real-world plant-based eating can be remarkably budget-friendly. It just doesn't photograph as well.

5. You need dairy for strong bones

The dairy industry spent decades and millions of dollars convincing us that milk equals strong bones. Those "Got Milk?" campaigns were effective marketing, not nutritional education.

Calcium matters for bone health. Dairy is one source. But it's far from the only one. Fortified plant milks, tofu made with calcium sulfate, leafy greens like kale and bok choy, almonds, and white beans all provide calcium. Many vegans actually meet their calcium needs without much effort.

What's often overlooked is that bone health depends on more than calcium alone. Vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, and weight-bearing exercise all play crucial roles. Some countries with the highest dairy consumption also have high rates of osteoporosis. The relationship is more complex than "drink milk, get strong bones."

6. Veganism is just a trend for young people

Sure, younger generations are driving a lot of plant-based growth. But framing veganism as a youth fad ignores its long history and the diverse people who practice it.

The term "vegan" was coined in 1944. Plant-based traditions exist in cultures worldwide, from Buddhist vegetarianism to Rastafarian Ital cuisine. Today, people of all ages are going vegan for health, ethics, environment, or some combination of all three.

Dismissing something as a trend is often a way to avoid engaging with it seriously. Electric cars were "just a trend" too. So was recycling.

Sometimes trends reflect genuine shifts in how we think about the world. The growth of veganism suggests something more lasting than a passing phase.

7. Athletes can't perform well without animal protein

Tell that to Venus Williams, Lewis Hamilton, or Scott Jurek. Elite athletes across every sport have thrived on plant-based diets. The documentary "The Game Changers" brought this into mainstream conversation, but the evidence was there long before.

Plant foods provide all the amino acids athletes need. The key is eating enough total calories and including varied protein sources. Many athletes report faster recovery times and reduced inflammation after switching to plants.

The old-school image of bodybuilders chugging raw eggs is fading. Modern sports nutrition recognizes that performance comes from overall diet quality, training, and recovery. Animal products aren't a requirement for any of that.

8. Vegan food tastes boring

This myth usually comes from people whose only vegan experience was a sad side salad at a steakhouse. I get it. That salad was probably terrible. But judging all plant-based food by the worst examples is like judging all music by elevator Muzak.

Some of the world's most flavorful cuisines lean heavily plant-based. Indian curries, Thai stir-fries, Mexican bean dishes, Ethiopian stews, Middle Eastern mezze. These traditions developed incredible depth of flavor without relying on meat as the centerpiece.

The vegan food scene has also exploded in recent years. Plant-based burgers that actually satisfy. Cashew-based cheeses that melt properly. Creative chefs pushing boundaries everywhere. Boring vegan food exists, but so does boring food of every kind. Seek out the good stuff.

9. One person going vegan doesn't make a difference

This is the myth that behavioral science finds most interesting. We underestimate our individual impact because we can't see the cumulative effect of our choices. But the numbers add up.

One person eating plant-based for a year saves roughly 100 to 200 animal lives, depending on calculations. They also reduce their carbon footprint significantly. A major Oxford study found that avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet.

Beyond personal impact, there's social influence. When you make different choices, people notice. They ask questions. Some get curious. Behavior spreads through social networks. Your one choice might spark ten others. That's how change actually happens.

Final thoughts

Myths persist because they're convenient. They give us reasons not to examine our habits or consider alternatives. But convenience isn't the same as truth.

None of this means you need to go vegan tomorrow or ever. That's your call. But making that decision based on accurate information seems better than making it based on stuff that just isn't true. The protein thing, the soy panic, the expense argument. They all crumble under scrutiny.

What I've learned after eight years of plant-based eating is that most objections come from unfamiliarity, not facts. Once you actually try it, the myths start looking pretty flimsy. The food is good. The nutrition works. The impact is real.

Everything else is just noise we've been hearing for so long that it started sounding true.