Vegan hiking?

[Overpass]

I can't imagine how anyone could get enough calories and nutrients being a vegan on the trail. Especially coming down into a trail town where everyone else is wolfing down steaks, cheeseburgers and scrambled eggs & bacon to make up for the lack of protein on the trail.

What could a vegan eat at a typical small-town greasy-spoon diner that would be a balanced meal?

[moxie]

French fries, lots of them. Order a salad. Not a balanced diet but my wife is a vegan and thats about all she can eat in a greasy-spoon. Any legume is also good if they don't cook their beans in bacon or pork. In many trail towns you will find Chinese or Thai places and have no trouble getting a balanced vegan meal at one of those. Most greasy-spoons will also offer oatmeal for breakfast. In the south just order a big bowl of grits. I am a vegitarian for most part on the trail but when I hit town I eat cheeseburgers, steak,, pizza, gravy, anything with tons of fat.

[rafe]

I'm curious about this too. I remember meeting a vegetarian couple at Imp Shelter many years ago... dining on broccoli soup. They had made it there from Katahdin but they were making pitiful mileage. I know one can live well on vegetarian foods, but broccoli soup isn't going to provide the fuel for a hard days' hiking on the AT.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Vegan isn't a diet. It is a lifestyle and philosophy going far beyond just vegetarian eating habits. Only 5% of vegetarians are Vegans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan

[emerald]

I can't imagine how anyone could get enough calories and nutrients being a vegan on the trail.

Why would calories be a problem and what nutrients in particular do you expect would be lacking?


Especially coming down into a trail town where everyone else is wolfing down steaks, cheeseburgers and scrambled eggs & bacon to make up for the lack of protein on the trail.

Who told you there is a lack of protein on the trail? I'd love to know your source for that information.


What could a vegan eat at a typical small-town greasy-spoon diner that would be a balanced meal?

You likely wouldn't find any such person there, except one who cheats. You'd find him or her picking up his or her mail drop or at the local supermarket.

[The Old Fhart]

If you are a vegan you should already have some idea of nutrition. Check some hiking cookbooks for recipes. Check out this site (http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/hiking/food/hik_veg2.htm) for ideas. Keep in mind that some plants do not have complete proteins but you can, for example, combine equal amounts of peanut butter and tahini(sesame butter) to get a complete protein that your body needs. A little research will give you lots of ideas.

Not everything you need can be found in small food stores but larger ones have a pretty good selection. You can also use mail drops for those areas where you don't think you could find what you need. On note of caution is to never try any food on the trail you haven't tested at home to make sure it doesn't have any side effects and you actually like to eat it.

[Canute]

Nutrients are never a problem, your body ramps up its absorbtion rate to whatever you may be getting less of. I've had blood tests done for cholesterol, and all my nutrients are in good shape.

I'd recommend a good multivitamin to anyone on a long hike, but good food comes first.

[derekthered]

I've been more or less a vegetarian for several years now... more or less because I typically eat fish and other seafood when presented. That being said, I have done basic some research on sources of protein pertaining to vegetarian diets. Even though vegetables do not have as much protein as animal flesh, taken in the proper proportions, vegetarians can include the necessary amount of protein in their diet. Rice, for example, contains all but one of the essential amino acids necessary in a daily diet, except for one. If even one amino acid is missing, however, all of the other amino acids are reduced in the same proportion. The missing amino acid can be made up for in a legume (i.e. peas or beans, etc.).

Still trying to work out the logistics of this for my hike in a few months...

[Lone Wolf]

Nutrients are never a problem, your body ramps up its absorbtion rate to whatever you may be getting less of. I've had blood tests done for cholesterol, and all my nutrients are in good shape.

I'd recommend a good multivitamin to anyone on a long hike, but good food comes first.

you ever burned 5000 calories a day and tried to eat veg only to make up for that?

[The Old Fhart]

Canute-"Nutrients are never a problem, your body ramps up its absorbtion rate to whatever you may be getting less of."Pure BS. You can't get what's not there. If what you say were true, people could eat dirt and their bodies would absorb what they need from the dirt.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Little surprise that a wolf would be a proponent of being a tertiary consumer.;)

[4eyedbuzzard]

Pure BS. You can't get what's not there. If what you say were true, people could eat dirt and their bodies would absorb what they need from the dirt.

They shove worse things than dirt down my throat - at work, at home, at...:rolleyes:

[sourwood]

I am not a vegan, but do eat a vegetarian diet. I hiked over 1000 miles of the trail last year eating a vegetarian diet. I have biked across the country east to west and north to south eating a vegetarian diet. It is not that big of a deal. Spiders and ticks. Now that's another thing entirely!

Julie

[RAT]

I have converted a few vegetarians and a couple Vegans at Brown Gap a mere three weeks into the hike. It's just too hard to replace that 5000+ calorie burn day after day with the crapp they carry. And I have seen their food bags, they have to carry alot more than the meateaters. To each their own tho. It can be done, this has been proven.


RAT

[khaynie]

I can't imagine how anyone could get enough calories and nutrients being a vegan on the trail. Especially coming down into a trail town where everyone else is wolfing down steaks, cheeseburgers and scrambled eggs & bacon to make up for the lack of protein on the trail.

What could a vegan eat at a typical small-town greasy-spoon diner that would be a balanced meal?

The last time I checked, I was at the top of the food chain. I usually eat lettuce to help me digest a good piece of red meat.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not busting on Vegans; to each their own. Like they say, HYOU, well EWYW2 (eat what you want 2). However, it would appear to me that finding something vegan worthy in a trail town to satisfy a body that's burning 5k+ calories a day, would be as challenging as a thru-hike. I would think Vegans would rely mostly on maildrops.

I gotta run, going to go turn my deer steaks. Ummumm...dinner is almost ready.

[rafe]

you ever burned 5000 calories a day and tried to eat veg only to make up for that?

I don't think it's that difficult, Wolf. But not leafy greens!! You'll be eating rice and beans. Lots of carbs in rice, lots of protein in beans.

[map man]

I'm a vegan. I haven't done an AT thru-hike so I can't claim to know from experience how it's done. My longest hike so far lasted 15 days (hiking between 10 and 15 miles a day on the Superior Hiking Trail). I ate between 4000 and 4500 calories a day and came off the trail feeling great and weighing the same as when I started.

If I ever do an AT thru-hike I will do it with mail drops. I know what trail foods and supplements I like and are nutritionally sound for me (so I'm getting enough protein, iron, the B-complex vitamins, calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc.). I WOULDN'T rely on gorging on restaurant food during town stops like so many thru-hikers do, because like people have pointed out, a vegan can't eat very well over the long haul at most eateries in small trail towns.

I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian for twenty years, and a vegan for the last five, and I'm healthier than most of the people I know who are my age. Over those twenty-five years I've had some physically demanding jobs and have led a pretty active life, and I haven't keeled over yet:D . So, yes, I believe being a vegan will not hamper me from doing an AT thru-hike some day.

[MarcnNJ]

you ever burned 5000 calories a day and tried to eat veg only to make up for that?


Yep, and I did it. And the girl I hiked with last year was vegan and made it also. Although I did convince her to have a piece of salmon in Boiling Springs, PA.

[Overpass]

I'm a vegan. ... longest hike so far lasted 15 days (hiking between 10 and 15 miles a day on the Superior Hiking Trail). I ate between 4000 and 4500 calories a day and came off the trail feeling great and weighing the same as when I started.

Cool. Could you share some info on what you were eating? What was a typical day's food? Reason I ask is, tho I'm not vegan/vegetarian, I'm not pleased with the idea of continuing to eat all the junk/processed food (pop tarts, liptons, candy, balance bars, etc) I've eated in the past on long hikes. Would like to learn to eat more healthily on the trail without losing any significant weight.

[generoll]

I'm not sure why being a vegan should be that big a deal. You can get all the carbs and protein you need without going the greasy spoon route. Few americans, on or off the trail have a diet deficient in fat. As was already mentioned, beans and rice to name a simple combination provide complete proteins and as many carbs as you care to take. Few countries have (or had anyway) a diet as high in meat or meat products as the U.S.. Few countries have as many morbidly obese people as the U.S.. I'm pretty sure there's a link there somewhere.

[Overpass]

Few countries have (or had anyway) a diet as high in meat or meat products as the U.S.. Few countries have as many morbidly obese people as the U.S.. I'm pretty sure there's a link there somewhere.
True but that's not really relevant here. Few people anywhere need to consume upwards of 5000 cals/day and at the same time, keep the weight of their food as low as possible. It's a unique situation.

[generoll]

I think that if you take the entire statement in context, you will see that I am refering to the comment about loading up on fast food at trail stops. If that wasn't obvious then I apologize for being so imprecise. I've never noticed anyone carrying anything like 5000 cal/day. Maybe they do, but most of the hikers that I've hiked with had pretty spartan diets and depended on those trail stops to load up. What I was trying to say was that you could adopt a vegan or at least vegetarian diet and still get the carbs and protein that you needed.

[Overpass]

I've never noticed anyone carrying anything like 5000 cal/day. Maybe they do, but most of the hikers that I've hiked with had pretty spartan diets and depended on those trail stops to load up.
Um, that was exactly my point/question. What do vegans "load up" ON after a week of too few calories on the typical spartan trail diet, when their bodies are screaming for protien and their only choices are often greasy spoons and convenience stores in many small trail towns?

[Fannypack]

I am not a vegan, but do eat a vegetarian diet. I hiked over 1000 miles of the trail last year eating a vegetarian diet. I have biked across the country east to west and north to south eating a vegetarian diet. It is not that big of a deal. Spiders and ticks. Now that's another thing entirely!

Julie
when biking u have no trouble getting to towns quite often so eating vegetarian is no problem but my question to you is:
what did u typically eat while hiking
and
does your vegetarian diet include allot supplements?

Finally, how did u eat differently on the trail than u do in the "off trail" world?

[generoll]

potatoes, whole grain bread, pasta, oats,corn, rice and beans as already mentioned. then let's not forget little things like fruit, dried or fresh and the odd vegetable here and there. a vegan diet is a bit of a culture shock when you first try it, but it's not a matter of going out into the yard and grazing on grass. vegan is more of a challenge then vegetarian, but it's not an impossible mission. just requires a bit of thinking.

[map man]

Overpass, since you asked, this is what I ate on a typical day on that 15 day hike I mentioned:

Breakfast:

4 ounces of a homemade premixed powder to dissolve in water (soy protein, pea protein, maltodextrin (a complex carbohydrate made from corn) and powdered gatorade)
2 ounces of dried apricots
2 ounces of Trisquit crackers

Throughout the day:

6 ounces raisins
6 ounces mixed nuts
3 Clif Bars (7.2 ounces)

Dinner:

The same as breakfast but substitute figs instead of dried apricots

In addition, multivitamin (one rich in the B-complex vitamins), calcium (in pill form) and glucosamine (a variety derived from corn instead of shellfish).

Comes out to about 2.25 pounds of food, 4300 calories, 30% of calories from fat (you could go higher than this and then need less weight in food for the same calories), total of 150 grams of protein (about 14% of calories).

You can get mixed nuts, Trisquit crackers (or Wheat Thins if you prefer those), Clif bars (or other decent energy bar) and raisins at most country stores, dried apricots at some, and figs probably not. I'm sure you would probably not find powdered protein products at most convenience/country stores -- you'd need to shop at a decent size grocery store for that.

I should add, since you are trying to avoid junk food, that all of these have no trans fats, little saturated fats, and with the exception of the powdered Gatorade, no processed sugars. I found I got a nice even energy burn throughout the day with this diet, and I didn't "bonk" once on the trail.

One other thing I should point out. I prefer to eat my food cold, so I can't advise you on designing meals to be warmed up.

[FanaticFringer]

[quote=Canute;309120]Nutrients are never a problem, your body ramps up its absorbtion rate to whatever you may be getting less of.

One of the dumber comments on nutrition I've heard in awhile.:rolleyes:

[moxie]

There are about 10 million vegans of the Hindu faith in India. No meat products and they all get along fine. You even see some fat ones that never eat meat products so it can be done. Beans, rice, lentals, curry. One thing I used on my thru was tons of textured vegtable protein. Available in health food stores, cheap and a huge bag weigs less than a pound. I mixed it with everything. Okey, when I hit town I had a double whopper with cheese but a vegan who knows what he or she are doing and watches their diet can do just fine on the trail and in life. It just takes a knowledge of food and what your body needs.

[Tipi Walter]

Overpass, since you asked, this is what I ate on a typical day on that 15 day hike I mentioned:

Breakfast:

4 ounces of a homemade premixed powder to dissolve in water (soy protein, pea protein, maltodextrin (a complex carbohydrate made from corn) and powdered gatorade)
2 ounces of dried apricots
2 ounces of Trisquit crackers

Throughout the day:

6 ounces raisins
6 ounces mixed nuts
3 Clif Bars (7.2 ounces)

Dinner:

The same as breakfast but substitute figs instead of dried apricots

In addition, multivitamin (one rich in the B-complex vitamins), calcium (in pill form) and glucosamine.

Comes out to about 2.25 pounds of food, 4300 calories, 30% of calories from fat (you could go higher than this and then need less weight in food for the same calories), total of 150 grams of protein (about 14% of calories).

You can get mixed nuts, Trisquit crackers (or Wheat Thins if you prefer those), Clif bars (or other decent energy bar) and raisins at most country stores, dried apricots at some, and figs probably not. I'm sure you would probably not find powdered protein products at most convenience/country stores -- you'd need to shop at a decent size grocery store for that.

I should add, since you are trying to avoid junk food, that all of these have no trans fats, little saturated fats, and with the exception of the powdered Gatorade, no processed sugars. I found I got a nice even energy burn throughout the day with this diet, and I didn't "bonk" once on the trail.

One other thing I should point out. I prefer to eat my food cold, so I can't advise you on designing meals to be warmed up.

Phew, I DON'T know how you do it. Here's my list on a typical 12 day trip(I carry 2 food bags, one of cookables and one of snackables):

SNACKABLES: Organic chocolate cookies, homemade almond butter-rice syrup-carob candy, 2 bags rice cakes, 3 bags corn chips, 3.5 blocks of goat cheese, Knudsen soda(s), pint chocolate soymilk, 4 prepared burritos, 5 peanut butter and rice syrup sandwiches, 6 pemmican bars, numerous granola bars, bag of granola, raisins, walnuts, dried papaya and pineapple, fruit drink mix, 2 loaves manna bread, peanuts.

COOKABLES: Four ramens, 4 mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, bag of dehydrated beans, 4 packs vegan ribs, vegan meatballs, 3 paks Tasty Bites rice and spinach, dulse, powdered soymilk, nettle tea, sugar, olive oil, 7 paks organic oatmeal, butter/herb pasta.

This list will last me between 16 to 18 days in case of emergency, deep snow, etc. I would say my food bags weigh in at around 25 to 30 pounds total but I like to eat. It's all vegetarian and though the goat cheese is hard to find I generally only eat it when I'm out pumping nylon.

[Sly]

There's a guy that hiked both the PCT and CDT eating only raw foods. If you can do it on those trails it should be easy enough on the AT

http://www.rawhike.com/

.

[rafe]

Tipi -- fascinating list. What's "dulse?" I'd never heard of "vegan ribs" (or meatballs.) Not sure what you mean by "manna bread" or nettle, either.

[Ewker]

Tipi, posted a link for manna bread the other day. Here it is http://www.naturespath.com/products/breads

[map man]

Tipi Walter, I didn't mean to imply that I hiked with 15 days worth of food, but I now realize it could be read that way. I hiked with two other people and we had two cars between us which we resupplied at every four days and then shuttled forward. Fifteen days and 2.25 pounds of food a day would make 35 pounds of food, if you threw in packaging weight. No way!!!:eek:

[Fannypack]

Tipi -- fascinating list. What's "dulse?" I'd never heard of "vegan ribs" (or meatballs.) Not sure what you mean by "manna bread" or nettle, either.
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmaria_palmata
I use it as a seasoning, see wikipedia page above.

[rafe]

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmaria_palmata
I use it as a seasoning, see wikipedia page above.

Ooh, algae. Yum. (man, I had to ask! :rolleyes:) Does it taste as awful as I think it might?

[Fannypack]

Ooh, algae. Yum. (man, I had to ask! :rolleyes:) Does it taste as awful as I think it might?
try it, I don't think it tastes awful....
it is more about what it contains; like many seasonings, u may like & u may not

[Fannypack]

There's a guy that hiked both the PCT and CDT eating only raw foods. If you can do it on those trails it should be easy enough on the AT

http://www.rawhike.com/

.
This guy, Doug aka Skywalker, is from MA and maybe hiking the AT this year. I will talk to him to see if he will have a journal.

why all the FLAMING about Vegans/Vegitarians??? if u don't understand something that doesn't make it wrong.

[Tipi Walter]

Thanks for adding the links. Dulse is just seaweed and it mixes good with rice or pasta or beans as it is naturally salty with a typical hearty, fishy taste. Nettle tea is my favorite tea and is from the stinging nettle weed that we've all seen and felt. It can either be harvested wild or purchased thru Frontier Herbs or other companies.

I was watching an Everest show recently and Conrad Anker pulled out his pot and cooked up some Tasty Bites meals with several other mountaineers and so I think this food from India(and available here)is popular with the outdoor types.

Another thing I pack into a doubled ziploc is Miso, a fermented soy product of various flavors which is GOOD in cooked food as a salty condiment.

Although none of this food is available at Walmart, the vegan ribs and meatballs are and can be found in the frozen section/meatless meals, etc.

[khaynie]

Ooh, algae. Yum. (man, I had to ask! :rolleyes:) Does it taste as awful as I think it might?

And it tasted like a cross between a dehydrated brim and a piece of rotten seaweed. (It's the same consistency as your pet fish's food) It's not for me but obviously it is for some. I'd said say first takers better have a chaser ready...and perhaps a mentos.

[sourwood]

when biking u have no trouble getting to towns quite often so eating vegetarian is no problem but my question to you is:
what did u typically eat while hiking
and
does your vegetarian diet include allot supplements?

Finally, how did u eat differently on the trail than u do in the "off trail" world?

Fannypack,

Here was a typical day's food:
Breakfast: 2 packs of instant oatmeal or grits, granola or breakfast bar, coffee, multi-vitamin

Morning snack: some type of gorp

Lunch: cheese and crackers or peanut butter and rice cakes or tortilla or some such combo. I'd also have some gorp or a fake beef jerky strip sometmes.

afternoon snack: candy bar or some type of energy bar

Dinner: Lipton's noodle pack or instant potato pack(with extra cheese) or a couple of vegetable Ramens with peanut butter added or dried refried beans and cous cous mixed together, candy bar, tea

That held me well through 15 -20 mile days. I was never really hungry, but not really full either. Town food would typically be pasta or pizza dishes plus salads and fruits and beer. I do like salty junk too, like chips.

At home I eat many more fresh fruits and vegetables. Fewer candy bars. More ice cream. More wine and beer.

Hope this answers your questions.

[Smile]

I ate raw and vegan last year on my hike.

I need to go back and find you the thread where I wrote some info down. Used raw/organic/vegan bars too by organicfoodbars.com, and also carried avacados. Usually three out of town, and ate one for dinner with flax seeds, tahini, and red peppers, cut up like a salad.

Downside to Avacados is the weight! If you buy them hard they keep longer. I actually did a test hike one weekend and tried to de-pit (is that a word?) one, duct tape it together, and see if it kept - didn't work! I also realized the pit is super light compared to the meat.

[Alligator]

Have you all settled down yet on this topic:p . Always a free for all when this comes up:eek: . Anyway, I'm a vegetarian. In the warmer months, May-Sept, I section hike 15-20 mile days. I was pretty proud of my self last July, I pulled four 20+ mile days out of eight. My hiking diet is nearly vegan, but not totally. I rarely bring cheeses, but some foods with dairy ingredients do make it into my pack.

As an example, I have included the menus for approximately 3 weeks of sections hikes that I have done. I dehydrate my own dinners, unusual food names in the spreadsheet cells reflect this. I keep it fairly simple and go with four ounces dehydrated to a dinner, less for a lunch (if I go that route). The menus don't go into exact detail for snacks, these vary. I usually go with 1-2 granola bars, a clif bar, some nuts, a little dried fruit, maybe some jerky, and a couple of snack packs of candy bars.

Yes, you can make tofu jerky. In fact, I took a trip with a carnivore once and he was all over it. I kid you not I had to ration him.

If you're a vegan, (and I have been in the past), you may have trouble finding a prepared meal in town. If there's any kind of ethnic restaurant though, you should be set. It's like any time you are looking to eat out while traveling though. Just plan on keeping one spare meal handy in case town doesn't work out for takeout. Even if you have to cook in town, availablility of fresh ingredients is a bonus.

[Alligator]

I ate raw and vegan last year on my hike.

I need to go back and find you the thread where I wrote some info down. Used raw/organic/vegan bars too by organicfoodbars.com, and also carried avacados. Usually three out of town, and ate one for dinner with flax seeds, tahini, and red peppers, cut up like a salad.

Downside to Avacados is the weight! If you buy them hard they keep longer. I actually did a test hike one weekend and tried to de-pit (is that a word?) one, duct tape it together, and see if it kept - didn't work! I also realized the pit is super light compared to the meat.Avocados have a short shelf life once opened, the air does them in. I worked in restaurants previously, mucho guacamole. We would double seal the guac with saran wrap pressed right against it, then a tupperware type lid on top. It would still only last 24 hours before browning.

[The Old Fhart]

Alligator-"Have you all settled down yet on this topic:p. Always a free for all when this comes up:eek:" I've found this thread to be quite civil and informative, unlike the 'other' agenda thread. Although I'm an omnivore, I find some of veggie look-alikes quite tasty. At one of the hiker feeds they have a grill that hasn't had meat on one side and they do serve veggieburgers. We can co-exist.:)

[Alligator]

I've found this thread to be quite civil and informative, unlike the 'other' agenda thread. Although I'm an omnivore, I find some of veggie look-alikes quite tasty. At one of the hiker feeds they have a grill that hasn't had meat on one side and they do serve veggieburgers. We can co-exist.:)Yes, I know. I felt safe enough to expose myself before my peers. Oh no, look out, my top jeans button is loose...

[Alligator]

...I like to make candles...

[Alligator]

...but I'd rather be a blacksmith.

[4eyedbuzzard]

why all the FLAMING about Vegans/Vegitarians??? if u don't understand something that doesn't make it wrong.

"If you don't understand something that doesn't make it wrong."

EXACTLY!

The original post in the other thread was accusational and inflammatory by definition based upon its topic sentence. The person who started the thread by default accused over 99% of the populus as being maliciously cruel to animals because they do not share his/her opinion on the subject of human dietary and other related choices regarding products derived from animals. The poster violates the very precept you have cited ("If you don't understand something that doesn't make it wrong.")


{Initial post} I'd like to start a thread for veggies to discuss cruelty free hiking...{and then absurdly asks for no arguments - my edit}

Additionally FWIW, only approximately 5 to 7% of those who identify themselves as "vegetarian" describe themselves as "Vegan". Most(approx 90%) are semis(eat fish and some also eat chicken) or ova-lacto(eat eggs and milk). They do not share the "animal cruelty" political stance of this particular Vegan poster.

When the person starting the thread was asked(often in an "in kind" tone to their intial post) to explain and/or support their statement, or when outright confronted, they responded at one point with the following.


{Post #26}
Well Jessebrent, yes I am indicating that eating meat is cruel. It is demonstrably unnecessary for the health and well being of the human body, and therefore eaten purely for pleasure. "Cruelty free" does indeed sound antogonizing and if there is a way to edit this I would like too, as I see it is not in the spirit of my own thread. And indeed, it is impossible to live without taking advantage of others on a constant basis, however, we can try to avoid it when possible and to the degree we are willing. I will no sooner beat up an old lady for her purse than kill a cow for the pleasure of consuming its flesh. I may try to start a fresh thread for the sake of us hikers who would like to discuss our particular issues in peace.

In the above post, the poster again attacks (eating meat is cruel and solely for pleasure), then gets apologetic(if there is a way to edit this I would like too), yet then goes right back on the attack by equating the ILLEGAL violent crime against grandma as equivalent to the LEGAL slaughter of livestock. The poster obviously does not understand the issues as well as they think they do, but nonetheless makes a "values judgement" labeling the consumption of all animal products "cruel", i.e. wrong. When someone makes statements such as these in a public forum they should expect the vehemently rebuttal you have described as "FLAMING".

I hope this explanation answer your question("why all the FLAMING about Vegans/Vegitarians???")?

[Mags]

Doing a veggie hike is not that hard, esp. on the AT.

A vegan hike takes more planning....

A raw food hike REALLY takes more planning.

All depends on what is important to you.

As for a vegan not being able to perform athletically:
http://www.scottjurek.com/

He's the Lance Armstrong of the ultrarunning world.

Having said all that, I still love a burger and fries when I get to town. :)

(Though, Grandma did make vegan food which I love to this day. Of course, it was not vegan food to us..just great home cooked southern Italian-style food).

[hrm]

two cents:
in 2001 i thru-hiked in less than 4 months on a vegan diet. certainly didn't push the pace, and definitely didn't go lightweight on the pack. in fact, as someone already mentioned, perhaps my pack was so heavy because a vegan diet weighs more? coming out of clarendon, vt i weighed it at 75lbs from the scale at that train cafe. who knows if it was right, though, and i suspect i was a little on the heavy side at that point. and at jim murray's farm in new jersey, the scale there had my food bag at 35 pounds two days out of dwg. i liked to carry at least an orange for each day, etc., so maybe that has something to do with it.

anyhow, the point is that if someone's interested in hiking on a vegan diet, i didn't find it a problem. i loaded up on spaghetti and pizza (w/o the cheese) whenever i came to town. five alive. v8. etc. for good tasting fluids, vitamins, and salt. of course, these fifteen year olds threw out at least twenty grilled cheese sandwhiches at the NOC, and i ate quite a few of them -- i was hungry and, hey, they were in the trash and looked tasty -- so, who knows, maybe that fired me the rest of the way. ;)

take care

[Overpass]

Mapman, thank so much for sharing your menu. You and the other veggie/vegans are right, it's not as hard as I thought to find better things than poptarts and ramen to eat. This thread has given me a lot of great info, thanks everyone!

[quicktoez]

I am a veggie but not a vegan. It’s been my experience that people with these principles spend a lot of time thinking/planning their nutrition and do quite well. Soy protein powder is very light and is one of many options available to keep the protein level up. Not eating flesh is a choice that one makes and it always amazes me how much others seem to have to say about it when most veggies just quietly do it. I have thought of becoming a vegan but have yet been able to make this step, I have a great deal of respect for thoughts who do.

[Overpass]

Soy protein powder is very light and is one of many options available to keep the protein level up.

Can you buy it plain (unflavored)? I've only seen it in stores in chocolate/banana/vanilla. It would be great to fortify oatmeal with it, but I can't stomach the thought of adding chocolate or vanilla or whatever-flavor to my oatmeal. Or pasta. Or couscous. Any kind of dinner-type meal.

At home, I do like the flavored soy protein powder as a shake, but it seems that it needs a high-powered machine like a blender or something to get it into suspension with the water/milk/soymilk. Can it be prepared on the trail without being a mess of clumps/lumps floating in liquid? I've tried shaking some up in the 20-oz soda bottle I use instead of a nalgene but it made a sticky mess inside the bottle and left an aftertaste for days even when I did get rid of the little brown lumps stuck to the sides...

I guess what I'm asking is, how exactly do you use the protein powder?

[Alligator]

Can you buy it plain (unflavored)? I've only seen it in stores in chocolate/banana/vanilla. It would be great to fortify oatmeal with it, but I can't stomach the thought of adding chocolate or vanilla or whatever-flavor to my oatmeal. Or pasta. Or couscous. Any kind of dinner-type meal.

At home, I do like the flavored soy protein powder as a shake, but it seems that it needs a high-powered machine like a blender or something to get it into suspension with the water/milk/soymilk. Can it be prepared on the trail without being a mess of clumps/lumps floating in liquid? I've tried shaking some up in the 20-oz soda bottle I use instead of a nalgene but it made a sticky mess inside the bottle and left an aftertaste for days even when I did get rid of the little brown lumps stuck to the sides...

I guess what I'm asking is, how exactly do you use the protein powder?A couple of years back, I bought some plain. I used to prefer rice milk, so I used to add it to shakes for breakfast. However, lately on the trail I use a vanilla variety in my oatmeal/cream of wheat. I did buy a miniature whisk for this purpose, but stopped bringing it when I lightened up my kitchen. Yes, these powders do tend to be sticky. I mix mine in my sierra cup, something wide mouthed makes cleaning easier.

[map man]

There's a brand called "Now Foods" that sells an unflavored soy protein powder. I know you can get it through iherb.com ($12.95 for a two pound canister -- very cheap for protein powders), but the odds are not good of ever finding it in a grocery store near the trail, I'm guessing. I'm about to buy it soon for the first time because the soy powder I have been using is no longer stocked by the web site I've gotten it through in the past. That soy powder has a very mild vanilla flavor and is made by "Nature's Life" and has the oddly politically charged name of "Pro-Life Soy Protein Powder.":rolleyes:

I've never had a problem with soy powders clumping, for some reason, and I've tried at least three of them that I can remember. I shake it up good in a 16 oz. Tupperware Shaker Bottle. When I get near the bottom I swirl the mixture around a little to keep the particles from settling to the bottom. I also add water to the bottle first, AND THEN add the powder, and that seems to keep the stuff from wanting to stick to the side.

By the way, a soy powder that I HAVE seen stocked in grocery stores, at least in Iowa where I live, is made by "Geni-Soy." I've only seen it in the standard flavors, and both the vanilla and chocolate have a stronger flavor, but if you are hoping to resupply on the trail instead of by mail drop, that one might be an option.

[quicktoez]

Soy protein comes in many forms including plain. Fearn Soya powder -www.modernfearn.com is a very fine granular (not flour) from precooked soy beans and can be used in soups, sauces, baking or to make milk and mixes better than the protein drink powders. I buy it at Shaw’s and Stop & Shop in New England in heath food sections. I have also had good luck mixing powders in a Nalgene bottle by placing a tea pot screen in the mouth and a few plastic jacks (from the kids game) and shaking. I also use the screen to make coffee and loose tea, at about 5 grams the screen and jacks work well, but anything that will bounce around inside the a bottle works sorta like a blender.

[Heater]

What do vegans "load up" ON after a week of too few calories on the typical spartan trail diet, when their bodies are screaming for protien and their only choices are often greasy spoons and convenience stores in many small trail towns?

I liked to have a protein shake in the mornings. Just like carrying Instant breakfast of something similar. I think a Vegan would have to use a lot of mail drops or go to town a lot. Where that is not an option they would be carrying a lot of food weight and it would be slow going up the trail.

(I was Vegan for a couple of years but never LD Hiking while eating that way. I did work out a lot though)

[Heater]

At home, I do like the flavored soy protein powder as a shake, but it seems that it needs a high-powered machine like a blender or something to get it into suspension with the water/milk/soymilk. Can it be prepared on the trail without being a mess of clumps/lumps floating in liquid?

I have a little handheld battery operated "wisk" that gets out most of the clump pretty quiclky. Weighs 3 oz and is made by "good cook"

[Smile]

Doug (who hiked the CDT raw) was helpful and gave me some advice for my hike. One of the best ideas was the baby food "mill", lightweight and was good for soaked nuts. I'd soak during the day and grind sometimes for dinner, or overnight soak and grind for breakfast, yum!

The Avacados were such a treat though, even if they didn't last too long, the black could be peeled off. The spring was easier on them temp. wise. If I hike again raw, I'll take only 1 or 2 out of town. Here's a recent lunch photo when I eat at home,and tried to recreate in town if I could manage to get my hands on just a couple of pieces of lettuce (a fast food worker just gave me a few in a bag once!) I just added stuff and made a wrap. ( hummus, drizzled with tahini, red pepper slices, red onion and avacado on romaine)

I got a can of ready to go organic garbanzo beans, found a guy in the store with a can opener and mashed them up in a paper bowl in Hiawassee and made lumpy hummus, it was delicious!