Crafting a vegan life you’re proud of is challenging enough without the peanut gallery chiming in.
Below are eight comments I hear again and again—along with why people say them and how you can respond without losing your cool.
1. But where do you get your protein?
My gym buddy once asked this while staring at the tofu in my lunchbox like it was an alien artifact.
Protein anxiety is everywhere because we’re taught to equate “animal” with “strength.” Yet the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics states that well-planned vegan diets are “healthful, nutritionally adequate, and appropriate for all stages of the life cycle.”
Beans, lentils, seitan, tofu, edamame, tempeh, nuts, seeds, and even oats all have enough amino acids to rebuild muscle and keep hunger at bay.
Point this out once, then offer to share your burrito bowl recipe—nothing converts skeptics like good food.
2. Plants feel pain too
This usually pops up when someone’s looking for a moral loophole.
Instead of sparring over plant neurobiology, I pivot to impact. Plants lack a central nervous system, and the evidence for subjective suffering just isn’t there.
More importantly, animal agriculture kills far more plants than a plant-based diet (you have to feed the animals something).
Redirect the conversation to measurable harm rather than speculative feelings.
3. Isn’t it expensive to eat vegan?
During my backpacking days through Southeast Asia, I lived on street-stall rice, vegetables, and fruit for less than five bucks a day.
The misconception sticks because many people only notice pricey vegan cheeses and faux-meats. Remind them that dry beans, bulk grains, frozen veggies, seasonal produce, and peanut butter are often the cheapest items in any grocery store.
If you plan around whole foods—and skip the fancy-packaged stuff—your grocery bill usually drops.
4. Humans are meant to eat meat; it’s natural
I’ve mentioned this before but “natural” is a moving target—cars, smartphones, and afternoon lattes aren’t exactly Paleolithic either.
Evolution shows we’re omnivores who can eat meat, not obligate carnivores who must. Modern nutrition science also shows we can thrive without it.
When someone plays the “nature card,” I ask whether they’d also give up antibiotics, central heating, and seat belts in the name of staying “natural.”
5. I could never give up cheese!
Confession: cheddar was my last hold-out too. It took a month of experiments—cashew spreads, nutritional yeast popcorn, and a tragically bad almond-ricotta—to break the habit.
Cheese is seductive because it delivers a triple hit of fat, salt, and umami. Acknowledge that, share a swap that actually tastes good (miso-tahini sauce, anyone?), and move on.
People often just need proof that satisfaction still exists on the other side of the dairy fence.
6. Aren’t you missing nutrients like iron and B12?
Iron worries linger because plant iron (non-heme) absorbs differently.
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes, “Vitamin C improves the absorption of non-heme iron.”
So squeeze lemon over beans, pair spinach with strawberries, or splash hot sauce on lentils.
B12 is the true non-negotiable—take a supplement or use fortified foods. Problem solved.
7. Isn’t soy bad for you?
An uncle once warned me that tofu would “mess with my hormones.” I asked how his bacon-double-cheeseburger was treating his arteries.
Most fears stem from outdated mouse studies and internet myths. In humans, moderate soy intake is linked to lower cholesterol and reduced breast-cancer recurrence.
If someone still panics, remind them soy is optional—plenty of vegans live on chickpeas, seitan, and quinoa.
8. One person can’t make a difference
Lead Oxford researcher Joseph Poore said, “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth.”
Going plant-based cuts greenhouse gases, land use, and water consumption more than flying less or buying an electric car.
When skeptics say individual action is pointless, I ask whether they also litter because “the planet’s already dirty.” Collective change starts with personal choices; movements are just individuals multiplied.
Wrapping up
People question veganism for many reasons—habit, culture, curiosity, or plain defensiveness.
Responding with patience and facts turns awkward moments into teachable ones.
And if the conversation stalls, invite them over for dinner; the smell of sizzling garlic on olive-oil-rubbed vegetables makes stronger arguments than any statistic.
Keep cooking, keep sharing, and keep living your values.