Sure, it’s not the easiest thing in the world to forgo a fluffy omelet on a Sunday morning, avoid that cheese platter at a party or your say no to your favorite ice cream flavor. But to be honest, for most vegans, the hardest part about being a vegan is convincing people that we’re not all suffering, vitamin deficient and deprived.

Once you’ve resolved to become vegan, the next step in your plan should be to arm yourself with veggie factoids. Your can expect that your friends, family and coworkers will bombard you with questions about veganism and your new and improved lifestyle. And chances are, some will be skeptical. Do a bit of myth-busting and show them what’s what when it comes to a vegan diet.

Vegan Myths and Truths

Myth: A vegan diet lacks sufficient protein, iron and calcium.

Truth: A well-balanced vegan diet has more than enough nutrients. Beans, lentils and soy are the protein standbys, although protein is also found in vegetables and starches. And when it comes to calcium and iron, plant-based foods like nuts and seeds, tofu, beans, leafy greens and other foods sources are full of them and are actually better absorbed by the body. As long as you consume enough calories by varying your vegan meals, your iron, calcium and protein needs will be easily met.

Myth: Vegans only eat salad.

Truth: With vegan meals out there like grilled flank steak, Italian sausage and peppers, and even grilled mahi mahi without a trace of dairy, meat, pork or fish, today's vegans should have no trouble finding something delicious and nutritious to eat. More and more restaurants and online vegan delivery services are offering decadent and complex vegan meals that would please even the heartiest meat eaters.

Myth: Vegan food is hard to find and prepare.

Truth: Vegans have a wide variety of "normal" and delicious food choices easily available. In any typical American restaurant or supermarket, you can usually find an excellent selection of foods that are vegan friendly. And many ethnic restaurants such as Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian and Ethiopian have plenty of vegan foods on the menu. At home, your choices are unlimited. Like meat eaters, not all vegans eat the same way. While some stick to non-traditional foods like tofu and soy products, many vegans eat a lot of traditional dishes the vegan way. It's easy to take a non-vegan dish, such as cheese lasagna or bakery items by replacing the non-vegan ingredients with plant-based ones instead. And these old favorites often end up tasting just like the original. Don’t forget to take advantage of online vegan meals delivery services, which can take the guesswork out of the whole veganism process.

Myth: A vegan diet is expensive.

Truth: Vegetables and grains are less expensive than meat, period. Since plants grow on the earth, they’re ready to go when they’re ripe. That means less production cost. To produce meat, you start with plants grown from the earth, pick them when they’re ripe, feed them to an animal, fatten them up, kill the animal and then it's ready to go. Why don’t we just get rid of the middleman, save the animals and just stick with food that comes directly from the earth? You could even start buying fresh, expensive-looking fruit you see in the specialty produce section instead of blowing all that cash on a pound of meat.

Now that we’ve busted some of the vegan myths that are out there, we’re one step closer to awakening the world to the benefits and joys of a vegan diet. Committing to veganism doesn’t require giving up your identity or love of food. The delicious, nutritious food that people already know, love and enjoy can be transformed into vegan meals that are healthier and equally as satisfying. Inspire a meat eater today!