“......, but how do you get your protein?!”

Before coming to Japan I thought that most Japanese were vegetarians at most; and those who consumed flesh just ate fish/seafood. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of meat that is consumed here! There’s meat or it’s by-product in almost everything - especially pork. It’s even in the baby formulas!

I mentioned before in a previous post that my family runs on a plant based diet. We eat as much whole and raw foods as much as possible. That decision still remains our CHOICE.  However from time to time, despite the plethora of information that is out there, the researches that have been done and physical evidence persons still give us that incredulous look whenever we say we do not consume animal products.

It’s almost as if we should not look this healthy! Acquaintances think my husband has too much bulk to not be a meat eater.

Unfortunately my husband tends to get most of the questions directed at him since he takes lunch to work. At the onset he had to forcefully let it be known that he will not be consuming school lunches because he will not “just scrape away the meat and stuff and just eat the rice and vegetables,” as was suggested a few times.  Apparently  his lunch is always under the microscope and the daily concerns comes either about the quantity or the quality and whether or not he gets sufficient protein to build muscles etc. My daughter also gets the same queriesand people are amazed when I say the little one does not consume any animal products.

Because protein is usually the biggest concern (for us) I always remind persons that we only eliminate the animal products not the protein nor other nutrients. That’s all! The concern for the baby is iron at this stage. But isn’t that a concern for all babies?And why do nutritionists exist again? 

I went through my pregnancy 2017 on a plant based diet and never had any deficiency ( I was actually overweight by Japanese standards) and my baby came out as healthy as any other. He’s almost a year old now, eats just as the family and his development is on track. He hits all the milestones he’s supposed to at the expected time.

I just wished people would do their research, respect other people’s choice and carry on with life. 

Are we the only plant-based family here in Japan? (Like seriously?!)