do vegan's drink coffee??

I’ve been a vegetarian for the last 11 years but now I’m experimenting with becoming a vegan.  I recently read “skinny Bitch” and they said coffee is a NO!  I’m having a really hard time adjusting to no coffee.  Here’s my question to all you vegans out there…do you drink coffee??  Coffee with soy milk?

I've never liked coffee so that doesn't count. But your question got me curious so I looked online.

I found that basically coffee in terms of ingredients is basically vegan. However, technological advances have caused coffee production to have a huge toll on the environment because of chemicals used, the effect on local fauna and flora where plantations are created, etc.

Also, because of it's caffeine content, it can be argued that coffee is harmful to one's health.

I think it is all up to you, to how far you want to go. I don't think drinking coffee makes one less vegan. If there are people that argue that honey can be part of a vegan diet, I surely don't see why coffee wouldn't be considered vegan.

I also ready skinny bitch and I think the whole point is that it basically is an unnecessary product that people consume regularly. It can cause dependency and can be harmful. I believe in the book it is stated coffee is a NO because in a sense there are no benefits in having coffee, and the book tells people to stop ingesting products that alter our body's functioning, which would include caffeine.

Coffee is vegan.

Whether or not it's healthy is another matter. But that's true of lots of vegan foods: french fries, for example.

yep coffee's vegan. i don't drink it anymore but used to put soy milk in it when I did.

Thank you so much!  I’ve been debating with this topic and I couldn’t find a clear answer.

Original Post by mediatinker:

Whether or not it's healthy is another matter.

Actually, there are some studies out there that indicate a limited intake could be healthy:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/story?id=107 4559

Although the article does point out that the benefits have little to do with caffeine content.

I really don’t drink that much coffee, maybe a cup in the morning. I want to cut it out of my day completely because I’m concerned that coffee is affecting my skin.  I want clear glowing skin (doesn’t everyone) and I’ve heard the caffeine destroys your skins texture.   

I'm vegan and I drink coffee. 

I used to (11 months ago) drink about 8 cups a day and quit totally"cold turkey" because I knew that wasn't healthy, but I have just recently started drinking 12 oz. on the mornngs that I have an 8 AM class (2 days a week)... so, I know it's not good for me, but really- it's 24 oz/week!

Original Post by kristpin:

I want clear glowing skin (doesn’t everyone) and I’ve heard the caffeine destroys your skins texture.   

You want "clear glowing skin"?!?  Is there a reason why you want to be transparent and bio-luminescent?  (Kidding....)

Seriously, I know plenty of people with clear glowing skin that are also unrepentent coffee addicts.  I'm sure giving up caffeine helps, but the biggest impacts on skin condition is reducing sun exposure, keeping it clean, and keeping it moisturized.  I'm also a big fan of exfoliation.  (No, I'm not an expert, just have a lot of experience from going to dermatologists and aestheticians during high school for very bad teenage acne.)

I drink coffee every once in awhile with soy milk. If I go to starbucks I can order a caramel 'soy' latte.  But I'm not a coffee addict.

Mmmmm, unless I'm wrong and I hope not because it's a part of my morning routine, I LOVE the soy lattes from Starbucks!  YUMMY and VEGAN!

Re: caffeine and skin - personally I don't think it's the caffeine but the stuff that goes in it, like milk and sugar (neither are good for your skin). Or the fact that some people who drink coffee use it to stay awake/feel alert and might not be sleeping enough, which is also very bad for your skin. 

I read "skinny bitch" and had a hard time giving up coffee in the begining. I found teeccino which is a caffiene free herbal coffee its a tea not coffee at all;you can find it at wholefoods, stop and shop, or online. It works for me when I crave the taste of coffee mix it with a soy creamer :) another reason why they say coffee is bad is; it causes your body to become too acidic. This in turn can make you sick if you O.D. On the caffiene too much.

I am vegan. I drink coffee.
So the answer is yes.

Why does everyone keep acting that this book "skinny bitch" is like a vegan bible or something?


I also drink fair-trade organically grown locally roasted coffee. So..... I pretty much think I'm doing good enough and if anyone wants to get on my case about it I'll just laugh because me without coffee is not worth any moral eating restrictions.

i'm a firm believer in the skinny bitch ways, but as i recall an occasional cup of coffee is ok. so i do drink coffee, but only about twice a week.

Well, I'm vegan and I DO drink coffee with soya milk.  I decided to post this because some people have problems with soya milk 'separating' when they add it to coffee.

 

Put the soya milk in FIRST.  Voila!  No more separation.

The reason Skinny Bitch says that coffee is a "NO" is because that Skinny Bitch is basing the vegan diet (MOSTLY, not wholly) on health. I personally think that coffee is okay every once in a while. If you drink it constantly than no, it probably isn't okay. Everything in moderation.

I am not one to say that veganism is a set of concrete rules to follow.

I believe it is for you to interpret what you feel comfortable doing/eating. After all, it is your life.

BOTTOM LINE: If you get coffee without anything in it, it is vegan. If you get it with soy milk, it's vegan. If you get it with a lot of different flavors, it can be vegan. You have to read the ingredients and determine this for yourself.

Original Post by myrurgia:

I drink coffee every once in awhile with soy milk. If I go to starbucks I can order a caramel 'soy' latte.  But I'm not a coffee addict.

You probably know but just for everyone else...Starbuck's caramel syrup is vegan. Starbuck caramel sauce is not.

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/archive/in dex.php/t-14825.html

I don't se why it can not be vegan. As long as there is no animal testing or deliberate animal bi products in it ( someone stated something about bee pollen but then insects can also reproduce on veggies too) I've been vegan for almost 3 years now. I needed a boost so I switched from my carbonated energy drink (I was noted from Peta that the drink in particular conatined no animal bi products or was tested on animals)to coffee. Also there are herbal teas that such as Yerba Mate or Green Tea which can boost you up.

Original Post by soy_vey:


Why does everyone keep acting that this book "skinny bitch" is like a vegan bible or something?

 

B/c we all know the Veganomicon is the vegan Bible, lol. 

Coffee is technically vegan as it comes from a plant.  It will never be classified as a "health food" however many studies do indicate that moderate consumption can be of benift for many people (save those with certain medical issues).

I'm not completely vegan, techincally I guess I'm an ovo-vegetarian.  I do drink coffee, but I usually limit my self to a few cups in the morning (too much and my anxiety goes up).

I prefer to drink the fair trade, organic coffee since I think it tastes better and has much less impact on the environment (not to mention supporting the farmers).

I like to drink mine w/unsweetend soy or almond milk and sweeten with a little stevia.