Potatoes are probably not a good choice most of the time. I would say give up sugar if you can, sugar is pretty bad. I try to avoid things like pasta, but I do eat that occasionally. Beans are a good for both fiber and protein. But, that isn't to say a person shouldn't eat a lot of vegetables and fruit. Currently the recommendation is 5 servings, I think it should be closer to 10 and more might be better. But, it's all about what works for the individual. Some people are ok with a raw diet, I am not one of them. Although come summer time I will be eating a lot more raw food, because hot food makes me ill in the summer. But, I will not give up my oatmeal. It is a big part of my diet and the reason I am able to type more than one sentence at a time. I won't give up beans either since they are my main source of protein. But, people that do that, more power to them I wish them all the happiness they can take(I am sure they are likely very happy as it is), I have found that eating better does lead to better moods.
It is good that you are in a vegan community. Just being in an area like that means that stores will have more vegan options and the possibility of a thriving vegan restaurant(s). Currently no one I know is a vegan and I haven't a lot of food choices if I go out without packing my own food. Sometimes the best I can do is a slice of cheese pizza and that makes me feel lousy. Not because of the cheese so much, but because it is just cheese and carb, low fiber and not very satisfying. So, I found out that Sun Chips and V8 give me a lot more fiber so that is my Goto snack now if nothing else is available.
In any case it is nice to see that the vegan world has as much diversity as any other eating/life style and I am sure that there is one that will work for everyone.
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