Many converts to veganism cite health reasons, but support for animal rights remains a key motivation.But even vegans who eschew all animal products like meat, eggs and dairy crave junk food."The Cafe Gratitude team, though, leans medicinal: at its sister restaurant, the Mexican-themed Gracias Madre, cocktails include ingredients like essential oil of cannabis. As the movement becomes more and more popular, temptations including donuts, pizza and mock hamburgers allow vegans to eat just as badly as everybody else.The treats do have less cholesterol and no trans-fats, he added."They could be eating chips and fried food," she said.'Horror and compassion'Many converts to veganism cite health reasons, but support for animal rights remains a key motivation.Not just carrots and celeryAt the vegan food fair in Anaheim, a suburb of LA, bowls of quinoa are hard to find."But you can't expect people to jump overnight to a diet of kelp noodle salad with bean sprouts and sauteed tempeh," he said."There are a lot of unhealthy options.

Vegan diets are considered by most a healthy and environmentally responsible, with celebrity poster children touting benefits like weight loss, clear skin and increased energy.Los Angeles even holds an annual "Vegan Oktoberfest" allowing vegans to imbibe while sampling from an assortment of indulgent snacks. It's hard to resist at first," Jessica McCully, 28, said at a vegan food festival in the Los Angeles area, a fake chicken taco in her hand.Lori Whitaker, a long-limbed blonde with a golden complexion, stood in line at one stand to buy a pizza.But at the end of the day.

"it's a ball of fried dough with lots of calories," Boss said.Many converts to veganism cite health reasons, but support for animal rights remains a key motivation. A baker makes vegan desserts at Cafe Gratitude on August 5, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. "It's motivated by horror and compassion."It can get to a point where we're not just transitioning people, but maintaining them into being satiated by non-meat junk food," he said."I think a vegan option is still going to be a bit more healthier," said sales person Chris Boss, who said the bakery's recipes call for organic flours and sugar, and ingredients like coconut milk.Today's animal product-free diet goes beyond the stereotypical lentils and granola, with restaurants offering gourmet vegan dishes like watermelon salad with almond cheese and toasted pistachios, or zucchini flowers stuffed with macadamia ricotta."Usually it's with horror at how our factory farming works," said Annie Jubb, a vegan lifestyle consultant.Of course, the diet is not all haute cuisine there are also plenty of restaurants serving "comfort" vegan food, including tofu or mock meat that has been breaded and fried."In LA's hipster Silver Lake neighborhood, Donut Farm sells sugary, fried confections just like every other donut shop but their treats in trendy flavors like green tea and salted caramel are vegan.

"Eating soy burgers, soy bacon three times a day."According to a Harris Interactive study, between seven and eight million Americans identify as vegan, especially in the US epicenter of clean eating, California."But Jubb admits that not all vegans are healthy. McCully is a new convert to "mock meat" thanks to her girlfriend, and says that in just two months of adopting a vegan diet, she feels happier and "more energetic. Today, she said, "you can get a vegan pizza, a vegan taco I think this is great because a lot of people think vegans eat only celery and carrots. soy is not a health food."We are all about plants, right " said Engelhart with a smile."I like my junk food; I won't lie," the 54-year-old said.."The orthodox vegan, who counts Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio as one Two-color jacquard hairy pheasant hair faux fur fabric of her past clients, allows herself the occasional indulgence, ordering in a comfort food staple vegan mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy. "It is still junk food."We're in this business to provide people healthy, nourishing food," said Ryland Engelhart, co-owner of Cafe Gratitude, a California chain of "plant-based" restaurants serving dishes like faux chorizo sandwiches and chocolate-pollen smoothies