The Vegan Lifestyle - things to consider
Protein power
The very first question anyone will ask is ‘where do you get your protein?’
It’s an important one have an answer to and also to understand.
Protein gives our bodies structure as part of our muscles and bones. It is also used for fighting infection, carrying oxygen, growth and repair.
It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein. Nearly all vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seedscontain some, and often much, protein. In terms of supplementation I don’t regularly take anything specific but I do have some protein powders and a liquid iron that I will add to smoothies if I feel the need to or am doing a lot of exercise or just need a boost.
A key thing to remember is that you must balance your meals. I will speak about it in more detail but initially I simply subtracted the meat from my diet and existed off a lot of pasta and sweet potato fries and didn’t feel great. Learning how to integrate keysources of vegan protein such as beans, pulses, nuts and tofu made the world of difference but it took a bit of time and experimentation. Interestingly gram for gram lentils contain more protein than beef, but they are quite bland and need a little prep to make them delicious.. All will be revealed!
I integrate a lot of superfoods into my cooking say for example using raw cacao - which is a great source or iron and magnesium - not solely for taste but also for nutritional benefits as well.
I get my bloods tested regularly by my GP which I would advice anyone who wants some reassurance to do the same and also track their results.
Shop smart
Think of your cupboard staples
The great thing about a vegan diet is that, bar your fruit and vegetables, it comprises of a lot of cupboard staples which can bebulk purchased.
About every six weeks or so I stock up the pantry with tinned and dried beans, olive oil, coconut milk, nuts, flour, oats, grains, rice, tinned tomatoes and spices which form the backbone of the food I eat.
There are a few slightly more niche items that elevate your cooking. You can now buy most of these in supermarkets, in response to how we are all changing our diets, but if not these are my health food store essentials -
Apple Cider Vinegar - this has a live fermented culture in it and is considered to be highly beneficial. It also has an incredibly sharp tang which I love and use in dressings.
Ensure it has ‘the mother’ on the bottle and it will look cloudy at the base.
Chia and flax seeds - have countless benefits and minerals and are also an incredible binder egg substitute in baking recipies.
Nutritional Yeast - this resembles fish food flakes but don’t underestimate it. This
adds that kind of cheesy flavour to sauces, soups and casseroles, stirfries and is a vegan addiction. There are two varieties - ensure you get the one fortified with vitamin B12.
Miso Paste - is a fermented soy bean paste that gives a fabulous umami taste to dishes and sauces.
Raw Cacao - not to be confused with cocoa powder, raw cacao is actually very bitter, and is unprocessed. It has a high nutritional content containing Iron, magnesium, calcium as well as a very high dose of antioxidants.
Coconut oil - is used both for cooking and often in raw desserts as it has a similar consistency to butter whereby it solidifies at room temperatures. When melted it blends easily but when allowed to set, as well as adding healthy fats and anti fungal properties, it helps mantain firmness in desserts and chocolates.
If you have a local Asia market near you it’s a great place to stock up on spices, rice, tofu and miso pastes, often very reasonably.
I tend to do a light shop twice a week for fruit and vegetables often go for what’s on offer and in season and build my mealsaround that.
GOING LOCAL
I always advise people to look for offers on nuts and grains in supermarkets and also to build a relationship with a local health food store. Whilst they might not have things like nutritional yeast, or even a nut milk bag in store, they can easily order them in. During times of testing when I need large quantities of something, say for example six tins of coconut milk during a yogurt experimentation phase, I will ask for a discount and often find them very obliging.
Also if you are ordering online ensure you are signed up to any loyalty schemes which may be of benefit also.
Have fun
Veganism by definition is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. That’s a large and very powerful sentence and it’s really important that you personally look at is and see what level of it feels right to you. There are support and also pressure groups online and while both serve a purpose, this is your journey and you are in the driving seat.
Whether it’s a meat free Monday, or an occasional dairy-free latte, it’s your choice entirely.
I advise people to wait for a few months before announcing to anyone beyond immediate friends and family, that they’re making changes to their lifestyle, as you need to see how you feel and what changes you want to make before being questioned. It’s your journey and most importantly there are no rules, and there is no one standing over you.
For me it was a smoothie in a vegan restaurant that was like a taste sensation I had never thought possible, and an intense curiosity that led me here. Find your own path and enjoy every meal along the way.
Watch a Few Documentaries
There are loads of great documentaries on Netflix and Youtube now. There’s no doubt things will be challenging as eating meat, fish and dairy are very ingrained in our way of life but understanding the difference you are making by adopting a vegan diet is very rewarding.
For me, watching Earthlings, Forks Over Knives, game Changers and Cowspiracy (which is produced by eco warrior Leonardo Dicaprio) changed my mindset entirely. I hadn’t made a connection between what I was eating and the conditions, and sadly death, that was a requisite step to get the meat to my table.
Whilst I know there are some incredible producers who genuinely care and respect their animals, I find it hard to comprehend how people eat things such as foie gras, battery eggs or veal which are openly known to be associated with cruelty.
A good-to-know fact also is that by going plant-based, you save 1,100 gallons of water, 30sq ft of forested land, 20lbs CO2 equivalent and one animals life every single day (via https://thevegancalculator. com )
Beyond the Plate
When I transitioned to a plant based diet I made the immediate connection between what I was eating and where it came from but cosmetics was a little slower. It was very upsetting to realise that some of my ‘favourite’ products were from companies that globally contributed to something horrific for the sake of commerce.
The cosmetics industry is a multi-billion dollar one where vast sums of money are paid to models, photographers, stylists, editors and influencers to name a few, to glamorise the products and advertise them appealingly to us. One area no company publicises is the fact that they test on animals.
According to the Humane Society International it is estimated that approximately 100,000-200,000 animals suffer and die just for cosmetics every year around the world.
For an extensive and up to date list of companies that do test on animals see this link >here<
This is one of the ugliest aspects of the ‘beauty’ industry. We have the technology to test things with alternate methods. We all have access to information online and I feel we should use it and be aware what companies that we buy products from are doing.