Life As a Vegan
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A vegan lifestyle involves eating only plant-based ingredients. Not only are meat, fish and fowl avoided but so are ingredients that are animal-derived, including gelatin (gelatine), honey, dairy, eggs, whey, casein and rennet (a coagulating enzyme found in the stomach lining of young calfs and used to curdle milk in cheese-making). This philosophy also extends to clothing: vegans do not wear leather, silk or wool.
A vegetarian lifestyle is similar to that of a vegan’s, but unlike the latter, a vegetarian either consumes dairy or eggs, or both, in his/her daily menu.
Unless you have serious health issues and need to switch to vegan foods immediately, the best way to become a vegan is to do so gradually. If you approach it from the standpoint that the process is a journey, you will be more likely to stay the course long-term.
Easy Steps for Making the Transition
- Remain positive about your new vegan lifestyle by focusing only on those fruits and vegetables that you enjoy eating. (You gain nothing from worrying or constantly talking about the foods you don’t like.)
- Make friends with your spice cupboard. Incorporate spices along with herbs, aromatics (garlic, onion, shallots, etc.), wine or vegetable broth into the preparation of your meals. Chutneys, sambals and atjars also provide alternative flavour combinations.
- Prepare vegan versions of your favourite dishes. Toasted, ground pine nuts sprinkled on pizza offer the same complexity as cheese. Tempeh, seitan and tofu are fabulous stand-ins for meat, as are mushrooms and legumes (lentils and beans).
- Boost your energy level by snacking on heart-healthy, high-fat foods like avocado, peanut- or almond butter. (Don’t be alarmed by the term “high-fat” in this case. Avocadoes and nuts are high in monounsaturated fats and therefore beneficial to one’s health. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that the majority of your fat be unsaturated.)
- Stock up on B-12 vitamins. B-12 is essential for nerve development, brain function and metabolism. Since these vitamins are present only in animal-based foods such as fish, poultry and dairy products, it’s vital for vegans to take a daily B-12 supplement. The rest of the B vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Pryidoxine, and Folate/Folic acid) are all available in most fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts including tomatoes, avocadoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, winter squash, lima beans, artichokes, peas, carrots, asparagus, bananas, watermelon, kiwi, cantaloupe, strawberries, oranges, peanuts, sunflower seeds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.
- Train your taste buds and expand your cooking repertoire by sampling and experimenting with different types of cuisines. African, Asian, Indian, Mediterranean and Moroccan are just a few that offer an array of flavours to keep your daily menu interesting and varied.
- Embrace the vegan lifestyle and realize that you have succeeded in opening yourself to an abundance of ingredients, more than you could ever have imagined as a non-vegan.
Learn more at American Vegan Society and The Vegan Society
