Do it the Vegan Way

Unless you have been living in a cave, on the top of a mountain, during snowstorms, you must be aware of the fact that veganism is becoming “the new black”.

TEXT: NELLY KALAMARA

We cannot hide from evolution, that is a fact. But there are ways to make the planet a safer home for all. At the time of speaking, 1 in 8 Britons choose to lead a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, and the number of strictly vegans in the UK has tripled in the past 5 years. During the last decade, the term “vegan” has become more and more present in our daily lives, starting with vegan dishes and menus appearing in our favorite joints and evolving into the openings of new 100% vegan restaurants and even vegan clothing and vegan cosmetic brands. Veganism is a strong contemporary trend, but it is not as recent as one might think, as vegans have been around for decades and most religions include “vegan periods” of worship; they might not be named “vegan” but the result is the same still. So, it seems ethical nutritional habits have been around much longer than the last 50 years. But let’s take things from the top.

DEFINITION OF VEGANISM

According to The Vegan Society, the vegan diet and practices were already formed by 1944, but it was as late as 1949 before Leslie J. Cross pointed out that the society lacked a definition of veganism. The society was first registered as a charity in August 1964, but its assets were later transferred to a new charity, when it also became a limited company in December 1979.

By winter 1988 a definition was in use – although the phrasing has changed slightly over the years – and remains so today.

So, veganism is defined as:

“A philosophy and 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; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals”.

WHAT DO VEGANS EAT?

There are multiple ways to embrace a vegan lifestyle, but in general all vegans share a plant-based diet which excludes all animal

goods, beginning with any kind of meat and fish of course, as well as shellfish, insects, dairy, eggs and honey. All of the above and the nutrition value derived from them can be easily replaced with fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, beans and legumes, but one should always look out for nutritional deficiencies, especially in Vitamin D, calcium, iron and B12. Things you should include in your diet are:

‣ Nuts and seeds which contain 15-20g protein per 100g.

‣ Beans and lentils which include about 10-20g protein per 100g.

‣ Soya products – tofu in particular – which includes about 8g of protein per 100g. Soya milk and soya yogurt are also rich protein sources.

‣ Calcium-fortified tofu, soya milk, breakfast cereals, orange juice.

‣ Products rich in iron such as beans, lentils, peas, tofu, nuts, raisins, dates, kale, broccoli, spinach, wholegrain rice.

COMMON VEGAN DIETS

There are many ways to embrace a vegan diet. These are the most commonly found around the world.

• WHOLE-FOOD Permits a wide variety of whole plant products, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

• RAW-FOOD It is based on raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds or plant foods cooked at temperatures below 48°C.

• FRUITARIAN A raw-food vegan diet that limits fat-rich plants, such as nuts and avocados, and relies mainly on raw fruits and soft greens instead.

• THE STARCH SOLUTION A low-fat, high carb vegan diet similar to the fruitarian but with cooked starches, e.g. potatoes, rice and corn instead of fruits.

• RAW TILL 4 A low-fat vegan diet combining the two above categories – raw food until 4pm and cooked plant-based meals from 4pm and afterwards.

• THE THRIVE DIET Plant-based, whole foods, raw or minimally cooked.

• JUNK-FOOD Υou can be a vegan who eats junk. This vegan diet is based on mock meats and cheeses, fries, and other processed vegan types of food.

5 STEPS TO VEGANISM

If you like the idea of a vegan lifestyle, but you think it’s hard to follow, here are some pros’ advice to make your transition a piece of (vegan) cake. Veganism doesn’t have to be a mystery. Make the transition to a plant-based diet easier and more accessible.

GO SLOW

‣ Like all changes in life, the decision to go vegan takes time to become an everyday reality. It does not matter if your best friend went vegan overnight, you can do it in your own way and at your own pace. Remember there is no right way to do it, so don’t be too harsh on yourself on the way; what matters is to get there eventually.

MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES

‣ Going vegan is no excuse to begin eating junk food or neglecting your health. Being vegan does not mean you suddenly become 100% healthy and immune to all, so you still need to follow a balanced and healthy vegan diet, providing you with all the vitamins and nutrients needed.

READ AND LEARN

‣ When choosing to make a different nutritional and lifestyle choice than the one you have always known, information and knowledge is vital, in order to do it right and to stay on track.

DON’T BE A LONER

‣ Apart from the numerous vegan societies worldwide, there are also social media groups and clubs where you can join up with people that have made the same choice. They can help you from the simplest of things, such as “where can I find vegan ice-cream?”, to the toughest ones, “my best friend makes fun of my decision to go vegan”.

EYES ON THE PRIZE

‣ It does not take long for one to get totally accustomed to veganism, but it does take some time. Do always keep in mind the reasons that urged you to make this choice and don’t give up. You will get there, if you really want to, don’t let small slip-ups discourage you.