Going Vegan
Going vegan means changing the food you eat to ensure that you consume no animal products at all. Some people find this a bit daunting, but don’t be put off.
First of all, read all you can on the reasons why people go vegan. The reasons why eating meat and by products harms animals, damages the environment and causes human starvation. Once you have this knowledge, you can think back to why you are making this change if you are finding the change difficult.
Next look at the Vegan Society website and see how it is possible to get all the nutrients your body needs from plant sources. Lots of people think that going vegan will deny themselves of nutrients and things which they enjoy, not so. In fact, veganism is really good for your health and can prevent cancer and other modern killers. Vegans are half as likely to die from cancer as the average, meat eating person.
Find out what is not vegan, so you know what to look out for. The following foods are not vegan. Meat of any type, fish and shellfish, prawns, crabs, poultry, gelatine, eggs, milk, yogurt, honey, cheese, butter, cream, goats’ milk, goats’ cheese, sheep milk or cheese, cochineal, shellac, lactose, casein, caseinates, lactates, lactic acid, whey, propolis, royal jelly and rennet. For a comprehensive list see www.vegansociety.com/html/food/criteria.htm Sometimes it’s easier to cook for yourself from scratch, or eat products labeled vegan so you don’t have to read so many labels.
Ok eating! Get a vegan cook book and try what interests you most. Most people find going from a meat eating diet to a vegan one suddenly difficult. We suggest that you first substitute your normal meat ingredients with vegan alternatives. Go to any good health food store and you can buy vegan mince, fake bacon, vegan mayonnaise, plant yogurt, dairy free chocolate (you can get this in most shops in fact), vegan margarine and soya milk. There are also vegan sausages, burgers, fake meat slices and pates. You may not want to eat lots of meat substitutes long term, but it can make the first steps easier.
"Spiritual progress does
demand at some stage
that we should cease to
kill our fellow creatures
for the satisfaction of
our bodily wants."
--Mahatma Gandhi
Many people think that they can’t go vegan because they don’t like soya milk. There are many different ones to try, some which taste more like dairy than others, if you don’t like one try some others. There are other plant milks too, such as rice milk, almond milk and oat milk. Plant milks tend to come in sweetened and unsweetened versions, so experiment with these. Plant based milks can be used in the same way as dairy milk, on cereal, in white sauce, in tea and coffee etc. If it begins to seem like too much of a challenge, think over all the reasons why you decided to go vegan and the effects of a meat-eating diet on animals. This should put you right back on track.
Don’t feel like you have to deprive yourself, in fact treat yourself because no the food you eat has no face. Pig out on vegan ice-cream, soya cream, vegan chocolate bars, gelatine free sweets, flapjacks and home made vegan goodies.
If you know anyone else who is vegan meet up with them and talk about any problems you are having. They may know of new places to go out to eat with exciting vegan food or could suggest a helpful health food shop. Have a look and see if there is a vegan fayre on soon and pick up some tips and ideas. If you don’t know other vegans get in touch with us and we can try and answer your questions. merseysideanimalrights@riseup.net
There are lots of everyday vegan foods such as chips (fried in vegetable oil), beans on toast, hummous sandwiches, crisps, salads, vegetable pasties, fruit, vegetable spring rolls, vegetable somosas etc. When eating out, it is often best to contact the restaurant before you go to ensure that they can cook something which you can eat. Indian restaurants and Chinese take-aways which do bean curd are often easy places for vegan meals. Another alternative is to search for a restaurant or health food store near you on the Happy Cow website.
Vegan cheese- there are some lovely vegan cheeses, but don’t be put off the whole idea of veganism if you don’t like them. I think it helps not to associate vegan cheese with dairy cheeses, think of it as something you would use in the place of cheese. If you want a cheesy taste, try Engevita nutritional yeast in white sauce or buy Free & Easy Gluten Free Cheese Flavour Sauce Mix. Top lasagna with mixed seeds instead of cheese and make pizza without cheese at all, or with vegan cheese mixed into the tomato paste on the base.
When eating at other people’s houses it’s polite to let them know what you eat before you arrive. Don’t be afraid to offer to bring something vegan with you. At work and in social situations its sometimes easier if you offer to bring birthday cakes and other treats, so you can be sure what you’re getting is vegan.
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up or eat something accidentally. We all make mistakes and manufactures don’t help by changing ingredients without making it obvious. If you make a mistake, think about how bad it would be to go back to eating animals and keep trying.
Good luck and thanks!