Tips For Staying Vegan

Different approaches 

I have found that there are varying opinions about how we tackle things generally. Thus it's refreshing to hear someone else's take on 'how to do it well' with regards to a topic, which is very close to my heart - being vegan!

So here's some tips, courtesy of Rebecca.

Be consistent to help you stay vegan

If you have decided to become a vegan, you may at times find that you have trouble sticking to your eating plan. With so many non-vegan options tempting you, it can be hard to stay focused and on track. However, as with any 'diet', the most effective way to see results is by being consistent. By following these simple guidelines for staying vegan, you might find that you have an easier time staying healthy.

Make 'feel good' vegan meals

One of the best ways to stay vegan is to ensure that you make the best food choices that you can. If your meals feel like “diet food,” you will be tempted to stray from it and eat something easily, which seems more indulgent.

Try searching for 'delicious vegan recipes' and look for healthy foods that can be bought in stores, so that meal times are enjoyable. It can be especially hard to have the right food available when eating at family get-togethers, or while on the road. If you have to stop for snacks somewhere, remember that there are often meat and animal product - free products, such as, nuts and nutrition bars available, as well as fresh fruit. At family gatherings, you may want to consider bringing along a vegan dish to share.

Know the health benefits of going plant-based

Be sure to become knowledgeable about the health benefits of staying vegan. You may find yourself up against criticism from others who follow mainstream diets, and this can really make it easy to slip back into old habits. Be sure to have information to hand about where to get healthy nutrients like protein and calcium, so that you can nip inaccurate, negative conversations in the bud.

Be kind to yourself

Finally, if you do make a mistake, do not beat yourself up over it. Gently remind yourself about why you made the choice in the first place, whether it is for environmental reasons, health reasons, or humane reasons, remember, you are only human, and you can always strive to do a better job next time. Staying vegan can certainly be hard, but the health and moral benefits are endless.

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“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
- J.K. Rowling

Can you eat a healthy plant-based diet whilst on a budget?

This video has a few comedy moments in it! Aside from those there are some huge positive, creative and realistic points to take away from it. It's 8 minutes long and the content shows us how we can eat really well without spending lots of money.

 “Every action has its pleasures and its price.” Socrates

Conclusion: The effects of soya on health and the environment

This post is the final part of a four part series of posts. You can find the introduction (part one) here, part two here and part three here. I've been asked many questions about soya and I've heard contradictory opinions too, so I asked Sagar Kirit Shah to write an article it. Here's his conclusion.

Conclusion - the effects of soya on health and the environment

In summary, my view is that soya not a health risk, but is certainly not a health panacea and is by no means necessary for good health on a vegan diet.

Buying power

I also believe it is relatively straight forward to avoid some of the adverse environmental effects by purchasing soya products made with non-GM beans from plantations not associated with rainforest destruction.

Lightly processed vs highly processed

I believe there is nothing wrong with enjoying the taste and convenience of soya products as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Just try and remember it is much better to go for lightly processed, whole bean, products (e.g. whole bean soya milk, tofu, tempeh, natto, miso, edamame) than for products which are highly processed (e.g. meat analogues made using texturised soya protein, soya alternatives to single cream and soya ice cream).

Previous articles in this series

Part 1 - Should we consume soya or not?

Part 2 - Does soya consumption have a negative impact on health?

Part 3 - Is soya good for the environment?

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“I've been vegan for about 10 and a half years. It's been all good. I'm obviously much healthier.”
- Woody Harrelson

How does soya effect the environment?

This post is part three of a four part series. You can find the introduction (part one) here and part two here. After hearing many different comments about soya so I asked Sagar Kirit Shah to write an article about the pros and conns of soya.

So over to Sagar Kirit Shah.

The concerns about soya production

With soya beans linked to the GM industry and deforestation, it is not surprising that many are concerned about the environmental effects of the soya bean.

What we need to know about soya produce

When thinking about the environmental consequences of soya production, it is important to bear some things in mind.

First, a vast majority of the world’s soya beans are grown to produce high-protein animal feed, and not to feed humans directly.

Since animals foods are inefficient (in terms of use of inputs such as land and water) compared to plant foods, humans substituting plant foods for animal foods (including milk) is beneficial for the environment.

Second, soya is one of the most efficient plant foods when it comes to land and water use. One square metre of land can produce 40gm of soya protein, compared 29gm of rice protein, 24gm of maize protein, 22gm of protein of other legumes and 15gm of wheat protein. This means that if soya were to be replaced with other crops, it is likely that amount of arable land required to support the human population (and its consumption patterns) would actually go up, increasing pressure to cut down rainforests.

Third, living in the UK, we have considerable choice when it comes to the soya products we choose – and we also benefit from legal protections when it comes to genetically modified foods. It is relatively easy to obtain non-GM soya products (soya milk, tofu) made using soya beans from sustainable plantations.

This means we can choose to eat/use soya products which don’t destroy rainforests.

Conclusion - does soya have a negative impact on the environment?

Taken together, I think these three points mean that it is possible for green-leaning individuals to consume soya without feeling guilty about the impact their food choices have on the environment.

Final part - Conclusion: The effects of soya on health and the environment

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"Forests … are in fact the world’s air-conditioning system—the very lungs of the planet—and help to store the largest body of freshwater on the planet … essential to produce food for our planet’s growing population. The rainforests of the world also provide the livelihoods of more than a billion of the poorest people on this Earth… In simple terms, the rainforests, which encircle the world, are our very life-support system—and we are on the verge of switching it off."
- Prince Charles

How do I tell others what I will and won't eat when I'm travelling?

I heard about this amazing book via a Yahoo group called Jain Vegans. It's amazing!

It's called the Vegan Passport.

It's a great pocket sized book that's great to travel with.

It explains what vegans will/won't eat in 73 languages.

It's simple, to the point and extremely clear.

Definitely worth buying! :)

The Vegan Passport

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“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
- Lao Tzu

Snippets from different speakers who share their reasons for advocating a vegan diet

In a previous post I mentioned that I like hearing why people make a shift towards a vegan diet or lifestyle. This is because the reasons tend to vary so much. The footage below shows summaries from a range of people who share why they made the shift to a vegan diet.

Can you think of any other reasons to go vegan?

More about this film...

The entire film lasts 30 minutes. It explores the benefits of being vegan. Some of these are: -

• an exciting lifestyle

• eating delicious food

• consuming healthy food

• tackling the ethics behind making this shift

• global challenges that we face now and in the future.

It was produced by The Vegan Society.

Will you make the connection and become part of the solution?

Here, you can find out what made me transform my diet from one which included meat, to a vegetarian one, which was followed by a shift to a vegan diet.

"I just could not stand the idea of eating meat - I really do think that it has made me calmer.... People's general awareness is getting much better, even down to buying a pint of milk: the fact that the calves are actually killed so that the milk doesn't go to them but to us cannot really be right, and if you have seen a cow in a state of extreme distress because it cannot understand why its calf isn't by, it can make you think a lot." Kate Bush

Proof that vegans can eat a WIDE range of interesting foods in MANY cuisines

I've heard people talk about the commonly held belief that vegetarians have a boring diet. I've heard them say that the mainstream view is, vegetarian meals are based on rice and chick peas. I've even read posts about it! I'm not sure why, but I haven't been part of such a conversation before, so I only know of it happening through others. Now, you can imagine the thoughts that arise about a vegan diet! When I've told people that I follow a vegan diet, I've often been asked 'What can you eat?' and I must admit; I've been pants at answering that, because I was so astonished that they thought I was so limited in what I can eat. I love food and if I had to eat the same things over and over again, I would not be very happy! This video says it better than I could, so have a watch. :) If you're up for it, keep these questions in mind as you watch the video.

1. Do vegans deny themselves pleasurable experiences when eating?

2. Can vegans only eat a few cuisines?

3. Would vegetarians or meat eaters ever find vegan food interesting?

The Head Chef of Saf briefly discusses his transformation to adopting a plant-based diet overnight. He mentions the benefits and says that he'd never go back!

More about this film...

The entire film lasts 30 minutes. It explores the benefits of being vegan. Some of these are: -

• an exciting lifestyle

• eating delicious food

• consuming healthy food

• tackling the ethics behind making this shift

• global challenges that we face now and in the future.

It was produced by The Vegan Society.

Will you make the connection and become part of the solution?

"I've found without question that the best way to lead others to a more plant-based diet is by example - to lead with your fork, not your mouth." Bernie Wilke

What about Calcium Absorption?

Sometimes there is no need for words :) This chart says it all.

Calcium

"The human body has no more need for cows' milk than it does for dogs' milk, horses' milk, or giraffes' milk." Michael Klaper