Veganism has been around for ages, and millions of people all over the world practice this form of diet. More recently, the number of vegan snacks consumers has significantly increased over the last couple of years. In 2019, the percentage of vegans in the US alone rose to 6%, six times more than in 2014. The statistics prove that veganism is not just another diet fad that will fizzle out after a while.
Vegans will be the first to tell you that veganism is just a dietary choice, but rather it is a lifestyle that resolves to exclude all forms of animal products as a way to boycott animal exploitation and cruelty. It includes not consuming any meat and by-products of animals such as milk, cheese, eggs, and honey. Veganism also goes against the use of materials sourced from animals such as fur and leather.
If you are keen on going on a vegan diet but have no idea where or how to begin your journey to veganism, here are some tips to help you start.
1. Know why you’re doing making the switch
It must be clear to you why you are going on this vegan journey, otherwise, it will not make much sense to you in the long run. Are you doing it for health reasons or are you doing it out of compassion for animals? Regardless of your intention, it should be something that reflects your values. Not having a clear purpose might make you lose your motivation for sticking to your new plant-based diet.
2. Do your research
Once you have decided to go on a plant-based diet, the next step is to do your research. There are tons of resources online for veganism that you can make use of. The first thing to know is what kinds of foods you should be eating and their proportion. The vegan food pyramid will guide you on what you should eat and how much of it should you consume.
Another thing to look into are the local stores and restaurants in your area that are vegan-friendly, as these will greatly help you in your vegan journey. Research vegan recipes online, as well, and prepare to make them on your own if needed. In addition, it will be necessary for you to learn about the different food substitutes that you can use as you make your vegan dishes.
Lastly, you should also start learning how to read food labels. While some food products would indicate in their packaging that the food is vegan-friendly, a large number of products in the grocery don’t, so you would have to be extra careful when buying food products that you think are vegan. You might be surprised to know that there are chips, beer, and orange juice brands that make use of animal products so it is important to read the label carefully.
3. Go at your own pace
Some people decided that they’d take the jump to veganism overnight, while some prefer to do things gradually. It is up to you to decide how you would start.
Slowly transitioning to a plant-based diet can start with eliminating all meat products in the first week (or month, it’s up to you), followed by foregoing dairy and eggs for the next week. You can also try doing a 30-day vegan challenge, wherein you’ll get to see how things will go for the first month and decide from there. How slow or fast you set your pace is completely up to you. Going at a pace that you are most comfortable increases your chance of sticking to it in the long run.
4. Embrace the change
For the first few weeks or months of going vegan, you will notice that your body will function differently. You might experience headaches and your energy levels might fluctuate within the day. These are all normal and these will eventually pass. Allow yourself to go on a detox phase, especially if you’ve been a meat-eater for all your life. It is also important to go easy on yourself as you adjust to your new lifestyle.
5. Load up on snacks
As your body transitions from meat-based to plant-based, your metabolism will also have to adjust to the new norm. Since plant-based dishes generally have fewer calories than meat dishes, you might feel hungry more often. Thankfully, there are several vegan-friendly snacks that you can choose from to help fill you up. Nuts and fruits are great healthy vegan snacks you can munch on in between meals.
And you don’t even have to skip dessert. Yes, you can still have sweets even on a vegan diet. Dark chocolate, such as the Gustii Dark Swiss Prebiotic bars, is a vegan keto snacks that you can try.
Deciding to go vegan is definitely a personal matter, and not to mention a huge lifestyle change. Arm yourself with the right information to make your transition to veganism a more pleasant experience.
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