I would say over the last 5, or so years, I have become more aware through peers and media of how eating a more plant-based diet was supposedly better for you rather than eating a typical omnivore (Western) diet. However, it wasn’t until 2019 after watching a Netflix documentary that my own outlook changed completely, for the better...
Why I love eating vegan food:
Becoming vegan has re-sparked my love for cooking and trying new recipes – I would say it has made me appreciate flavors more, as well as appreciating the goodness each meal holds. I base my diet on whole foods. Putting natural foods enhanced with plentiful vitamins and minerals into my body keeps me feeling great - energised and healthy.
Since cutting animal products out of my diet, I no longer get that groggy feeling after eating a dense meal. Whole foods are great to cook with too. Being able to cook from scratch ensures you know exactly what you are feeding your body to keep it functioning optimally and healthily. However, it’s safe to say that there are plenty of vegan alternatives in supermarkets nowadays to live a plant-based lifestyle whilst eating the plant alternatives to the omnivore diet!
Here are some of my favourite meal day plan for inspiration:
Breakfast: Porridge with Banana & Berries
Snack: PB & Date Brownies
Lunch: Red Lentil Soup with Sourdough Bread
Dinner: Chickpea & Lentil Curry
A great book I would recommend is SUPERLIFE by Darin Olien. This book explores the five life forces which hold the key to our optimal health. It includes simple fixes and guides, along with recipes, to enable each individual to live their best life. It is great for everyone, beginners and life-long vegans included.
Becoming vegan has also led me to be more aware of the environment, and how we treat our planet, Earth. It has also enabled me to be more aware of GMOs, pesticides, and the artificial chemicals used in the food industry today – this has led to me becoming aware of the benefits to our health, and the environment, of shopping locally and organically.
Debunking common misconceptions about becoming a vegan:
A common misconception of becoming vegan is that it means you are restricting yourself completely from ‘treats’ or ‘tasty food’. But with a little bit of research, or spending some time experimenting with recipes, you can create a new and healthy relationship with food and look forward to your meals every day!
It has opened my eyes to the importance of plant-based variety in one's diet - how each individual fruit, vegetable, pulse, and spice provides essential nutrients. There are so many superfoods out there, even yet to be discovered, enough for every one of us to find our own variety which tastes great - all it needs is an open mind and a little exploration!
It is important to remember that each little thing we do contributes. You don’t have to become vegan full-time. Just eating plant-based a couple of days a week will benefit our environment, our wildlife, and our health!
Libbie
@libeatsvegan
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