A Quick Guide to Veganism
A little over a decade ago, veganism was relatively unheard of. Sure, it was still around, but on a very small scale.
These days when dining out, you’ll find more vegan-friendly dining options than ever before. There are even vegan cafes, bars, and restaurants which specialize in vegan food and drink.
But what exactly is veganism, and how does one go about adhering to a vegan lifestyle after eating meat and animal-derived ingredients for so long? Well, that’s what we’re going to be finding out today.
Below you will find a quick, yet detailed guide on veganism and cruelty free lifestyles.
What is veganism?
Put very simply, veganism is a lifestyle in which an individual, pledges to not consume any food, drink, or ingredients which have been derived from animals or that happen to contain ingredients derived from animals.
Some people simply follow vegan diets, whereas others take things a step further and find themselves not using products which have been created via the exploitation of any living beings.
Why choose to be vegan?
People choose to be vegan for all manner of different reasons.
Some people do so for ethical reasons, others do it for environmental reasons, and others a combination of both.
In truth, people choose to consume vegan foods and use vegan products for a whole host of different reasons.
Vegan diet tips
If you decide that you want to switch to a vegan diet, here are some handy tips to follow.
Ease your way in slowly – First and foremost, one of the most important things to remember when switching to veganism is to transition slowly. Instead of going from eating meat, fish, eggs, and dairy to a straight plant-based diet, why not first ease your way in by going vegetarian and then slowly phasing out eggs and dairy?
Choose the right products – When you decide to turn vegan, you need to make sure that you buy the right products. Vegan cheese for example, makes countless tasty and delicious meals, so be sure to find a vegan supermarket that stocks plenty. You should also go with healthy and nutritious ingredients because health is still very important when going plant-based.
Brush up on vegan substitutes – Let’s face it, following a vegan diet can be tricky at first because so many products derived from animals are used in everyday essentials that we don’t even realize. Butter, milk, and eggs for example, are used in many products but are off limits for vegans. To make life easier, find out which products you can substitute them with when following a vegan diet. We won’t list them here because we don’t have the time but do your research online and you’ll certainly be glad that you did.
Read the food labels – When out and about, before purchasing items from the stores, be sure to read the food labels and see what each product contains. Some products which you may assume are vegan-friendly for example, could contain hidden ingredients which are not permitted on the diet. Once you get into the habit of reading the labels it will come as second nature.
