How To Transition To A Vegan Lifestyle

In simple words, veganism is a stricter form of vegetarianism because it avoids consuming or using any products or byproducts of animal origin. Its official definition by Vegan Society is that it is “a way of living, which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of and cruelty to animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose.” We have described in detail How To Transition To A Vegan Lifestyle. Therefore, besides not eating meat, vegans avoid any products that were tested on animals, as well as silk, honey, leather, wool, and many other products.

How To Transition To A Vegan Lifestyle

1. Benefits Of A Vegan Lifestyle

Scientific research has shown the vegan diets may offer several health benefits.

More precisely, plant-based diets have been shown to offer a number of cardiovascular health benefits such as lower cholesterol levels, improved blood pressure, better blood sugar control, and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation. A vegan diet can help lower levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. In a nutshell, plant-based diets, when done right, decrease your risks of major diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and even some types of cancer.

But, it’s important to note that following a plant-based diet in itself does not guarantee good health. Its health benefits don’t come from vegan ‘junk’ or processed foods, and a balanced diet that meets all of their nutritional requirements needs to be accompanied by regular exercise, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sunlight exposure. You can also know The Many Benefits of Healthy Food – Which Foods are Best for You! This will help you to make your lifestyle healthy and maintain your body physically and mentally fit.

2. Tips On Transitioning To A Meat-Free Lifestyle

This transition can be a wonderful adventure where you can discover many more awesome foods without having to let go of your old favorites immediately. The good news is that there is a  vegan version for literally any meat dish.

It’s all about the mindset
Think of ‘replacing’ instead of ‘restricting’ yourself to make the transition easier. For example, if you crave spicy chicken wings, make spice and crispy cauliflowers in your air fryer. Veganize your favorite meals to make the transition less painful. Educate yourself, watch YouTube tutorials and read books on veganism.

Challenge yourself
Collect plant-based recipes you like and challenge yourself to commit to a plant-based diet for 3 weeks. You will explore new flavors and get to experience the benefits of a plant-based diet. If three weeks is too much, just start by introducing Meatless Mondays or drinking a smoothie every morning. It’s super important to go at your own pace.

Going Cold Tofurky
If you’ve seen the truth and horror of animal agriculture, you probably feel sick of animal products altogether. By taking all those non-vegan products out of your kitchen, you will be less tempted.

Start with the easy stuff
Don’t make it too complicated straight away as you will risk losing your motivation. Make sure your meals are tasty. Enjoy a vegan burger or chocolate ice cream.

3. Vegan Cooking Tips

Vegan cooking is remarkably easy to learn. It will save you piles of cash while benefiting your health as you’ll eat fresher and tastier meals made with higher-quality ingredients.

Meal planning
Meal planning will help in saving a lot of time and money. You can also plan a meal around your ingredients. You’ll be surprised what you can do with just a few ingredients like rice, beans, dips, fresh fruit, and chopped veggies.

Also Read: The importance of healthy and regular meal times

Get the right tools
Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle requires giving your kitchen a new outfit. Smart products like air fryers or instant pots will reduce your cooking time, help you make delicious meals easily and can help you save energy and therefore, lower your utility bill. If you decide to cook yourself as eating out will be more expensive (and increase the risk of temptation), you will likely experience higher energy bills so to reduce costs make you’re your kitchen is energy efficient and that you have a cheap electricity rate.

Get quality ingredients
Savvy chefs take their grocery shopping as seriously as their cooking. The quality of your vegan meals will depend on the quality of the ingredients. Your local farmer’s market is the place to get your groceries.

Don’t forget about herbs and spices
Just a few of these can make any meal taste great. For example, Italian cooking is loaded with herbs. Indian cuisines are stronger due to spices. These concentrated flavors are what turn wholesome foods into delicious meals.

Takeaway

Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle is going to be a new chapter for you. Remember, it’s not about perfection but taking the little steps until they’ve become natural and require no effort at all anymore. As your cooking skills develop, you may also grow to love the meditative time spent in the kitchen which also contributed to the mindfulness aspect of veganism that helps us reconnect with nature.