Why try veganism

It’s impossible to ignore the ever-growing popularity of veganism/a plant-based life style. Whether it’s something you’ve tried or are considering trying, there’s so much that we can learn and benefit from when taking on or even just trying veganism. Whether it’s educating yourself on the environmental benefits of veganism, or just creating a vegan version of your favourite (generally un-vegan) meal, there are loads of ways to encourage yourself to make a little change.

Whilst there are so many vegan activists who claim that everyone must become vegan overnight, and whilst to some extent I do think that plant-based living is the way forward, there is no denying that a little change can go a long way. Eating plant-based a couple of days each week for example, or switching to dairy free alternatives in your home,  if every person were to do just one of those things, the effects would be astronomical!

Anyway, if you’re here because you’re intrigued about veganism and want to know why it might be good to give it a go, then you’ve come to the right place. I know that everyone will be coming to this post for different reasons, and there are many different reasons to give veganism ago. I thought I’d include some of the reasons that made me give it a go (nearly 2 years ago now!), as well as some general reasons that seem obvious, but that might just be the

1. You don’t have to commit to it forever. There is no pressure or no contract that says once you agree to try veganism, you must live a vegan life forever. It could be a couple of days, a few weeks or even a month. I think when you tell yourself you must do something for a certain amount of time it automatically puts you in defence mode and you see it as a restriction. Seeing it as a chore or a restriction might make you resent it as opposed to genuinely trying it because you want to, not because you have to. Mind-set is everything!
2. What will you lose from doing it? Even if you try a vegan diet and you realise it isn’t for you, what have you lost… maybe a few meals weren’t to your taste or you missed something from your diet too much, what’s a few meals out of the thousands of meals we eat in our life times!
3. It’s so easy with the alternatives. The amount of dairy free and meat free alternatives that are coming onto our shelves right now is absolutely crazy, so many more than when myself and Fenella started our journey. The vegan versions are multiplying day after day and it really is so exciting to see huge brands recognising vegan-ising and introducing vegan options onto their lines. This makes trying veganism that bit easier, because whilst there is a stereotype that vegans just eat vegetables and rice, it really isn’t the case at all. It would be so easy to take something that is generally full of animal products, and with the help of vegan alternatives, make it totally animal product free. This is a really fun way of realising that veganism doesn’t have to be boring and plain, or even particularly different from a non-vegan diet! So even if one of your main reasons against not trying veganism is because you “love chocolate too much” or “can’t go without cheesy garlic bread”… these favourite items are just as easy to buy as the regular ones, just in different isles in the supermarkets… encourage the brands to keep making the alternatives, increase the demand for them and give the vegan alternatives a go!
4. You might fall in love with it. Whether you fall in love with the money-saving aspect, the community aspect, the taste aspect or just the way it makes you feel inside…the possibilities of the benefits veganism might have on you are endless. The reason you try veganism might end up being totally different to the reason that could stop you from ever going back to a non-vegan diet, but how will you know until you try it?
5. Even if you try it and it isn’t for you, you might carry on with a few things you tried. Whilst after giving it a good attempt, you realise that taking on a whole plant-based diet or vegan life-style might not be for you (something which is totally allowed by the way, it isn’t for everyone), you might carry on with some parts of what you tried, such as dairy free milk and butter, or using Quorn mince rather than beef mince. This is still a great achievement and still proves that you learnt and benefited from the experience, whether the influence was big or small…making it totally worthwhile.
6. Your efforts, big or small, make a difference. Even if you try veganism for a week, it’s still a commendable achievement. Similar to what I said earlier, but imagine if everyone in the world tried veganism for a week? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with giving something your all but deciding it doesn’t suit you, your efforts will still have a positive influence on the vegan movement.
7. You might encourage others. By trying veganism and socialising with people, or going to work and refusing a cream cake and explaining why, you educate and raise awareness to other people. Whilst you might eventually decide not to carry on with veganism, you might have encouraged someone you know to give it a go, who might be totally suited to veganism. Just by trying it for a week and speaking to others about what you are doing, might be the catalyst for several peoples conversions to a different diet…how amazing!
8. You will educate and test yourself. I will admit that veganism requires a bit more effort, education and preparation, whether that’s planning meals, educating yourself on certain additives that aren’t vegan or just chopping a few more veggies, it’s a great way to learn and try new recipes and ways of cooking. It can all be a learning process and a bit of fun, maybe you’re a cereal baker and you decide to make a vegan pavlova…without egg?! It’s so exciting to find different ways to make foods that it’s assumed cannot be made without animal products…maybe you yourself will come up with a new vegan recipe that you can share with others.

I could go on and on and on about the reasons to give it a go, but I’ve not been to the gym for a few days now and if I don’t go soon, I never will! I hope that you found this informative and even better…potentially encouraging? Let me know if you have tried veganism, or if after reading this you are going to give it a go…I’d love to know!

Until next time,

Megan

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