10 Tips for Vegan Newbies

For all the confused vegan beginners, just starting on their green journey... it's not as difficult as it seems, to go vegan and stay that way. In this post I'll share some of the issues and myths I had to deal with, and how to overcome them.

1. Do your research: Let's start with the actual definition here, since a lot of people still ten to get veganism and vegetarianism confused. Veganism is the act of forgoing any animal based products, like meat, eggs, milk and the products thereof. Depending on how strict a vegan you intend on becoming, you may also want to cut out honey, since it is a product of a living organism. Vegetarianism, however, includes animal products like milk, eggs and honey, but forgoes any meat and fish.

There are varying degrees of vegetarianism, and a lot of people who find it difficult to jump straight into veganism tend to gradually cut out products until they are living completely animal-product free.

2. Start slowly: There's no need to jump head first into veganism, especially if you've never tried anything like this. Sometimes people manage it right off the bat, and for others it just takes a little longer. Personally, I found myself in the latter group. Although I was vegetarian for an extended period of time, I found it difficult to make the mental switch. But it gets easier, trust me. Start by cutting out the big things, like meat and fish. Then move onto cutting out eggs, then milk and the products thereof, like cheese and yogurt. If it takes a week, well done! If it takes a little longer, like a couple months or longer, no biggie. The point is that you've decided to try it.

3. Keep it simple: A lot of people confuse going vegan with going completely healthy. Yes, whilst it is easier to eat healthy on a vegan diet considering all the fruits, veggies and wholegrains you're about to consume, don't forget that things like bread and Oreos exist. Going vegan does not mean you have to abandon your sweet tooth. Nor does it mean you have to make things unnecessarily difficult for yourself. Finding a meat substitute you like, milk-substitutes and pre-made vegan meals goes a long way towards maintaining veganism, especially if you're not quite ready to tackle those cookbooks.

There's no reason why you can't find "veganised" versions of the foods you used to enjoy as you make the transition, and even after you've gone wholly "'green" as I like to consider it.

4. Check labels: You would be surprised how many seemingly innocuous contain whey powder or egg protein. If you intend on being strict vegan, it always pays to read the ingredient list that's provided. Similarly, when eating out, it helps to know what sort of fats your food is prepared with. It is still quite common to fry and cook foods in animal fats like butter and lard.

5. Get your B12: No underestimating the importance of this vitamin. Our bodies can't synthesise B12, which is why we need to get it from a dietary source. That means red meat, or in the case of vegans and vegetarians, supplements. It is also recommended to so on the regular, since like with a lot of other vitamins and minerals, our bodies don't store what we don't use.

Is it really that important? Well.... yes. B12 is used in various processes of the body, like DNA replication and red blood cell replication, the metabolism of fatty-acids and amino acids, as well as being vital to our nervous systems.

Lack of B12 is associated with increased anxiety and stress, depression, memory loss and cognitive impairment... the list goes on.

On the upside, it's easy enough to get enough B12 through supplementation. B-complex multivitamins should have a dose high enough to be efficient, just be sure to take it regularly enough to be effective.

6. PROTEIN: Get ready for this question. Where do you get your protein from? And then disregard it. As long as you're not living a lifestyle that is saturated by foods like fries and Oreos, and sticking to the daily recommended amount of fruits and veg, chances are that you're hitting your protein goals. Obviously if you're doing intense exercise, you're pregnant, breastfeeding etc then your protein requirements go up. For me, I like to take a protein shake based on a combination of vegan proteins, so hemp seed, pea protein isolate and rice protein powders would be a good example. I use Muscle Wellness' Super Vegan Protein. The taste and texture is different from whey protein, no doubt, but once you get used to the change, it's much of a muchness.

If protein powders are not your thing, no fear. Just make sure you're eating loads of foods like legumes - lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans - and veggies like spinach, kale and broccoli. Other sources of protein here would be nuts and seeds, almonds and pumpkin seeds have quite a high protein content,just remember that they are still fats. Wholegrains like oats and especially quinoa are known to have a great protein profile, not forgetting that foods like bread and milk-substitutes are often fortified with protein as well.

Basically, you'll be getting you're protein in, no stress.

7. Explaining to people: This one gets old pretty fast, especially when it's family and you have to explain for the twentieth time why mac' and cheese is off the table. (Not forever, there are some beautiful veganised mac' and cheese recipes, just check Pinterest). For me it was my gran, who simply couldn't understand why I was doing this to myself, and really, one bite wouldn't hurt. I'm South African and half Afrikaans, red meat and the consumption of animal products runs HEAVILY in our history. So, yeah, it makes sense why a lot pf people still don't want to give up their meat and cheese, it just means that a little patience is needed, as well as a way to make them understand WHY you're doing it. You're why comes in very handy here.

For the environment? For the health benefits? For the animals? Even if it's just a challenge that you've undertaken, find a way to explain to them that this is your choice. It helps to be well-researched here, so that when the questions start popping up, you know how to answer them.

Yes, you're getting enough protein. No, you're not going to die.

8. Messing up: Sh*t happens, I think we're all aware of this. Accidentally forget about your pledge to go vegan and grab dairy instead of that box of almond milk? No big, things happen. Don't let it throw you off course - speaking from experience here - just get back on track with the next decision. Messing up happens a lot at first, beating those cravings, ordering at restaurants, even eating out at friends or family seems fraught with complication. And that's fine, don't expect everything to be perfect just because you've willed it so... unless you're in possession of an iron will and the ability to reiterate why you simply can't/don't want to drink that cup of coffee with milk in.

Just take messing up in stride and move on.

9. Talk to someone in the know: Pitfalls of a new lifestyle comes with the perks of knowing that someone else has been here before. Reading blogs about how someone went vegan, having mates who are into the lifestyle or even just an online community, it helps to be connected with someone who knows the tips and tricks. Whether it's because you're not sure where to get that vegan cheese you're looking for, or because you're not sure what you're supposed to be eating, find someone who's been where you've been.

Better yet, speak to a professional in the field. I would very much advocate a dietitian or certified nutritionist who knows the ins and outs of the body, and what you're going to need in terms of nutrition.

Luckily, there are so many vegan blog, vlogs and podcasts, that finding someone you relate to should be easy.

If all else fails, there is always google.

10. Be ready for the side-effects: Some of these are fantastic, like a more vitalised body, clearer head, clearer skin, and a general sense of well-being. Other side-effects are more... difficult to deal with, For me, it was the bloating. Because diets high in meat and fats are often also low in fiber, our digestive systems- particularly the digestive flora, so the little microbes that live in your gut - have a harder time processing all this extra non-digestible fiber that you're suddenly ingesting because of the increase in your fruits, veggies and wholegrains. Don't get me wrong, this fiber is so good for you, it keeps you regular - so many bathrooms trips at first - and it substantially decreases your risk of developing colon cancer... BUT the bloating is real.

I will do a post about how to beat the bloat and gas (trust me, you're gonna want to do some research if you struggle like I did, but basically eat smaller portions, ease into the legumes and drink loads of water to keep that fiber moving through your system.

There you go, guys. I hope this was informative and helpful. If I have left out anything important, feel free to let me know.

I hope you all keep "going green", it's a great feeling.

Cheers,

Tasha

#vegan #vegantips #food #protein #B12 #health