I went vegan for week and it planted a seed
emily.selleck@news.com.au starts at 4am, and for the first time ever I was in such a deep slumber I slept through my alarms and had to get ready at lightning speed (lucky I was sans makeup this week).
Although the nuts and fruits filled me up more than a piece of toast, I felt lethargic at work and sluggish when I went for a run after work that afternoon. If veganism was a religion, Gold Coaster Ellie Bullen would be one of its disciples. She founded the foodie blog Elsa’s Wholesome Life and became an Instagram star in the process.
She explained I needed to incorporate plant-based proteins such as tofu, lentils, chickpeas and beans in order to get my energy levels up.
“People think being vegan is boring or bland, but it can be really exciting,” Ellie said.
“What is publicised is so incorrect. You don’t see ads for broccoli, you see ads for pork. People are eating enough meat as it is and only five per cent are eating enough veggies.”
Before this week, my cooking repertoire comprised spaghetti bolognaise and scrambled eggs. So you can imagine the disaster that ensued when I went off-recipe and my vege-potato bake plans went out the window, or into the rubbish bin.
I heeded Ellie’s advice and watched What the Health, a docmentary that explored health concerns relating to the meat, dairy and pharmaceutical industries and how some health problems are consequences of consuming animal products.
What the Health was made by the guys who directed Cowspiracy – that sleek Netflix doco executive produced by Leo DiCaprio – which explored the claim that 51 per cent of global greenhouse gases are caused by animal agriculture.
But perhaps the most explosive and confronting doco is Earthlings. After sitting through nearly two hours of horrifying footage I was feeling pretty good about abstaining from animal products. Brunch: Activated buckwheat crepes with berries and coconut. Dinner: Pumpkin soup and avocado on toast. Mood: Happy/energetic. This was the most delicious day thus far.
For breakfast, I indulged in smashed avo. I had my latte with almond milk and by now there was no doubt that vegan could be delicious. I didn’t miss meat at all.
For dinner I was treated to a tasting board at Greenhouse Canteen & Bar at Miami. Loved the meat-free sub. Breakfast: Smashed avo, tempeh, tofu scramble, roast mushroom and apple dosa pie with caramel ice cream at Elixiba. Lunch: Acai bowl. Dinner: Basil pesto, vegan cheeses, meatless meatball sub with cauliflower cheese, smoked jackfruit enchilada topped with Mexican cashew cheese at Greenhouse Canteen & Bar. Mood: Feeling like the picture of health. Reaching for fruits and vegetables over eggs and chicken had become second-nature by now.
I didn’t go into this experiment expecting to lose weight but I lost 1kg.
I’ve been informed it’s likely just “water weight” but after meeting a number of healthy, glowing vegans this week, I believe this lifestyle has long-term health benefits. That’s not to mention the environmental benefits.
Although you can eat a bit of meat and dairy without causing problems to your personal health, I’m not sure whether I can go back to supporting an industry that profits from animal cruelty.
Maybe I will cave when I catch a waft of mum’s Atlantic salmon but for now, I’m over the one-week hump and don’t need meat to complete a meal. Breakfast: Cacao, chia, coconut and date balls Lunch: Avocado toast. Dinner: Tempeh with vegetables. Mood: Ready to put ‘plant-based human’ in my Instagram bio.