VEGAN IS GOOD FOR YOU
Dubai-based chef Zendy Marsam tells us all about the multiple health benefits of adopting a vegan lifestyle
It is no secret that veganism has become a popular lifestyle choice around the world. Celebrities right from singer Beyonce to filmmaker James Cameron have taken to the vegan way of life. Many have heard of veganism, but often confuse it with vegetarianism. However, unlike vegetarians, vegans typically do not use any animal byproducts such as dairy, beeswax, honey and silk. Evidently, veganism is not just limited to food, but it’s a lifestyle preference.
Zendy Marsam is a Dubai-based vegan chef who can whip up delicious treats using dairy-free and animalfree ingredients. She has over 14,000 followers on Instagram and a YouTube account where she showcases her mouth-watering creations. We caught up with Zendy to find out more about veganism and what attracted her to it. Here’s what she told us:
A lot of people are sceptical of the vegan lifestyle. What attracted you to take it up?
When I started food blogging, my main focus was promoting healthy food. Many vegan bloggers started following me. Through relationships with these bloggers, I became more aware of veganism and a plantbased diet. My husband and I then watched a number of documentaries, including Forks over Knives and Food Matters. They were very compelling in terms of the health benefits we could get by following a plant-based lifestyle. We then tried it for a month – and we have never looked back. While we were originally attracted to the health benefits, we then became aware of the terribly cruel methods adopted by the animal agriculture industry, and also the huge impact of eating meat on the environment. We then decided to completely embrace the vegan lifestyle.
How did your family react to the change in your eating habits?
My husband has been a partner in my food blogging site and we changed to a plant-based diet together. So that was quite easy. We have two children aged 9 and 10, and they too have moved towards eating less meat, but are not yet 100% plant-based.
Was it hard to make vegan dishes?
As a chef, it was easier for me to create plant-based dishes. In fact, I love the challenge of taking more traditional dishes and converting them into plantbased versions. I also love to introduce traditional Asian dishes to the vegan community. My whole blogging activity is centered on helping people who want to take up a plant-based diet. I share recipes on all my posts and make it easy for people to try new tasty dishes.
What vegan restaurants would you suggest to try out locally?
Unfortunately, many vegan restaurants are expensive. Luckily, this is changing very quickly and I have been helping out a number of restaurants to create vegan options. I would recommend the Urth Restaurant in Cluster J - JLT. The place has super tasty food, a relaxed atmosphere and is easy on the wallet. To be honest, as a chef, I tend to eat at home most of the time!
Were you a meat eater previously? How hard was it to switch to a vegan lifestyle?
I did eat meat previously, but not a great deal of it. In reality, I would point out that meat does not have a great flavour on its own – and people tend to flavour meat with plants anyway (such as pepper, garlic, spices, herbs etc). So you can easily create the flavours of meat using the same plant ingredients. Growing up in Indonesia, I was accustomed to a dairy-free diet as there is very little milk or cheese there. I actually think that most people switching to a plant-based diet have more trouble giving up dairy than meat. Especially cheese. Overall, my advice is to make sure that the new food you are eating tastes better than the food you used to eat. Put some effort into it and you will reap the benefits. Alternatively, there are 5-6 vegan meal plans in Dubai that could help you to make the change. A meal plan is a service that delivers 3 fully prepared meals and 2 snacks to you daily. Therefore, if you are new to a vegan diet you could subscribe to one of these plans to start you on your journey. Examples of these plans include: Powwer Jars, Veganity PlantPower and 77 Veggies. I have tried each of these plans and they are of a very high quality.
Many individuals have a very close-minded notion of the vegan lifestyle. What do you have to say to them?
I don’t tend to run around trying to convert people to veganism. I feel it is better to lead by example. There are many great reasons to choose a vegan lifestyle and people will discover it in their own time. Once people have decided to change, that is where I would like to assist by providing them plant-based recipes. I like to think of it as creating “Food for our Future.”
How has veganism benefitted you?
On a personal level, I feel much more energetic and my digestive system is much “lighter”. As an added benefit I have lost a few kilos of weight without having to count calories.
Is there a particular food or dish you miss after turning vegan?
Not really. One interesting fact about eating a whole food plant-based diet is that your taste buds actually change after 3-4 weeks. Meat, dairy, oil, salt and sugar are less desirable. What tastes good to a non-vegan might not taste good to a vegan. I never thought I would get so addicted to green smoothies or avocado on toast!
Do you believe that celebrities have made the vegan lifestyle a “trend” in terms of making people take it up?
Having celebrities promote veganism certainly helps to keep the lifestyle in the press. But I have never met anyone who changed to a vegan lifestyle due to that alone.
People are more likely to have changed due to health issues, or after watching a talk or documentary which has opened them to the facts behind the lifestyle. If you are interested, try watching the documentary What the Health which is available on Netflix.