DIGESTING VEGANUARY
It’s not too late for a vegan trial run. Use these tips to help make the transition easier
The idea of “Veganuary” — where you go vegan for the month of January — started five years ago and has boomed, from 3,300 participants to an estimated 300,000 this year. Research shows veganism can offer protection against heart disease, some cancers, diabetes and high blood pressure. So although we’re already a week into the new year, if you’re vegan-curious, or even vegandetermined to give it a try, here’s how to start.
DO IT PROPERLY
A major dietary change needs careful planning, and there are certain vitamins and minerals your body needs that are generally found in animal products, such as vitamin B12.
If you don’t have enough, you could suffer anemia and damage to your nervous system, so make sure you eat foods fortified with B12, such as plant milks, soy and breakfast cereals, or nutritional yeast, which has a cheese-like taste and can be sprinkled on anything savoury.
Or take a supplement ( just check to see if it’s vegan, as some multivitamins come in a gelatin shell). You’ll also need omega-3 and 6 (in nuts, linseeds and rapeseed oil). Try algae supplements instead of fish oil.
If your hair becomes weaker, you’re not getting enough protein, so eat more nuts, pulses, soya and plant oils, or supplement with vegan protein powder.
Finally, you may find yourself rushing to the bathroom more often due to your increased fibre intake, but your digestive system will soon settle down.
DON’T GET TOO HUNG UP
Evangelists may insist you can’t eat avocados because they’re pollinated by exploited bees, you can’t have figs because wasps die in the fruits, you can’t have biscuits because they might contain palm oil, and as for soya, the crops are destroying the rainforest.
All of this is true, but most vegans stick to a manageable path and just aim to do as little harm as possible.
STOCK UP
There are certain basics but the initial outlay will pay dividends. Stock up on nutritional yeast (fortified with B12) to thicken sauces; plant milks (most find oat or almond milk the nicest); and nuts to scatter in salads or stirfries. Buy agave nectar instead of honey, tinned or dried beans and pulses for protein, as well as vegan cheese and yogurt.
START MEAL-PLANNING
There are plenty of good veganready meals available in major supermarkets and local health food chains — but as a regular habit, it’s not cheap. There are suggestions on the Veganuary website (veganuary.com) and numerous vegan-specific magazines.
Curries, chilies with soya mince and risotto and pizzas with vegan cheese are all simple options.
DON’T PREACH
When you’ve made a huge lifestyle and ethical commitment, like all new converts, it’s tempting to get evangelical about it. Filled with purpose, one minute you were happily talking house prices and local schools, the next you’re sharing brutal abattoir videos on social media. By all means, explain your reasons when asked. But otherwise, keep your veganism to yourself (or at least to those who share similar values).
TAKE-YOUR-OWN TO DINNER PARTIES
I’ll be honest — the invitations dwindle somewhat when you turn vegan, purely because many hosts have no idea what to serve you. Make it easy on them and offer to bring your own food. It works best if you create a vegan version of what they’re having. So instead of fish pie, try a seaweed and lemon marinated tofu pie, or a soya mince chili instead of beef.
CHECK YOUR DRINKS
Not all alcohol is vegan because some is filtered through finings including isinglass, a gelatin made from fish bladders. Very few wine or beer bottles state whether they’re suitable for vegans, although increasingly breweries and winemakers are providing alternatives. A website called Barnivore ( barnivore.com) also helps you find vegan alcohol brands.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
In bigger cities, there are vegan restaurants and cafés; in smaller towns there will almost certainly be something vegan on the menu at the big chains. And if you can’t see an option, call ahead and ask.