I recently went from being vegetarian to vegan for various reasons, some of which include my health and the environment. I wasn’t sure what it would be like or how different it would be from being a vegetarian, which I had been for the past five years. However, there were some things I learned from doing it that I hadn’t expected.
1. I never feel deprived
Many people often associate going vegan with high restriction of food. But actually, I’ve never been so satisfied with food than I am now. I get to eat all kinds of delicious foods and I’ve learned to make all types of other foods that I had no idea were so good. I eat when I’m hungry and I stop when I’m satisfied. There are so many awesome things to eat from different beans to fruits and vegetables. There is such a large list of things I can eat that can be combined in such cool ways that I don’t crave “non-vegan” foods.
2. I never feel guilty
With a diet that excludes eggs and milk, I never find myself regretting eating anything, simply because a lot of the foods I used to feel guilty about eating contain eggs and milk. Now if I do crave something sweet that is similar to cake or brownies, there are so many alternative desserts I can eat. It’s a great feeling to never feel that “guilt” or eating too many sweets, which was a huge struggle before.
3. I feel amazing
A lot of people will tell you that they notice changes in how they feel after going vegan. This is 100% true. I have more energy and I don’t experience that sluggish feeling after eating junk food. In general, I’ve been waking up earlier and workouts don’t feel like a drag. Additionally, I just generally feel happier, which I was completely not expecting.
4. I don’t have cravings
I never thought that this would happen. I thought when I went vegan, I’d still want to eat things that aren’t vegan, but I don’t and its crazy. After having done some research into veganism, I found that many vegans are “high carb low fat” and eat a lot of bananas, fruits, rice, beans, etc. that are high in carbohydrates. After eating all of these high carb foods, there’s actually less cravings for things with fat and sugar in them. It’s crazy.
5. Oreos are vegan
Enough said.