Let me preface this by saying that I have no idea why I decided to do this. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a supporter of animal rights, but I’m also a self-proclaimed ‘foodie’ that has a weakness for anything based, melted and garnished with cheese. It was at dinner roughly a week ago that the topic of vegetarianism and veganism came up. My roommate stated that she wanted to try it out, and me being my spontaneous self, proposed that we make a pact and do it together for a week starting the next morning. Easy enough, we thought. A little more greens and a little less meat never hurt anyone.
Well, in truth, going vegan can be a lot easier than you initially think. You have to do your research and stay committed to it (something I really struggled with), but is definitely attainable. I learned a lot through the process, especially despite my aversion to dairy products, it can indeed be done. Here’s a rundown of the five biggest take-away points from the experience:
1. A lot of what you already eat is “accidentally vegan”
I took right to the Internet right after making our pact to see what I could actually eat. A vegan diet excludes all meat and animal by-products, meaning no milk, egg and even honey too. However, a little basic research enlightened me to the fact that a lot of what I already eat is vegan. Oreos, Luna bars, peanut butter, most bagels and even some of my favorite cereals are all vegan-friendly. Who would have known? PETA has a full list of “accidentally vegan” foods here.
2. BU is very accommodating to vegan folk
Because I live on campus and have a dining plan, I spend most of my meals in the dining hall. The fact that each of our dining halls has a vegan station is huge. Every time I walked into 100 Bay State, I b-lined for those stairs to get myself of whatever they were serving at the station. With a hearty salad and some fruit in hand too, I was pretty much set for each meal. If you look closely at the signs at each of the stations, a green “V” indicates that the meal is all squared away for vegans to eat (yep, even those French fries).
3. Protein is power
A few days in, I realized that I was eating a lot more carbs than protein, which my body wasn’t a fan of. I was getting headaches and feeling a bit lightheaded. Cutting out meat means that you have to get create about where you’ll be getting your protein. Beans, tofu, spinach and chickpeas will become your new best friends.
4. Yes, you can still have your Starbucks
As someone that goes to Starbucks every morning and can’t live without lattes, this is probably my favorite tidbit learned. Take your usual order and ask for them to use soymilk with no foam (when streamed, soymilk become really frothy, so you get more drink that way). You have to cough up an extra $0.60, but it will taste just as good as you usual.
5. You really have to committed
I have to be honest and share that I did have a few slip-ups during the week. There was an incident at Warren with some gooey, cheesy quesadillas, and well, you get the point. If you want to do the whole vegan thing, you have to be fully committed.
All in all, it was a really interesting experience, one I would never expect myself to try out. I noticed myself making healthier choices and being more conscious of what I was eating in general. The main point is whether or not your doing it for the animals or the health benefits, you have to listen to your body and do what is best for it. Skipping meals is not the same thing as being vegan, and isn’t the best bet for anyone. If you’re going to do it, make sure to do your homework and making sure your getting all your necessary nutrients.
Are you a vegan, or would you ever consider trying it out for a week like I did? Share in the comment section below.