Is becoming vegan really a journey worth taking? Here’s my take on how I made the decision to embark:
I’ve been pescatarian (someone who the only meat they eat is seafood) for almost a year now, and the only reason I’m not a vegetarian is because I told myself I couldn’t give up sushi. But I don’t often get sushi or buy myself fish to cook for dinner, so really, the next step toward a more healthier lifestyle was to convert from vegetarianism to being vegan.
My best friend had become a vegan about 6 months ago, and didn’t seem to have that hard of a time finding food to eat, especially since San Diego is a pretty vegan-friendly place. In fact, UCSD has it’s own vegan restaurant, Roots. I’ve been warned by my parents and other skeptic meat-loving friends about the health harms being vegan could have, like not getting enough protein or not getting essential vitamins only found in meat. But, like any good dieter, I did my research. I found out it’s essential for vegans to take vitamin supplements like B12, multivitamins, and Omega-3s – that didn’t seem to be too bad. I also found out that most vegans and vegetarians do get enough protein, and that meat-eaters often overdo the daily dose of protein (50 grams for most adults). There are plenty of sources of proteins besides meat and other animal products: beans, chickpeas (hummus), raw nuts and nut butters (my favorite being natural peanut butter), almond milk, and soy products. And of course, we’re supposed to be getting 2-3 servings of both fruits and vegetables a day, and that’s easy when vegetables make up the main dish in lunches and dinners.
The more research I did and the more I talked to my best friend, the more I wanted to try becoming vegan in the new year. I figured it would be healthier and help me watch what products I put into my body. One of the main ways being a vegan helps you eat better is that almost all baked goods are out of the question since they’re made with eggs or milk. But, that’s going to be one of the biggest challenges for me because I have a major sweet tooth, in addition to reading the labels on products to assure no eggs or milk were used. Overall, though, I think trying to become vegan is worth the difficulty, and if anything, helps you become more aware of what you’re giving to your body.