Holly Spindler
Worried about missing out if you go vegan? We address some of the biggest concerns about plant-based eating.
Whether you’re thinking of trying veganism to help animals, for your health or for environmental reasons, you’re likely to have questions or worries about taking that next step.
Switching to a vegan lifestyle can be a big change. It’s normal to feel nervous or worried about whether you’ll be able to do it. Luckily, there’s lots of support and great food out there to make choosing vegan easier than ever!
Let's start by addressing some of the most common fears you may have.
If I go vegan, will I have to give up the foods I love?
The biggest reason people give for not going vegan is not being able to eat cheese or chocolate. It may be that you have another favourite that you think you can’t live without.
For me it was mayonnaise. I have it with everything and was worried that I would miss it too much! After going vegan I tried a few versions and nothing was really the same until I tried Vegenaise. It was a game changer - I really couldn’t tell the difference AND it didn’t require the abuse of hens for their eggs.
If cheese is your ‘thing,’ it’s totally understandable. Dairy contains casein, which releases casomorphins during digestion. These casomorphins are produced by cows to keep the calf coming back to drink its mother’s milk. They are addictive.
The general rule to break an addiction is to avoid it for three weeks. Cheese will then be totally out of your system and all cravings will be gone. Easier said than done right?!
Within that three week period, and throughout your vegan journey, there are lots of cheese substitutes you can try. Most supermarkets now have their own alternatives and Applewood smoked cheese has been extremely popular. Violife melts well as an alternative on pizza and there are recipes online to make your own, often from nuts.
Another tip is to get some nutritional yeast (often called nooch) which tastes cheesy AND contains B12, an important supplement for the vegan diet. Nooch can be stirred through pasta, sprinkled on beans on toast or mixed with silken tofu for an excellent scrambled egg alternative.
Another common food that people worry about giving up is chocolate. It is difficult to replicate the creaminess of dairy chocolate but there are loads of very good alternatives on the market. Nomo is really creamy, whilst Vego do amazing bars with nuts. Galaxy have their own offering with flavours including salted caramel, orange and hazelnut.
Where do I get my protein if I go vegan?
When I went vegan, my family were worried. They sent me links about supplements and shared articles about nutrition. They didn’t know what vegans ate (just leaves right?!). A few years on and I’m still alive. In fact when I discovered Beyond Burgers I probably put on weight!
But I appreciate where they were coming from. Decades of marketing from dairy and meat companies have convinced us all that we need calcium from cows’ milk and iron from red meat. It’s actually impressive that, despite much evidence to the contrary, these myths continue.
The truth is, the only thing that vegans may need to take as a supplement is B12. Just like anyone wanting to be healthy, the key is balance. Eat plenty of green leafy veg for your iron intake. Foods like lentils and chickpeas are full of protein (and great in a curry). Nuts and seeds will take care of the omega 3 and you can get plant-based milks with added calcium.
To find out more about protein, read our blog.
Will I be able to eat out if I go vegan?
Eating together is not just about the food - it’s a way to catch up with friends and family. If those friends and family are all meat eaters, you may worry about appearing awkward if you ask to go somewhere with vegan options.
But fear not! There are so many restaurants and cafes in the UK now offering vegan options and many who don’t have it on the menu will help you out if you call ahead.
Better still, there’s an app for that! Websites like Happy Cow or Vanilla Bean let you search for locations, or use GPS to find you, and shows you all the places near you that are vegan or serve vegan food.
If I go vegan, I’ll never enjoy food again!
Food has become a huge part of our culture, with TV shows (and even entire channels) dedicated to cooking programmes and magazines full of recipes. Enjoying what you eat is important.
What I loved about going vegan was that it challenged me to find new things to eat. I now love tofu, I do lots of plant-based baking and I enjoy trying lots of new ways with veg. Just a quick search on Instagram will bring up so much beautiful plant-based foodie inspiration.
Instead of seeing veganism as restrictive, it can be a way to expand your horizons and try new things. Get a recipe book or magazine, or search for vegan recipes online and find out more about what’s on offer. Or join a vegan Facebook group and share tips and ideas with the online community.
I hope these tips have helped you to see that veganism, or plant-based eating, is not scary. It is an opportunity to explore new foods and eat better; for your body, the environment and, of course, the animals.
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