Hey everyone,
I would like to share with you a little bit about veganism. Having been raised a vegan myself until grade school, it is a lifestyle that I am quite familiar with and has been in our society longer than many people may realize. First off, there are many misconceptions about being vegan as a whole. The most common, and annoying question that I get asked is where do you get your protein? Well, I'd like to give you all an idea of how vegans get their protein by explaining about the other protein options that are out there as well as some other interesting and fun facts.
Types of Plant-Based Protein:
1. Tofu-This is one of the most common and widely available sources of vegetarian protein. Made from soybeans, tofu has a texture similar to scrambled eggs, and does not really have much of a taste to it but can be manipulated many different ways from battered and fried to being used in desserts.
2. Tempeh- Another plant-based protein, tempeh is also made from soy, but is made by natural fermentation and binds the soy together, making it tougher than tofu. It has been a staple in the Indonesia diet for centuries. Because tempeh is fermented, it offers much more protein, fiber, and vitamins than tofu. Tempeh can also be quite bitter tasting, but a simple way to make it taste less bitter is to blanch it in water before cooking it, that way it can take on the flavor of what you are seasoning it with.
3. Seitan (aka wheat gluten)- This type of protein is made from gluten, and can be an alternative to soy-based proteins. It's made by washing wheat flour dough with water until the starch dissolves, and what is leftover is the gluten and it is cooked before eaten. Seitan has a chewy texture and can be manipulated in many different ways. It is commonly used in Asian dishes at restaurants as an alternative to meat.
Aside from these examples, there are many other ways to take in protein without consuming meat. Aside from protein, as we all know eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is also a key to living a healthy lifestyle. Many dark, leafy greens are packed with nutrients as well as protein. An example of this is kale, which is one of my favorites and is super healthy.
The American diet as a whole is not necessarily the healthiest, with fast food cheap and highly accessible and stores stocked with unhealthy options, it is easy to get caught up in the hype of advertising and cheap prices. Generally speaking, if you can't pronounce the ingredients in a packaged product it most likely is not good for you. Unfortunately, the products that are unhealthy are owned by the big companies that have a lot of power and are highly subsidized by the government, therefore the prices are cheap and the product is most likely genetically modified. At the same time, eating vegetables and fruits can be quite expensive, which may deter one from buying them. A simple way to solve this dilemma? Something that I have learned over the years of food shopping and cooking in my life, when it comes to whole grains buy in bulk. Because whole grains are dry ingredients, they can keep for quite a long time and are always good to have around, and in the end buying in bulk is cheaper. As far as fruits and vegetables are concerned, it is always best to buy what is in season as it will generally be cheaper then produce that is out of season.
Interested in learning more?
Here are a few cool things to check out:
Forks Over Knives: This documentary came out quite recently and it allows for a representation of veganism that one can understand, while also offering staggering facts.
Making the Switch: Check out this article. One Man's Transformation
Food, Inc: This is another documentary that reveals the truth behind factory farming and really allows the viewer to see where food really comes from. This is quite eye-opening.
Fitness: For all you Phys Ed. majors. Vegan Body Building
There are also tons of books that are available to better help explain what it means to be a vegan.
Thank you for checking out my blog, and if you've gotten this far, thanks for reading it all! I'd like to leave you with a few fun pictures. I hope this blog has given you a bit of a different perspective on what veganism is about, and I hope you learned something new. I hope you all enjoyed reading this and thanks again! :)
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| Natalie Portman. Actress & Vegan. |
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| Bryan Danielson, WWE Wrestler & Vegan. |
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| This is my dad an entrepreneur and proud vegan for 35 years. Crazy right? Yeah, he can be a little silly sometimes lol. |
