At the beginning of this summer, I decided to transition from a vegetarian to a vegan diet. Admittedly this was not that difficult of a transition because I already did not eat any meat or dairy, but it still did offer some challenges. Most of my readers know that I am gluten free, and the tricky thing about that is that it is hard to find products that are both gluten free and vegan. No I am not an expert in the subject of veganism, but after about five months I figured I would share my experience!
Digestion
My digestion is something I have struggled with for a long time which is why I gave up gluten and dairy in the first place. It is never easy to predict if a food will agree with my body or not, but I would say generally through out the past few months, I have had very few issues. Though it is hard to tell if my vegan diet has been the cause of my recent good digestion, I would say that I have experienced a net positive.
Back to School
This doesn't really have to do with being vegan, but the beginning of the fall semester was very busy for me. From my school musical to dance class to leadership to AP classes, it was difficult to find as much time to cook as I usually do. The result of this is that I had to buy my food a lot more than I am usually used to. I ended up buying food from the Indian restaurant near my school several times a week.
Diet Impact
Being vegan has really helped me stay away from processed foods. I said this in my last update but I will say it again. It is so easy to fall into the trap of gluten free processed junk food and being vegan really helps me avoid things that are bad for my body. I have also been a lot more aware of the nutrients my body needs which has helped me stay more in touch with my health. My diet has been complicated for a while with all the gluten and dairy free and what not, but being vegan has really simplified everything for me.
New Favorite Vegan Products
My vegan endeavors have lead to a lot of new experimenting with groceries, here are the products worth sharing:
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Egg Replacer
Eggs were the biggest thing for me to give up. Baking can be difficult without using eggs as a binder, but this replacement does the trick!
Dandies Vanilla Marshmallows
Rice Krispy treats are a bake sale staple for me so I was so happy to find these perfect vegan Marshmallows
Lesser Evil Buddha Bowl Himalayan Sweetness Popcorn
I am always on the hunt for vegan snacks and this popcorn is fantastic!
Urban Remedy Salads
Urban Remedy won my heart over 5 years ago when I first tried their vegan spring rolls, but recently I have become a slave to the convenience of their grab and go salads. They started carrying them at my local grocery store and I cannot get enough! The Ensalada bowl is my favorite!
Overall Reflection
After my "Summer of Vegan" I decided that veganism is actually a great choice for me and I have decided to commit to being vegan indefinitely! It was a challenge, but it was much easier than I ever would have thought! Being vegan has made me healthier and more conscious of my protein intake. I feel so much better about my carbon footprint as well as the impact of my diet on animals. Though nobody is perfect and everyone messes up sometimes, it is so amazing to commit to a diet that benefits the planet. I look forward to sharing more vegan recipes, experiences, and reflections in the future!