Vegan in India: Adopting a Vegan Diet Lifestyle in My 20s

I have always been a meat eater since birth and also loved non vegetarian meals dearly; hence, adopting a vegan diet wasn’t easy for me especially in India. It took me months of highly determined, consistent effort to reach to a place where I can proudly call myself a “vegan.”

Was switching to a vegan lifestyle only due to my love and empathy for animals? I will have to say “no.” Initially, I chose to transform myself by adopting a plant based diet because of certain health issues I endured. 

Moving into an apartment with my friends gave me the self-sufficiency and independence I had always desired, but little did I know about cooking healthy meals! With our hectic college and part-time job schedules, we ended up ordering takeout almost every day. It didn’t take long for all the unhealthy meals to reflect on my BMI and skin as well. I had prolonged and persistent body acne issues, and that ended up taking a toll on my confidence level as well.

For months, I debated whether or not to adopt a vegan, plant-based diet because I wasn’t sure I could commit to boycotting all animal products. One fine morning, I woke up and decided with determination to adopt the vegan lifestyle for at least 6 months to see if it would help with my weight and skin disorders. also, in India, vegan restaurants are clearly a rare thing to be found.

It’s been two years since I started eating a plant-based vegan diet, and I’m so grateful and happy with the results. Every day, I thank myself for not succumbing to my meat and dairy cravings.

Benefits of Adopting a Vegan Lifestyle in India

Maintaining a healthy body weight

Adopting and practising a plant-based diet can benefit you in terms of losing some extra pounds and maintaining a healthy body weight throughout your life. Most vegan foods and eatables contain very few calories, count and hence helps in fat loss and fitness maintenance. Vegan meals such as fruits, grains and other vegetables are highly rich in nutrients, vitamins and also fibres which are essential for your body. These play a key role in maintaining your health and fitness.

Reduce risk of lifestyle diseases 

Lifestyle diseases are quite common among the people in this century. People binge on fast foods, and consumption of these high calorie foods along with refined flour and sugar can lead to a number of lifestyle diseases such as stroke, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and so on. 

Leading a plant-based diet can induce you to follow a healthy diet that includes all kinds of fruits and vegetables that are enriched with fibre and all the needed nutrients for a healthy life. This can reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases.

Can Improve Mood and Reduce Stress 

This point has everything to do with my personal experience when I adopted the vegan lifestyle in india. When I completely eliminated dairy, poultry and other meats and fish from my diet, i, myself, started noticing a positive change in my moods. 

A vegan diet can improve your mental state and reduce your anxiety. It can reduce your stress and help you maintain both your mental and physical health. It can help you feel clean on the inside as your inner self would be in bliss that you are eating clean.

Go Vegan for the Love for Animals and Environment

One of the main reasons most young people take up veganism is to show their consideration and love for animals and the environment. Animals like cows and other milk providing animals are brutally tied up and overfed in order to provide milk. Pigs, poultry and other animals are bred for meat and chopped up without sympathy to pack them into beautiful packages, millions of fishes are captured from the sea every day and hence leading to endangered fish species. 

Hence if you wish to convey your love for animals and our environment, you could adopt a vegan life.

Here are some tips to lead a vegan lifestyle if you are a beginner.

Foods to avoid

• Avoid dairy products
• Avoid meat , fish and eggs
• Avoid other animal products like honey
• Mayonnaise , ice-creams , cheese and butter as it contains dairy products and egg yolks

Foods you can eat to practice a vegan lifestyle

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Legumes like peas and different types of beans
• All nuts and seeds
• Grains like rice , wheat etc.

Alternatives and Substitutes

When you choose a vegan lifestyle there are some cons to this lifestyle as most proteins and some vitamins like vitamin D and vitamin b12 are mostly found in dairy and non-vegetarian food sources.

Hence when you lead a plant-based diet lifestyle, you ought to start taking some supplements and load yourself with good proteins.

here are some substitutes you can use when you go vegan

milk: Almond milk, Oat milk, Soy milk

cottage cheese : tofu

You can substitute plant-based meat and mushrooms for meat.

How Veganism Helped Me

As I mentioned above, adopting this vegan diet lifestyle wasn’t easy for me, but the outcomes were exceptionally positive and blissful. 

• It did wonders for my skin. I had blisters and cystic acne all over my body, adopting a complete plant based diet helped me resolve my skin disorder.  
• The vegan diet helped me lose some extra pounds and maintain a healthy BMI.
• Eating a healthy vegan weight loss diet made me feel clean and healthy as well (more like a mental feeling).
• This lifestyle also did wonders for my mental health. I started finding significant and positive changes in my moods, which also helped me with my anxiety and stress.

Easy Vegan Breakfast Recipes I tried and Loved

Vegan French Toast

Ingredients

• bread, sliced 
• 1 quart almond milk
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• tiny pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• coconut oil

Instructions

• Combine the almond milk, maple syrup, flour, nutritional yeast, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
• Put the bread in a small bowl with edges that can accommodate all of it. After pouring the mixture over the bread, turn it over or raise it to make sure both sides are coated.
• In a big skillet over medium heat, heat a little coconut oil. Add the bread pieces to the hot pan and cook for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
• Serve with fresh fruit, maple syrup, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, and a touch of vegan butter.

Vegan Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed 
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups whole grain flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and brush the pan with a bit of olive oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas with the sugar, milk, olive oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar and whisk until combined.
• In a bowl of your choice, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
• Add all the ingredients to the bowl and stir until just combined, then add in the walnuts. Pour it into the pan and sprinkle some chopped walnuts and oats on top.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes and try inserting a toothpick in the middle part of the bread and seeing if it comes out clean.

Avocado Toast

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• Lemon, for squeezing
• salt
• Slices of toasted bread

Instructions

• Cut the avocado in half and use a knife to extract the seed.
• Dice the avocado as you wish or mash the avocado with a fork.
• Toast the bread slices.
• Scoop and brush the avocado onto the toasted bread.
• Squeeze a lemon or sprinkle some salt and pepper.

Try any of these recipes and give me feedback as well. I will be delighted to hear from you, readers.

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