People view vegans in a certain way — like a rabbit that only eats greens and nothing but greens. I myself am a vegan, and I have run into plenty of different cases from people asking where I get my protein from to what I eat on a daily basis. But of course, there are pros and cons to being vegan.
Some of the pros I have encountered include feeling a lot cleaner and fresher when you first become vegan — this isn’t necessarily the case for everyone that becomes vegan, though. A few other pros off the bat are weight loss, glowing skin, higher energy levels, and lower risks of health complications. Why wouldn’t a person want to be vegan then?
Let’s look at the cons. The main issue is finding ways to get your nutrients in. It can vary depending on if you are taking your vitamins, and whether your diet consists of complete junk or nutrient-rich options. Many vegans are concerned about losing prominent sources of vitamin B12, which is typically found in meat, fish, and dairy products — a battle you can definitely relate to if you’ve ever had to hunt for vegan options at the dining halls, or even when you are going out with friends to off-campus restaurants.
As a student and a varsity athlete at UR, it is important that I get all the nutrients I need on a daily basis. While I was on campus during my first and sophomore years, I struggled with getting the right amount of nutrients in my body due to the lack of vegan options on campus. You are probably wondering if I spoke with the dining services, and I did. Did they do anything? Not really, which was frustrating for me. But it is a different ball game when you have your own kitchen and your own food to cook with.
It is really fun to play with different ingredients when you are vegan — the possibilities are near-endless. There is chickpea tuna, vegan pizza, vodka pasta, curry, and the list goes on. Some of my favorite dishes are vodka pasta, a simple tofu turkey sandwich with vegan mayo, or avocado toast if you want something fast and easy. When it comes to a get-together or a big game you are watching vegans usually go for something easy, like salsa/guacamole and chips or even chipotle if you plan on ordering out. When holidays come around such as thanksgiving, my family usually likes to make a couple of vegan dishes. Those dishes vary, but the popular ones are mac and cheese, brussels sprouts, mashed sweet potatoes, and my favorite which is the tofurky.
When people assume that vegans only eat salads, I believe that it’s because people don’t know what you can actually eat and make while you are vegan. Despite the lack of information on veganism out there, I do think over the years more and more people have turned over to veganism because of the positive health effects it has on an individual.
Yes, I admit that there are times when being vegan is difficult, but I wouldn’t change my lifestyle to go back to eating meat. There should be more vegan options available everywhere, so people can have the opportunity to try them out — and not make assumptions about what vegans do eat.
Now that you have read this, do you think any differently about vegans and what they eat on a daily basis?
