As more and more people are searching about Veganism - we have the top 10 tips for anyone looking to
The number of people considering a vegan lifestyle is increasing. A recent study by comparethemarket found that a massive 3.5 million British people now identify as vegan.
This past January, the search term "veganuary" reached it's highest peak according to Google trend analytics as the popularity of this trend increases year on year.
So with so many people deciding to give this lifestyle a try, what should people consider before giving it a shot? And what choices can people make so that becoming vegan is easy? We have 10 top tips for anyone wanting to become vegan!
1. Gradually reduce the number of animal products you consume
Easing into veganism will make things much easier and far less daunting for someone trying it out for the first time. It's a good idea to try and go vegetarian first, and then once you're comfortable with that you can try to cut out eggs and dairy.
2. Search for vegan recipe blogs, or vegan cook books
There is a whole host of resources out there to help you with this change. There are plenty of vegan blogs, vegan recipe tutorials, Pinterest boards and Instagram hashtags.
Have a search around the web for some useful websites and posts, or head to your nearest book shop to browse through the cookbooks and find something that's meat-free.
You can read all of our vegan blog posts here.
3. Learn about ingredients and check labels
When you first decide to start eating vegan foods, you might feel like there's nothing but vegetables and tofu for you to buy. That's simply not true, as there are plenty of foods on the supermarket shelf that are not explicitly labelled "vegan" but contain no animal-based products!
Learn more about what ingredients to look out for - gelatine, eggs, dairy, whey - and you'll find that you're not as restricted as you thought. Oreos, dark chocolate and party rings all contain no animal-based products, despite not being labelled as vegan.
4. Find local vegan stores or restaurants
Even though you can get plenty of ingredients and foods that are vegan at any local supermarket, there might be a special vegan food shop near you to offer even more goodies. These shops are slightly more easier to navigate than a usual supermarket, and you won't have to do quite as much label reading.
5. Join vegan Facebook pages
There are loads of Facebook communities out there full of people just like you, trying to jump start their new vegan lifestyle. These pages are full of other hints and tips, recipes, upcoming vegan markets and events, or new foods free from animal-based products.
Vegan Food UK is the largest Facebook page with over 80,000 members.
6. Learn how to improvise at restaurants
Unfortunately, not all restaurants have vegan options on their menus - although, these days, the vast majority of them do! But if you find yourself eating at a restaurant that seems to not have any vegan options, you will need to learn how to improvise.
There are menu items that you can always rely on to be available and vegan, such as chips or baked potatoes, salads, or soups. You can always ask for the kitchen to adapt their dishes to a vegan diet by removing any cheese or eggs from the recipe.
7. Learn that just because it's vegan, doesn't mean it's healthy
As veganism becomes more mainstream, people often think that all vegan foods are healthy. It's good to be weary of this so you can become vegan and also keep a healthy, balanced diet. Oreos and chips may be vegan, but they can't be the only thing you eat!
8. Practise cooking
The only way to find recipes that you enjoy cooking and are delicious to eat is to try as many as possible. Find recipes that you like the sound of, cook them at home, make any alterations that you think will make it taste better and find some new favourite meals!
9. Learn about supplements and what you should be taking
As you reduce the number of animal-based products in your diet, you might be missing out on some vitamins and proteins. A lot of vegans recommend taking B-12 and iron supplements, but you should do your own research and figure out what you need to add to your vegan diet.
10. Don't beat yourself up!
If you're trying out veganism for the first time, don't feel bad if you slip up and eat something that is not vegan, whether it's an accident or not. Changing your lifestyle might not be an overnight switch, and can take time to get used to.
