Why Go Vegan?

What is Vegan?

Vegan diet is a practice of abstaining from the use of animal as food source and only eating food that comes from plants such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, beans and pulses. An individual who follows the diet is known as a vegan.

History of Vegan Diet

The concept of vegan diet can be traced back to ancient Indian and eastern Mediterranean societies, where they banned the consumption of meat due to their ancient cultures and belief.  The word “vegan” was then coined by Donald Watson and his then-future wife Dorothy Morgan in 1944. Interest in vegan eating increased significantly in the 2010s, especially when more and more people managed to discover potential health benefits of vegan diet.

What Do Vegans Eat?

A vegan diet is based on plants and foods made from plants, such as fruits and vegetables, legumes (peas, beans, and lentils), nuts and seeds, breads, rice, pasta, dairy alternatives (soymilk, coconut milk, and almond milk), and vegetable oils.

Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, such as red meat (beef, pork, and lamb), poultry (chicken and duck), fish or shellfish (crabs, clams, and mussels), eggs, cheese, butter, dairy products (milk, cream, and ice cream), mayonnaise (includes egg yolks), and honey.

Why Go Vegan?

Vegan diet is adaptable and can suit almost all people of all backgrounds, ages, and cultures. It has become very popular as many people had decided to go vegan for various reasons, including to improve health, manage weight, and also to protect animals and environment.

Asia has already seen steady growth in the plant-based market. More Asians choose to go vegan as they want to maintain their health and immune system by utilizing healthy food materials, where this has increased the demand for plant-based food and beverages. Hence, it is expected that this upward trend will continue over many years to come.

Vegan Diet in A Nutshell

Vegan eating is about “mix-and-match”. With good planning and an understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs. Going vegan is a great opportunity to learn more about nutrition, meal prepping, cooking and improve your diet.