Going vegan for a month

While some speculate that keeping away from certain food groups will give you glowing skin and glossy hair, others claim it deprives you of energy, leaving you feeling bloated and run down. Such claims have been put to the test here, so read on.

Week 1

After watching several documentaries debating the merits of veganism and arming myself with a handful of cookbooks I was feeling optimistic about the culinary adventure ahead of me. And, then came the hangover!

A heady mix of Christmas bingeing and New Year festivities means cheese and prosecco make up for around 70 per cent of my body mass at this point, and I’m convinced the only thing that can cure it is more of the same.

However, my standard go-to bacon sarnie isn’t an option. It’s the first morning and I’m already considering quitting. Within the first few days I realise that convenience is my arch-rival. I had never realised the sheer amount of products that animal produce is in and end up turning to Linda McCartney sausage rolls out of ease.

It’s a trend that continues and I feel like I’m eating anything that’s vegan. I have to remind myself to consume something other than bread, hummus and rice.

Week 2

As a fan of a “proper” cup of tea, I’m beginning to wonder if it will ever taste the same again but I guess it’s not entirely offensive.

After trying almond and oat milk, I select soya as my non-dairy milk alternative and, while it’s certainly no builder’s brew, I promise to persevere.

My sweet tooth has also kicked in by this point and the leftover Haagen-Dazs is calling me from the syrupy depths of the freezer. Instead, I have a Mini Moos dairy-free chocolate bar and feel surprisingly mollified. Vegan win!

That is until my boyfriend comes home drunk with a KFC and I’m reassessing our relationship.

Week 3

A mission that my carnivorous self thought might be culinary torture, I’m pretty impressed that I’ve managed to last this long. It sure hasn’t been easy and I could definitely have caved in to a big, juicy burger at times but I’m staying strong. I can do it.

I do miss cheese though and learn the hard way that supermarket own-brand alternatives are a lie. If you’re adamant about finding a substitute, trust me, paying that little bit extra is well worth it.

My family gets together for a delicious curry and despite my dad repeatedly telling me “one little taste one won’t hurt” I resist the fiery goodness of the chicken jalfrezi. I make a sweet potato and chickpea option for myself and feel sad as I watch everyone else indulge in dessert.

After raiding my parents’ fridge all I can find is a dismal single pot of jelly. Surely this can’t be vegan? I scan it through the Is It Vegan app, which tells me it’s some kind of car mat. I’m confused and eat it anyway.

Week 4

I’ve avoided eating out up until now but after a late-night cinema trip I decide it’s time for pizza, but feel dubious considering my experience with vegan cheese thus far.

I order from Pizza Hut, which uses Violife and am pleasantly surprised. While it looks nowhere near as appetising as my not-so-supportive boyfriend’s deep pan loaded in creamy mozzarella, it tastes pretty good.

As the four weeks come to a close I feel surprisingly less bloated and upon weighing myself find that I’ve even lost five pounds — which I’ll totally take considering my recent dependence on vegan sausage rolls.

Unfortunately though, I don’t think full-time veganism is for me. While it wasn’t as difficult as I first thought it would be, I realised that I never want to deny myself the luxury of eating real cheese ever again!

Source: The Independent