What Being Vegan for a Week Taught Me
They may be stereotyped as difficult, picky and demanding. But veganism is rising to prominence. What started off as a small grassroots movement has been gaining tremendous traction in influencing our relationship with food in Shanghai.
After befriending Vegans of Shanghai cofounder, Eve, I was immediately drawn to her by her passion and selflessness to advocate veganism. What does it take to have this motivation? I went all-out vegan for a week to understand her. And this small decision surprisingly changed my life.
Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus all follow vegan diets
What exactly is being vegan? In a nutshell, vegans eliminate the consumption of all meat and all meat-by products (including fish sauce, oyster sauce, eggs). They don’t consume dairy, because it is exploiting the milk from the animal. No honey because it exploits bees to produce honey and in some tragic incidences, bees are killed. This brings us to the last point; veganism does not promote or accept animal cruelty.
Quick Facts: Guide to Being Vegan
1. No Dairy: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Eggs
2. No Animal Cruelty: No leather, fur, animal-tested products
3. No Animal Exploitation: No honey, milk or cheese
4. You can still eat protein as a vegan via plant-based protein sources
5. You can still drink alcohol, just check with Barnivoire which brands you can consume
6. You can still work out and build muscle on a vegan diet
7. You can still be zero waste on a vegan diet, WeChat: Desineto for more information
With my primary diet already consisting primarily of vegetables, I was more concerned about the other “stuff”. Where will I get my coffee or fulfill my dessert craving, and how drastic will it change my morning routine?
My cruelty free toner
Cosmetic giant L’Oreal has also started to shift towards plant-based operations in recent years, at a time when shoppers are becoming more wary of chemical ingredients and are seeking out natural alternatives (New York Times, 2018). Veganism also reached a milestone when WeWork announced they were going meat free earlier this year.
Handmade cruelty-free vegan soap
Photo credit: Mommy Diaries
After a week of using cruelty free products for my skin and body, I noticed that my face had become supple, my blemishes reduced. The eczema on my arms has gone down and the once coarse area got softer. It's hard to tell about the effects of shampoo as I could not easily find shampoo in the shopping aisle or on Hema that is cruelty free (vegan fail).
It's a common misconception that vegan dining is limited. With wet markets in abundance and fresh grocers that deliver, my vegan week went smoothly. I ate at home more and squeezed in more family time. Even if I decided to go out, according to The South China Morning Post, “the [Shanghai] vegan community is growing with 49 [restaurants] in 2012 to more than 100 last year”.
Chocolate and Banana from Tartine
With a plant-based diet, foods were fresh and colorful. The taste and texture was refreshing. The vegan community was very welcoming, often exchanging grocery suppliers for specialty foods and exchanging recipes.
Soy Latte from Sumerian
415 Shaanxi Bei Lu. Photo credit: Dianping user 小女冷小猴子
Work place snacks include Guilt-free vegan noshing with beetroot brownie via Lizzy’s all Natural
WeChat: lizzysallnatural1
Vegan burger from Green Vege Café
697 Zhongshan Nan Lu 2
Buy-one-get-one pizza from Tribe on Friday’s
Kale chips, my favorite pre-vegan snack is still safe for my indulgence from Kate & Kimi
www.kateandkimi.com
Moreover, there are many places that provide high dining options such as Michelin studded Fu He Hui, Wu Jie. But there is also Maya that got veganized last year with a vegan dinner menu (which can also be veganized for brunch) and plenty more. The Happy Cow app is helpful for providing information on dining options.
The Outcome
Despite my best efforts, I had a few slip ups. But does it change my perception of veganism? Yes. After I told friends I went vegan for a week at the time of writing, many were surprised. But, they were more fascinated to learn what being vegan meant. Sure, there were a lot of facts I could not explain without the help of the experienced vegans of Shanghai guiding me, but at the same time, I was more than happy to explain what I knew. I realize that this is probably the same joy that drives Eve with her advocacy.
Quick List of Vegan Restaurants:
If Vegan
Gong De Lin- Godly
Super Vegan
Green Vege Cafe
LN Fortunate Coffee
Quick List of Vegan-Options:
Tribe (Vegan menu)
Maya (dinner only, but can offer suggestions for vegan brunches)
Tartine
Wheat
Moka Bros
Ban Ban, by Sproutworks
Daliah Vienna
Pure & Whole
Jen Dow
Gwen's Jiang Takeaway
Wujie
Graze
Shop:
Lizzy's All Natural
Fresh Mart Store
World Health Store
Farm House Juice
Sprout LIfestyle Cafe