Vegan Eating: Not Bland and Boring
When someone talks about vegan diets, many people give him/her a peculiar stare as if the person grazes on fields for food. Just dropping meat and fish from your daily diet does not make it any less tasty and healthy. It’s true that in bygone days, vegans had only a few options. But this is not the scenario any more.
There is a variety of options to tease and appease your jaded taste palate. Personally, many people love salad prepared with colourful vegetables, fruits or a mix of both. Colours are so much fun when it is served on a platter. A simple WOW moment for almost everyone! Fruit salads are an eye teaser. Apart from their look, they taste delicious, fill your tummy and load the right kind of nutrition in your body. There are protein-rich greens like kale, broccoli, lettuce, healthy vegan snacks and the list simply goes on.
While the variety may feel tempting for those already on vegan diets, the carnivores will think or scream, “Yuk, bland food”.
In many dinner parties with their relatives and the strangers, many vegans are subjected to both curiosity and teases for their dietary choices. “Cutting protein is not good for health”, “You are almost starving” – these are some common refrains many vegans have been used to hear from their well-wishers. There are millions like them. It is high time to bust some long-nourished myths about vegan food.
Myth #1: Vegan Food is Not Tasty
When people say bad things about vegan varieties, it is really surprising why they gorge on bhel puri, pani puri, papri chaat, dahi vada, dhosa, paratha and many other tasty snacks. They munch on potato chips, popcorns and don’t prefer burgers or biryani while watching an engaging movie or a riveting match. They go crazy about paneer tikka, cauliflower curry, jackfruit gravy and many such dishes in their lunch menu. They have no love lost for samosa, noodles, and so many chaats.
So, you see the range of options. Now vegan versions of many non-vegan foods such as, biryani are also available. These add to the already umpteen choices. Vegan cheese and vegan ice cream are already in the market.
Don’t you love fruit jams plastered on breads? Then, how can you call vegan foods not yummy? The matter of fact is, you cringe at the word “Vegan” but love the foods that come under the category. An amazing paradox!
Myth #2: Vegan Food is Boring
An interesting variety of vegan foods have already found a mention above. And it’s just the tip of the iceberg. You cannot deny that on any day, these are divine delights. The sumptuous vegan spreads on table are not made of some weird ingredients. You can whip up magic with a simple twist. Do you know a little passion for magic can turn banana into ice cream, peanuts into curd, chickpea water into whipped cream, jackfruit into vegan meat? And the list just goes on. These are not bland in taste; so, how can they be boring?
Myth #3: Vegan Food is Not Healthy
Vegan foods are packed with necessary vitamins, minerals and other ingredients for your good health. Tofu, chickpea, lentils, peanuts, almonds etc are rich in protein. There are vegan protein bars to meet your daily protein quota. Rice, millet, bread, sweet potatoes, beats, apples, dates, mango, pineapple, bananas fulfil your necessary carbohydrate intake. For vegans, nuts and seeds are a good source of necessary fat, protein and fibre. So, you see, you won’t miss out anything!
Pro Tip: Try to be a vegan for 7 days, and notice a change in your moods too along with a fitter body!!