When it comes to becoming vegan, Australia is actually seen as one of the easiest countries in the world. As recently as this year, the search term ‘Vegan’ has surpassed ‘Harry Potter’ in Google searches in Australia.
Veganism: Bringing Forward A Fairer World
‘One person can’t make a difference!’- These words used against vegans everywhere. There are thousands of social injustices occurring everywhere. The usual injustices brought up to vegans are poverty (‘not everyone can afford to be vegan’) & world hunger (‘there are starving children, can’t you be glad for what you have to eat?’). This point can be easily disputed with the following points:
- You can be passionate about more than one thing. No one ever accused Oprah that her women’s rights views stop her ability to help fight poverty.
- Vegans actually shop in fewer aisles in grocery stores. If anything they have MORE time than the regular omnivore.
Or, if they want a REAL argument:
A study by the Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension at Haramaya University, Ethiopia studied the impacts of wheat prices on the poverty levels of Ethiopia. It was determined that a 1% increase in the price of wheat (after inflation) would result in a 0.25% increase in the population falling below poverty. At the time of writing, the population of Ethiopia is currently estimated at 107,692,191. This means a 1% increase in grain prices would result in 269,230 falling into poverty. It is estimated that only 55% of the world’s crops are produced to feed humans. Even more alarming, it takes 100 calories of grain to produce 12 calories of chicken meat or 3 calories of beef.
Almost all studies done on global food economics make a recommendation that the western diet is unsustainable, even more so with India and China, the worlds two biggest countries starting to adopt western eating habits.
You Want to Be a Healthy Vegan
Health is a major concern of people contemplating veganism and especially their loved ones. When followed correctly, a vegan diet is a recipe for success when it comes to health. There are many myths surrounding a vegan diet when it comes to nutrition.
Amino Acids
There are 22 known amino acids. Our bodies can produce most of these, but 9 of these are considered essential acids – ones that our bodies cannot live without or produce. These include:
- Isoleucine: Found in almonds, lentils, seeds, soy & wheat.
- Leucine: Found in almonds, brown rice, lentils, seeds, soy & wheat
- Lysine: Found in Lima beans, potatoes, soy & yeast.
- Methionine: Found in beans, garlic, lentils, onions & soybeans
- Phenylalanine: Found in almonds, avocados, peanuts & seeds
- Threonine: Found in beans, nuts & seeds
- Tryptophan: Found in barley, brown rice, peanuts & soybeans
- Valine: Found in grains, mushrooms, nuts & soy
- Histidine: Found in rice & wheat
Do Vegans have Protein Deficiency?
Protein deficiency has become somewhat of a joke amongst vegans. All essential amino acids can be found in plans, so vegans do not suffer from a lack of quality protein. In terms of quantity, protein deficiency at its worst is called kwashiorkor. Symptoms include: swelling of the feet, loss of teeth and swelling of the liver that creates the impression of a fat belly. You will have a hard time trying to find kwashiorkor in Australia. There is a reason the word no-one knows the word.
Should Vegans Get Blood Tests?
Vegans should absolutely get bood tests! Forget protein (and even iron), concerned friends and family should be asking about vitamin b12. This is by far the hardest and most important nutrient for vegans to obtain from eating fruits and vegetables. Thankfully, most vegan foods and plant-based milk substitutes on the market are fortified with vitamin b12. B12 deficiency can cause long-term nerve damage. Taking blood tests at least once a year can help re-assure family, and more importantly yourself, that you are in control of your health. All Australians should consider annual blood checks as a health precaution considering heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in Australia.
Becoming Vegan
It is easier than you think to become a vegan in Australia. While some make the transition to vegan overnight, it takes others a while to fully transition to full-time veganism. Whichever way you select, we encourage you to surround yourself with positive people. You need to be sure that you are comfortable with this way of life and constantly having to defend it can quickly cause you to burn out.
Once you become vegan, or indicate that you are interested, you will be amazed how quickly the myth of vegans being judgemental will disappear. There are countless social media groups where you can find support and answers at the drop of a hat. Don’t know if an ingredient is vegan? All you have to do is ask. Not sure where to find vegan shoes? We have you covered.
Get Your Kit To Becoming Vegan Australia Now.
Vegan food has an amazing range of styles and tastes that are easy and comforting. The prices associated with being vegan should be in every Australians range. Just take a walk through the meat section and compare prices per kilo to the produce. So, do not worry that your monthly expenditure will increase if you start leading a vegan lifestyle. Vegan Shopping Tips is here to help you make an affordable transition!
If you are looking for a Vegan starter kit, we would highly recommend the following book from Neal D. Barnard.
This book is available on Amazon or Kindle here. Unlike many of the other starter kits that you may find, this one does not dwell much on graphic imagery or exploitation. I believe that once someone has made the choice to become vegan they should not force themselves to consider activities they are not funding. Instead, the best thing they can do is take care of themselves and ensure their time as a vegan is sustainable and long-term – not a fast burnout from lack of nutritional help.
Don’t be scared to consult your general practitioner or a nutritionist. Veganism is becoming prevalent enough that most GP’s would have multiple vegan patients.
Beyond diet
Apart from the food, animals are surprisingly used in a lot of other products. Vegans aim for a world without exploitation against animals. This is why you need to try to avoid all the goods containing animal products or animal testing as much as you can. There are vegan alternatives for all the non-vegan goods such as leather, fur, skin shoes and clothes, beauty products applied and tested on animals. We at Vegan Shopping Tips are here for you. We collect the best prices and deals on vegan goods and share them. We want your vegan lifestyle to be easy and limitless.
So, whether you are looking for clothing such as vegan shoes or boots, or health-related items such as supplements or pro-biotics you can always visit our website to find recommendations we collect from the Vegan community based on price and quality. If you are confused or have recommendations to make yourself, then you can reach out to us.