Technically speaking, to choose a vegan lifestyle is “the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet.” When you really examine the choice to go plant-based, though, it’s about so much more than what you eat. It’s about choosing to understand the sentience of the creatures we share the earth with. It’s making informed, healthy decisions about what goes into your body. It’s decommodifying other lives and reframing your consumer choices through a cruelty-free perspective. It’s also, luckily, pretty delicious!
November 1 is World Vegan Day, and the Sandton Central community is here to celebrate it! You don’t need to be a hardcore vegan to take part in these celebrations, either. Even occasionally incorporating plant-based choices into your diet is enough to make a significant difference – to both the planet and your health. The Sandton Central area is filled with fantastic vegan restaurants and outlets, so you can easily try out this lifestyle without going out of your way.
What are the benefits of eating vegan?
For many people, the main benefit of choosing a vegan diet is harm reduction to animals. Though a significant consideration, it’s only one of the many reasons a plant-based lifestyle could improve your life. Here are a few more benefits of eating vegan to consider:
- Eating vegan can help promote weight loss, which might be exactly what you’re looking for if you want to shed those last few kilograms of winter weight before December swimsuit season.
- Not eating animal fats could drastically reduce your cholesterol levels, which lowers your risk of serious heart disease.
- A vegan diet can lower your risk of certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer. It can also manage your risks of contracting diabetes by lowering your A1C (blood sugar) levels significantly.
Choosing a vegan diet can help save the planet, too! Plant-based purchasing stops the deforestation, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with meat production. Veganism reduces your carbon footprint so significantly that 1 vegan day per week (52 days a year) can save nearly 50kgs of CO2 emissions annually! Not only are you being kind to animals and your body, but you’re being kind to the earth we all share, too. Convinced to give it a go yet?
An easy vegan recipe to get you started
To get you started on your vegan journey, here’s an easy, delicious recipe to show you that you don’t need animal products for a scrumptious summer meal! We got this recipe for Zaalouk pasta with olives from Taste, and you can purchase all these ingredients at Woolworths Food in Sandton City. Bon appetit, veggies!
Ingredients
- 2 large brinjals
- 3 large tomatoes, washed
- 4 T olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 t Woolworths roasted garlic paste
- 150 g fettuccine, cooked
- 80 g Kalamata olives, pitted
- Basil, for serving
Method
- Roast the brinjals and tomatoes over an open flame until the skins are blackened. Allow to cool slightly, then peel.
- Roughly chop the brinjals together and place in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil, seasoning, onion and roasted garlic paste.
- Toss the zaalouk through the cooked pasta and serve with the olives and fresh basil.
Where can I get readymade vegan food?
If you’re not the cooking type (it’s not for all of us), then you can take advantage of the selection of vegan and plant-based restaurants in the Sandton Central area! Find delicious vegan meals at:
– The Vegan Chef, Benmore Shopping Centre
– Kauai, Sandton City
– Nü Health Food Alice Lane, Inside Virgin Active Classic
So… want to go vegan for a day?
Now you know why it’s good for you and the planet, how to cook up a 3-step vegan dish, and exactly where to go if you’re still hungry afterwards! Are you ready to take up the challenge and go plant-based on the 1st of November? Even one day spent consciously buying vegan products makes a difference, and this is the ideal opportunity to try something fresh and new. Head into Sandton Central this World Vegan Day to celebrate the veggie lifestyle with like-minded people and experience the ultimate lifestyle destination for healthy lifestyle choices.
