AMBEE is based in Singapore. She is a Plant-based Influencer, a Social Entrepreneur Speaker Educator and a Vegan Mom Raising Vegan Kids. She strongly believes in “You are what you eat.”. She is also certified in Plant based Nutrition and Food Sustainability from eCornell.
Meatless Movement recently had a chat with her. She told Meatless Movement that before she switched to a vegan diet, she had stopped buying and using leather because it made no sense to her why an animal would have to be bred, finally to be killed for their skin so she could wear a certain brand of shoes or carry that handbag.
Please tell us more about yourself
I am originally from India, living in Singapore for the past 10 years. I am an IT Business Analyst by qualification. I live here with my husband and 2 children. I am a speaker and educator in the field of plant based lifestyle. I am also a vegan recipe creator and a social media influencer.
Being environmentally conscious,in the real sense, began with what we put on our plates, every single time we sat down to eat
AMBEE Plant-based Influencer
Although I am an IT Business Analyst by qualification, I have been spending most of my time in the past 5 – 6 years as a Social Entrepreneur, Speaker and Educator. I have been giving talks and conducting workshops to spread awareness about the ethical, environmental and health benefits of leading a plant based lifestyle. I am certified in Whole Food Plant Based Nutrition and Food Sustainability from eCornell, the online version of Cornell University. I have spoken at multiple international events reaching out to thousands of people from around the world with the message that what we choose to it, matters on various fronts.
I conduct online and in person vegan cooking workshops to help people realise that vegan food can be delicious, nutritious and very easy to cook. I run a Social Enterprise called Vegan Keno, which in Bengali means, “Why Vegan?”.
One of the easiest and effective ways to reduce our ecological footprint and to save out planet from a complete climate collapse is to add more plant based ingredients to our diets.
AMBEE Plant-based Influencer
I turned vegetarian in 2006 because of ethical reasons. In 2016, I turned vegan along with my family for health, environmental and ethical reasons.
After I turned vegan, a number of health issues that I was suffering from were resolved – hypothyroidism, excessive weight issues, migrane, poor digestion and immunity.
There are many vegan options available nowadays at many restaurants. More important than that, people in general are more aware of why we are vegan.
Sometimes, when my friends invite me to their homes, I often bring some vegan food along for everyone to share. That way, others can try vegan food and if there is not enough vegan options at my friend’s place, we do not go hungry.
What are your favourite vegan food?
We eat at several places as a family like – Prive, Real Food, Eight Treasures, Loving Hut, Yantra, Whole Earth, local food courts etc. Many of these places are vegan or have several vegan options like pastas, stir fried vegetables, noodles, soups, sandwiches etc along with several vegan desserts.
Times are changing and people are becoming more aware of the ethical, environmental and health aspects of consuming cow’s milk.
These are some easy, nutritious and delicious vegan recipes that I create or recreate for my family and friends.. these are recipes for anyone who is keen to try vegan dishes.. each one is created to bust various myths about vegan food.. vegan food is like any other food.. if cooked and planned well, they are yummy, nutritionally superior to many other types of diet or lifestyle..
How to help someone trying a vegan diet for the first time
“Where do vegans get their proteins from?”
AMBEE Plant-based Influencer
Thats the question vegans get asked more number of times than anything else
Last year, when I was being interviewed by a parenting radio station in Malaysia on the topic of Vegan Parenting, there was a comment that said that parents like me who do not offer meat to their children should be jailed. It was interesting how when parents buy their kids tonnes of processed meats and dairy, no one bats an eye but when someone is trying raise healthy kids on fruits and vegetables, they are called bad parents.
There are many misconceptions among non vegans, like – lack of protein, that its expensive, lack of calcium, that they do not taste good etc. Depending upon who I am talking to, I try and bust all of these myths. I explain to them how healthy a vegan lifestyle can be for preventing and even reversijg several chronic diseases, about how animal products like meat, dairy, eggs and seafood needmassive quantities of our natural resources and emit unreasonable tonnes of greenhouse gases, and also about the plight of the animal lives.
Include enough calories in your diet from the following groups of food – Whole Foods, Legumes, Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts and Seeds. If needed, take it slow at the beginning. Ramp it up gradually.
AMBEE🌱 Plant-based Influencer
Cause
🐢Social Entrepreneur Speaker Educator
🥦Vegan Mom Raising Vegan Kids
🌿Parenting Food Fitness Lifestyle
🍈Plant-based Nutrition Certified
🇸🇬Singapore
all images courtesy of Ambee