Plant-based lifestyle is becoming more and more popular these days. Meatless Movement asked a delightful vegan from Singapore her tips on getting the most benefits from the switch.
I have been a vegan for slightly over 5 years now and I see myself doing this in the long run.
@delightful.vegan
Tell us more about yourself
Hello! My name is Stephanie Ng and I am 24 from sunny Singapore. I just started working full-time and I have been a vegan slightly over 5 years. I turned vegan when I entered University.
I went vegan for a variety of reasons: Health, ethical reasons, mental health, overall-well-being. There was a period of time where I wasn’t in the best of health and I read the Starch Solution by Dr McDougall.
I decided to try out a mostly whole-food plant-based lifestyle to heal my body and I saw the benefits of it over time.
@delightful.vegan
I gained a lot of weight in the initial stages of going vegan as I needed it to regain my health. It was a tough challenge to keep up but I pushed through and I eventually gained my health back, my weight tapered off and I have been happier and healthier since.
It was very tough in the initial stages as veganism was not popular in Singapore
@delightful.vegan
It was definitely not an easy task convincing my family that going vegan was healthy back in 2016 as it was still a very new concept. It took a lot of patience and understanding, disagreements and eventual compromising over the years. Back then, there were not as many vegan options as compared to the recent few years where plant-based alternatives are booming in the market. I struggled to find options when eating out when I first started off, but now, it is so easy to eat out with my family and friends.
I have also tried to incorporate the plant-based lifestyle into other aspects of my life such as using ethically produced, vegan friendly healthcare products.
In 2016, there were limited options in normal restaurants. Not many F&B staff were knowledgeable about what veganism was. I found it hard to communicate my needs when eating out. I found it hard to incorporate it when having meals outside and when eating with my friends and family, they would also have to accommodate to my needs.
I began to eat more home cooked meals, be in-charge of my own meals, especially when staying in hall.
I was very uptight about being a perfect vegan and be hard on myself when I screwed up. But over time I realised that intention is greater than perfection.
Being vegan teaches me to be humble, respectful of everyone’s life choices and not to be hard on myself
@delightful.vegan
I enjoy my lifestyle and the food I eat. Give it a shot, there are so many meat alternatives out there to start off. Even incorporating a vegan meal once a week is a step in the right direction. Vegan food can be delicious, and not just plain ole boring salads.
Search up good vegan food on the internet, there are multiple options across Singapore, you will never know if you don’t try.
What are some of your favourite vegan foods?
My personal favourite places are definitely Loving Hut, Genius Central, Well.Loft, Well Smoocht, Smoocht, Afterglow and Eight Treasures Vegetarian. Fortune Centre is a vegan/vegetarian heaven.
When I cook at home, that will be Omni meat, the range of Gardein products, and tempeh too.
People always have the misconception that being vegan is hard and always ask me why I turned vegan.
@delightful.vegan
Turning vegan has allowed me to forge new friendships too! I met a lot of new friends through the vegan community as we could connect over good food and similar interests. I actually met one of my best girlfriends through veganism! I do enjoy sharing my story and I have prepared way before hand to do so.
To those who are curious, try incorporating one plant-based meal a week into your life, that is 1/21 meals in a week. Who knows, you may unlock a whole new realm of dishes that are out there!
Do check out my IG @delightful.vegan for more vegan food recommendations
[uwp_user_meta key=’instagram’ user_id=’80’ show=” css_class=” ]All images courtesy of @delightful.vegan