We need protein, but not meat. We need calcium, but not milk, and we need omegas, but not fish

Farah Amber is a passionate vegan content creator known as @farahvegan. With a rich cultural background of Dutch and Surinamese-Indian heritage, Farah hails from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and now calls Dubai, UAE, and Mumbai, India, her home.

Her purpose and greatest passion lie in using her platform to share educational video content about veganism and animal rights on Instagram and YouTube.

Her journey to veganism was inspired by her brother, who had already embraced a vegan lifestyle for a year. Having previously transitioned to vegetarianism as a New Year’s resolution, Farah found herself accidentally adopting a plant-based diet while living with her vegan brother during the Covid quarantine, enjoying many vegan family dinners together.

Meatless Movement had the opportunity to chat with her recently.

Please tell us more about yourself

When we say ‘eating meat is my personal choice’, we’re forgetting someone 🐷🐔🐮
Farah Amber 🌱

Hi, my name is Farah Amber and I am a vegan content creator @farahvegan. I am of half Dutch and half Surinamese-Indian origin and I am originally from Amsterdam, The Netherlands and now live between Dubai, UAE, and Mumbai, India.

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My biggest passion is to share educational video content on veganism and animal rights on my Instagram and YouTube. My purpose is to raise awareness and spread knowledge about veganism. I also host a podcast titled ‘All the cool kids are vegan 🌱’ where I invite guests to talk about all things vegan.

Let’s make the connection between our daily choices and the consequences they have on the lives of so many animals
Farah Amber 🌱

I have been vegan for exactly 3 years now.

I turned vegan in August 2020 after I was inspired by my brother, who had been a vegan for a year by then. I had turned vegetarian earlier that year as a New Year’s resolution, but during the Covid quarantine I was living together again with my brother and because we had a lot of vegan family dinners, I was already accidentally plant-based. I then remember the moment where I had ordered outside food, which was a heavy dairy dish, that made me feel so nauseous!

I decided then and there that I never want to eat something that makes my body feel that way ever again and I completely quit dairy and eggs. I then learnt so much about the animal agriculture industry and what happens to animals that there was no going back. After educating myself about it all, I became super passionate about being vegan and spreading the vegan message on- and offline.

Remember that we have other food, animals don’t have another life.
Farah Amber 🌱

Over these past three years, I have learned quite a bit about finding vegan-friendly options when I’m out. During social gatherings, I am often asked whether I ever ‘cheat’ on my vegan diet. My response is that I wouldn’t want to support animal industries by purchasing non-vegan products and even if I wanted to eat something non-vegan, my body would reject it.

I actually remember one instance in India where there was a ritual happening and I did not want to be rude so I took the vegan sweet that was handed to me after the ritual and I took a bite but I had to spit it out because the dairy content was so heavy that I simply couldn’t swallow it.

Also, it can definitely be challenging to be the only vegan in a friends group but you just have to stay strong and be proud of your ethical diet and take comfort in knowing that you are the living example for your friends on how you can thrive on a plant-based diet.

Animals exist. and their reasons for being are not tied to our wants.
Farah Amber 🌱

I love being vegan. I feel like I have become a completely different person than I used to be pre-vegan. I am much more aware of the impact of my choices beyond food and I’ve become an overall more compassionate person. Even when it comes to my interaction with insects – I prefer to catch and release rather than kill them.

I’ve become so much more aware and knowledgeable about everything that we do to animals and to the environment which has transitioned me to become such a passionate animal rights advocate.

I can’t wait for every non-vegan to experience the heightened sense of compassion that comes with adopting a vegan lifestyle.

How would you encourage someone who hasn’t tried meatless food yet to give it a chance?

Ask yourself: If it’s truly natural and just a ‘personal choice’, why is it so hard to watch?
Farah Amber 🌱

I would play the health card! The consumption of meat has been linked to various health problems that actually affect many people I know. I also try to remind them of the individuality of animals and the fact that if they had to kill their own food, they might think twice about consuming meat. Also, meatless food is delicious! With the wide range of plant-based meat substitutes we can show them that the taste is the same but healthier and more ethical.

Let’s let them live theirs ❤️ choose plant-based alternatives 🌱
Farah Amber 🌱

My go-to vegan meals are often Mexican or Asian, which is so easy and yummy to make vegan. You can see a reel here that I made of a home-made tofu dish. Vietnamese and Thai food are easily vegan because of the coconut milk they use in their curries. See a photo below of a restaurant in Dubai called Vietnamese Foodies which has a great vegan menu.

To someone who’s just beginning to go meatless, what is your advice?

We say we are against animal abuse but our support of the meat, dairy and egg industries contradicts this claim
Farah Amber 🌱

I would encourage them to experiment with various dishes and try to veganize their favorite meals. By substituting non-vegan ingredients with vegan alternatives, they can continue to enjoy their favorite foods in a plant-based format.

I personally experienced a lot of health benefits I’ve observed since becoming vegan. The migraines I used to experience when consuming dairy have disappeared, and the constant fatigue I used to struggle with I don’t have anymore 🙂

The choice to consume meat doesn’t solely impact the individual making the choice; it has implications on the animals, the environment, and on global food security.
Farah Amber 🌱

There are numerous misconceptions about a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle that can be easily debunked. You can check out an episode I did on this topic on my podcast here.

Becoming a vegan has truly transformed my life. It has given me a purpose to be a voice for animals, and I am deeply grateful for this journey.

If you’re contemplating a vegan lifestyle and need guidance, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram. I’d be more than happy to assist you in transitioning towards a more compassionate lifestyle 🫶