This is yet another brand find from the Northern Vegan festival, Vivani are a premium chocolate brand- not all their range is vegan but they have a great selection. The white chocolate nougat bar is delicious, it's made with rice drink powder instead of milk. Other vegan options include dark nougat, orange and cherry. The whole range is also organic meaning it is a healthier option.
If you are looking for a healthier version to most fizzy drinks Whole Earth is a great brand. Their drinks are made with sparkling water and natural ingredients. They are certified organic and suitable for vegans! So there's no need to give up fizzy drinks but instead switch to a healthier brand.
I honestly can't remember what milk tastes like. Isn't that strange? The thought came to be the other day when I was enjoying a soya hot chocolate in one of my favourite vegan cafes Earth. I was trying to remember how different milk tastes from soya or if it tastes different at all and I couldn't, after around four months of being vegan I have forgotten what something I used to have all the time tastes like.
I've never been a huge fan of dairy products anyway but having spent so long being vegetarian I didn't realise how quickly I could forget the taste of something and how I no longer cared. I am happy to have my hot chocolate with soya, oat milk or even water, I don't crave dairy or feel that I need it in my diet. I actually feel healthier now that I've removed it, maybe it wasn't as good for me as I once believed.
So for everyone who feels that they will never live without the taste of milk, cheese or meat trust me you will, you will even forget the taste of it or why you loved it so much in the first place!
The things I thought I'd never be able to live without were cheese, milk chocolate and milk in my tea. Now I love the Violife alternative to cheese, to me it tastes the same so I'm not missing out, vegan chocolate wins hands down in the taste competitions to any chocolate I ever ate in the past and I now love the creamy oat milk I have in my tea and couldn't imagine a brew without it. Apparently it takes your taste buds around 21 times of eating something to get used to it, which is always good to remember when trying new foods, but maybe it also means that after a few weeks of not eating something you forget what it's like.
Taste changes if you allow it, your body adapts, your mind changes. You CAN live without meat and dairy, you might even prefer the alternatives. Why not give it a go?
Liam Hemsworth recently did an interview for men's health where he announced he has now gone vegan. This is exciting news because when a celebrity does something...anything it makes the news, it has a wider audience and reaches more people. The Hunger Games star will undoubtedly have many fans who will be wondering about his new lifestyle, looking into what it means to be vegan and maybe deciding to follow in his footsteps? This can only be a good thing, it also gets the idea of being vegan into the news. People will debate and question him, some will disagree but it gets people talking because celebrities have power in the media.
Hemsworth said in the interview he went vegan for his own health and also because he's looked into the mistreatment of animals in the meat industry and couldn't be a part of it anymore. Such great reasons to go vegan and similar to a lot of people's experience. He also used to eat a lot of red meat as it is supposed to be healthy but he said it left him feeling worse. Hopefully this will make people question what they eat. Does your food make you feel good or ill? Intuitive eating is the way forward, just because you have always ate something doesn't mean you have to continue or that it's good for you. Often a lot of what we eat is merely out of habit and habits are easily broken.
Hemsworth also stated how people now ask where he gets his protein and how he feels- any vegan can relate! No one cares more about your health that when you decided to go vegan. And the reality is people should concentrate on their own diet, a lot of research and time goes into being vegan, you have to make sure you are getting all your nutrients. That's not to say all vegans are healthy as anyone can eat badly but most people don't make the change to become vegan without a lot of thought. The people who question another's diet should look closely at their own first- is it really as healthy as you think?
One things for sure Hemsworth is joining a growing group of vegan celebrities: Woody Harrelson, his co-star who inspired him to go vegan, Jared Leto, Lea Michele, Alanis Morissette, Toby Maguire and Ellen DeGeneres and many more. These are the people who may have the biggest impact in challenging people's views as fans want to know all about a celebrities life and maybe imitate them. Let's hope more film stars go vegan soon!
Check out the Men's Health article here:
http://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/liam-hemsworth-force-nature
Never fear the best vegan cooking chocolate has been found. The search is over and this luxury brand is not only dairy and egg free but contains no gluten, is nut free and is made in a special factory away from cross contamination- no may contain milk warnings necessary!
It delivers on being a vegan brand you can trust and has a gorgeous, rich taste perfect for baking. By melting the chocolate and adding it to recipes you can create brownies, cakes and biscuits.
Found in the free from aisle of many supermarkets, this bar was bought in ASDA and is priced at around £1.30 which is cheap for vegan chocolate. It is worth buying this brand even if you just want a few squares of dark chocolate to snack on each day as the price is much cheaper than many other brands for around the same weight. Plus by supporting this brand it shows the demand for products free from any cross contamination.
Making the change to become vegan can be daunting and difficult at first. Although it doesn't have to be. Here are the top ten tips for becoming vegan:
1) Do you research- Perhaps the most important piece of advice. If you simply cut out all meat and diary products but don't replace them you'll probably start your vegan journey tired and hungry. Just know there is a vegan replacement for everything and you can have the same meals in a different version. It's also important to research where to get your essential nutrients from such as your protein and calcium, that way when worried meat eaters ask you, you can answer back with a list of alternatives.
2) Experiment- So you don't have to become a crazy scientist but do try out different recipes, foods and products. It can take time to get used to new foods and develop your taste buds, you never know what foods you will love so give everything a go and expand your horizons.
3) Go to Vegan restaurants- If you are lucky enough to live near an all vegan restaurant go there for a meal, if not try the vegan options at a vegetarian place. There will be more variety and thought put into the food. Other restaurants may have one option on the menu that can leave you bored and uninspired. Totally vegan places will mean you don't have to worry about how the foods been cooked, you will be spoilt for choice and the staff will have a wealth of knowledge about vegan food.
4) Support Vegan businesses- from fashion to food, shop anywhere that supports the vegan lifestyle. The only way to make veganism more mainstream and accepted is to show a demand for the products.
5) Pack a snack- There's nothing worse than being somewhere and feeling hungry and not being able to find any vegan food. Always keep a protein bar or vegan snack with you to avoid this major crisis.
6) Share your passion- Judging others for their meat and dairy eating lifestyle isn't likely to change them and it gives vegans a bad reputation. Simply share what you love with others, teach rather than lecture and tell people why you are vegan rather than telling them why they should go vegan. At the end of the day everyone has to make their own decisions in life, you can't force people to see the world like you do but you can show them what you believe in the hope that it will educate them.
7) Use social media- Facebook, instagram, blogs and twitter are all useful tools. Vegans share recipes, products, ideas and their journeys. So use your social media for more than just stalking your friends and learn from other vegans.
8) Start a vegan notebook- This is a handy tool for jotting down all your vegan tips. If you notice places that have a vegan option, a new vegan brand or a place that sells your favourite products cheaper you can write it down so you don't forget.
9) Ask questions- E-mail companies about whether they have vegan options and ask restaurants if they can adapt a meal to be vegan, This again shows a demand for vegan products.
10) Stay strong- It can be difficult and daunting at first but stay strong and remember why you made the change in the first place. Remember it is a journey and you will constantly be learning about new foods and finding products you love. More and more vegan items are appearing on the market and veganism is increasing in popularity everyday so stick at it, stay motivated and remember that even one person going vegan makes a different to animals lives, the environment and your own health.
