What does it mean to “GO VEGAN”? Does it mean to give up all the wonderful things that you like to eat? Does it mean that you will lose weight and waste away because all you are eating are plants and vegetables? Not at all! Going vegan is a process of learning about what you are putting into your body and it’s effect on the environment and animals. At Sala KL restaurant, we hope to be a business that educates and encourages others to consider a more vegan, plant-based lifestyle. Our food is delicious and you will quickly realise that eating vegan food doesn’t mean eating boring, bland food! In this post, I want to share 3 great reasons to “GO VEGAN”!
1. Your Health
We all care about our health, correct? A well thought out and planned vegan diet actually follows healthy eating guidelines where you can still get all the proper sources of nutrients and proteins. A lot of research has linked vegan diets with lower blood pressure, cholesterol and reduced risk of heart disease. By adopting a vegan diet, you will learn much more about cooking and how to prepare your meals for optimal healthy and performance.
If you are switching from a meat-based diet, you are going to have to rely more heavily on other foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans. These nutrition-dense foods are going to impact your overall health and wellness because you are simply going to be eating more of them than you are used to. You will be getting more fiber, antioxidants, potassium, essential vitamins, and magnesium. There can be a tendency to rely heavily on fast-food type of vegan foods (remember, even oreos are vegan!), but you will want to focus on whole foods that come from nutrition-rich plants.
You are ultimately the one who best knows your body and you will need to ensure you are getting everything your body needs. Sometimes it will be important to take supplements like Vitamin B12.
For a more detailed list of health benefits, head over to Health Line and read up on some great benefits to your healthy by “Going Vegan”!
Sala’s Vegan Mediterranean Salad
2. The Environment
Meat and dairy is terrible for the environment! From the farm to your table, there is an incredible amount of processing and environmental impact that happens to get that steak onto your plate. Consider the crops and water required to feed the animals as well as the transportation and other processes that are involved. Providing that amount of grain required to feed the animal production has huge contributions to deforestation, habitat loss and animal extinction.
Did you know that 5.6 million acres of land in Brazil is used to grow soya beans for animals in Europe? Many areas of the world are suffering from malnutrition because they are forced to grow food for animal feed rather than providing food for their own families to eat. Switching to a vegan lifestyle is one of the greatest contributions that we can make to our environment for future generations, including our own!
3. For Animals & People
Last but not least, of course, the impact on animals by going vegan cannot be underestimated. The belief that all animals have the right to live a great life is a motivating factor for many to choose a vegan, plant-based lifestyle. For others, it is the impact that a vegan lifestyle has on a sustainable world that is free of the mass production and impact that the meat industry has on animals and people. All animals fear death and all animals have the right to a peaceful life that is free of fear and abuse.
There are many things that we can do in small ways that make big impacts on the world around us. Every time we shop for food and every time we eat in a restaurant, we can make choices to have an impact on animals. Each time you choose to eat vegan over meat-based products, you are standing up for farm animals all over the world. Going vegan has become much easier as more and more people are adopting this way of life because the impact it has on the environment cannot be underestimated and we now know so much more than we did previously. You can make the switch by making small changes every day!
If you would like to experience a wonderful Vegan Restaurant in Malayisa, please drop in to experience our delicious food. We are located on: A-G-03A Galeria Hartamas, No 21, Jalan 26a/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas. We would be happy to see you and to serve you for either lunch, dinner or an afternoon coffee and vegan dessert!
For some great Malaysian facebook groups that support Vegans in Malaysia, consider joining:
- Kuala Lumpur Vegans and Vegetarians (https://www.facebook.com/groups/Klvegans/)
- The Vegans (https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheVegans/)
- Malaysian Vegan (https://www.facebook.com/groups/MalaysianVegan/)
See you at Sala!
