Many consider living a healthy lifestyle by being vegan and regular exercise is a privilege because it is expensive. Then make many people retreat before knowing more about the vegan lifestyle or vegan diet. wait, don't hurry back yet, let's learn together the ins and outs of veganism. The first thing you have to know is what vegan is, so far many think that vegan stands for vegetarian. Even though at first glance they are similar, vegan and vegetarian are two different terms. The definition of vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat but eats vegetables and plants. Whereas vegan is a vegetarian version that completely does not consume meat and all animal-derived products. One thing that distinguishes the two is that vegetarians are still tolerant of consuming some animal products such as milk, eggs, and honey.
Different from Vegan and Vegetarian
It is said that the vegetarian lifestyle has existed since 700 BC, the emergence of which is thought to be due to the emergence of public awareness to maintain health. Then there are also religious and cultural teachings that abstain from consuming meat. This lifestyle is believed to bring health, environmental, humanitarian, and ethical benefits.
Vegetarians themselves can be classified into several groups, namely:
Vegan
Vegans avoid all animal products, including eggs, dairy products, and gelatin, which are made from animal bones and connective tissue. Even honey, for many vegans, is a food ingredient that is not consumed because it is a bee product, which is an animal product. Being vegan, not only paying attention to the food consumed but also in every aspect of life. Vegans avoid leather, wool, and silk goods, fatty soaps, and other products made with animal ingredients.Semi-vegetarian
Semi-vegetarians, also known as flexitarian, generally eat less meat from mammals. So eat only chicken, fish, or both.Lacto-ovo-vegetarian
This type of vegetarian is most common in Indonesia, where they don't eat beef, pork, poultry, fish, seafood, and all kinds of animals but they still eat eggs and dairy products.Lacto-vegetarian
This diet does not include red meat, white meat, fish, poultry, and eggs. However, Lacto-vegetarians consume dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt.Ovo-vegetarian
This type of vegetarian still eats eggs but does not consume red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products at all.Pesco-vegetarian
Apart from consuming plant products, the pesco vegetarian also eats fish. This type of vegetarian does not consume animal products other than fish. So, red meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products are foods that the vegetarian pesco avoids.
Tips for an economical vegan diet
One of the most frequently considered questions for changing the lifestyle to be vegan or vegetarian is the high cost. Yet there is no reason being vegetarian or vegan should be more expensive than the usual lifestyle. Tempeh and tofu, two Indonesian specialties, for example, are cheaper than meat. Other Indonesian vegetarian foods such as gado-gado, karedok, pecel sayur, or lontong sayur can also be made vegan by simply removing eggs, prawn crackers, and a few other ingredients. Here are tips for staying frugal while on a vegan diet.
Make Meal Prep
Meal prepping is planning the food menu that you will consume in the next few days. Besides saving time, meal prepping also saves you in shopping for groceries because it is planned in such away. All that is needed with the meal prep is an airtight container so that it is safe to store in the refrigerator. Also, make sure that meal preps contain adequate daily intake of vitamins and nutrients and do not spoil quickly.Shopping as needed
We recommend that if you shop for groceries, buy them to prepare one week ahead. By writing a grocery list and planning the menu for the next week, you can avoid buying something that you don't need and are more economical.Shopping at Traditional Markets
You can shop for vegetables and fruit and kitchen spices at the nearest traditional market. Apart from being cheaper, seasonal fruit choices are also more varied in traditional markets.Reduce outside snacks
Often what makes a vegan diet expensive is the price of food at vegan restaurants, which is quite pricey. Now and then you are allowed to eat at the restaurant, but don't be too frequent. It will be more profitable if you make your food at home.Grow Your Vegetables
Growing vegetables at home are not only beneficial for soil and air but are also beneficial for your pockets. Those of you who are good at farming can start planting various vegetables which you will harvest for weekly stock.
Being vegan or vegetarian provides similar health benefits to the body as it encourages us to eat more foods that are rich in antioxidants and are nutrient-dense. Healthy food ingredients are also not only found in quinoa, almonds, and chia seeds which are usually expensive. Indonesia has a wide variety of sources of complex carbohydrates that are affordable and suitable for both vegan and vegetarian diets.