Meating the challenge: 30 days of veganism done and dusted

AFTER thirty days of going vegan my challenge has come to an end, and sausages are out the door.

AFTER thirty days of going vegan my challenge has come to an end, and sausages are out the door.

Fantastic digestion is often touted as one of the serious health perks of going vegan, and after thirty days of just plants I can assure you, it's true.

While I'm not a huge meat eater normally, cutting it out completely has made me realise we don't need as much meat as it has been drummed into us as children from the old school food triangle.

This was a yummy meal I whipped up, replacing mince on tacos for a delicious guacamole recipe. Picture: Amy Formosa

In fact we don't need a lot of dairy either.

I found trading dairy milk for almond milk a satisfying choice and after the challenge was over, even a taste of cows milk didn't settle so well in my stomach.

I've now replaced dairy milk for almond and coconut milk varieties. 

Cutting out eggs was a tough one for me.

After careful research, I have worked out a way I can be morally comfortable eating eggs.

From what I have read there is nothing cruel about eating the eggs of backyard chickens if they have been rescued from a poultry or egg farm.

Growing up on a farm with chickens that were loved and cared for, I can't buy eggs from the shops knowing how the animals are treated (Just watch the videos but be warned you may be left distressed).

I grew up on a farm where our chickens were taken care of. Picture: Rainer Schmittchen

After a tough first couple of weeks of the challenge I got into my groove and was feeling a lot more energised with my new diet.

According to science, digestion isn't the only health advantage of a plant based diet, there are plenty of other benefits I might not be feeling in the short term.

VEGAN BENEFITS

1. Increased energy
2. Better digestive
3. Preventing the exploitation of animals
4. A plant-based diet requires only one third of the land needed to support a meat and dairy diet

Thanks to the World Health Organisation, last year we all learnt that bacon and other processed meats are carcinogenic, but studies over the years have also shown that vegetarians are about 40 per cent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat-eaters, and are less likely to develop heart disease and type two diabetes.

I'm not going to lie - I wasn't a fan of the vegan pies and after having tofu for a week - I was pretty much done with it.

I also read about the downfalls of eating too much soy and the impact it has on our hormones. 

I wasn't a fan of the vegan style pies. Picture: Amy Formosa

But I did discover vegan lentil patties from my local Coles that will continue to replace the preservative filled beef patties I once ate on burgers.

I found a yummy lentil patty that tasted great on a burger. Picture: Amy Formosa

While I am still one to listen to my body and won't be cutting out meat and other animal by products completely, certain things have been cut and I have certainly make some life-long changes.

Knowing my body feels better without so much meat and dairy is a win for me, and for those of you who have had any digestive problems, I would certainly recommend giving it a go. 

Have you ever gone Vegan or tried a new diet? How did it go for you? Join the discussion and tell us below.