Thirty-five-year-old Priya Vijan made it to the top 11 of Masterchef India as the first vegan contestant on the show and bowed out because the format required her to work with animal foods and products. As somebody who grew up with the robust flavours of inclusive food – meat, fish and dairy – in a Punjabi family, she took a year to transition to a vegan diet and has been following it for four years. So she did not want to slip back to familiarity and be branded another faddist. Now, as a cloud kitchen chef, she is researching regional heritage cuisine that is mostly plant-based and proven to control lifestyle diseases. In fact, giving up dairy and animal products has improved her stuffy sinuses. “For years, I have been on antihistamines and eating clean has changed that. Besides, there’s a whole bouquet of nutrients that you get from plants provided you include more varieties in your diet. It’s just that we don’t look beyond the few vegetables we know. And these are unprocessed and nutrient-dense,” says the Bengaluru-based woman, who is now documenting the nutritional value of each local plant.
Thirty-year-old Stuti Parekh, also from Bengaluru, chose to become a vegan while working as an assistant manager at an animal protection firm. Compassion and concern for the environment may have prompted her choice but her vegan diet of six years has helped her overcome her gas, bloating and migraine. For Priyanka Kolvekar, 31, from Mumbai, following a plant-based diet for nine years has meant relief from her constipation, hairfall and acne. All three represent the growing number of younger people who are transitioning to vegan food as a serious health choice. Not only that, all three have been following a nutritionally-guided approach to avoid deficiencies and have transitioned in stages without sending the body into an abrupt denial mode. “One cannot be a food extremist, like living totally oilless and on raw food. A vegan diet works only when it is sustainable. Your body needs good fats, and so I use cold-pressed canola oils. Also, a vegan diet won’t make sense if you have the shop-shelf varieties because then they have the toxins and chemicals like any other processed dairy or meat product,” says Stuti.
For Priyanka Kolvekar, 31, from Mumbai, following a plant-based diet for nine years has meant relief from her constipation, hairfall and acne. (Credit: Priyanka kolvekar)
“I started eliminating my meats and dairy in a graded manner because de-conditioning yourself takes time. I got tested for my nutrient levels, especially B 12, a drill I follow till date and keep a chart of plant alternatives so that I know which plant foods to combine and avoid both macro and micronutrient deficiencies. Meal planning is very important if you are starting out as a vegan,” says Priyanka. Having completed a course on nutrition, Priya cannot agree more. “Veganism is about informed choices. Not all of us know that the calcium in ragi is higher than milk,” says she.
So what were their individual journeys like? Stuti worked with nutritionist Sneha Bhuwalka in goal-setting and working out nutrient-balancing combinations in her plant-based diet. “Now I know my lactose intolerance was causing my migraine. People feel there is a challenge with protein once you eliminate meat, fish, poultry and dairy. But we need just 0.8 gm/kg of body weight, which can be had from lentils, tofu, peas, soybean, grams and seeds. Chia seeds are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory, and exist in levels higher than the pro-inflammatory Omega-6 to keep diseases at bay. Of course, ALA (alpha linolenic acid), is the plant Omega 3 and while it makes very less of DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) in the body, the latter two can be got from algae oil instead of animal sources. I have a lot of nuts, walnuts and cashews for good fat, fruits and vegetables of various colours, quinoa and oats porridge for carbs. For those still leaning into familiar meaty flavours, there is seitan, or a plant-based meat substitute made out of gluten,” says Stuti who takes care of her Vitamin D by soaking up the sun for half-an-hour early morning. And watching her waistline, she mostly sautés her food or dribbles oil over salads.
Priyanka has cucumber and jackfruit dosas and believes that replacing ghee with groundnut and safflower oils can work with existing plant dishes we are used to. “The enzyme lactase in milk dips with age and cannot break down the lactose which is then acted upon by the gut bacteria, causing toxins and bloating. Casein causes inflammation and phlegm. That’s why I gave up dairy. Now my plate has one part grain, one part dal or beans, one part cooked vegetables and the remaining part raw vegetables. The fibre eased my constipation for good,” says she. Research says full-fat dairy products could raise your risk of heart disease and can cause acne.
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Stuti worked with nutritionist Sneha Bhuwalka in goal-setting and working out nutrient-balancing combinations in her plant-based diet. (Credit: Stuti Parekh)
A clean diet has obvious advantages but it is the discipline that matters. Says Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head, Nutrition And Dietetics, Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, “A vegan diet works with proper checks, balances and constant nutrition guidance. And you must ensure that you are getting the recommended daily allowance of both macro and micro nutrients. Many studies have borne out the advantages of a vegan diet in terms of improving heart health, lowering blood pressure, cholesterol (plant-based proteins have zero cholesterol) and blood sugar. It helps in weight loss and its fibre-rich content improves digestion and gut health. I did a study on the impact of vegan diet on cardiac health but it couldn’t be sustained over a long-term. There were clear benefits in the short-term. Besides, they were given supplements. Most participants dropped out in between. I have seen many vegan dropouts at my clinic.”
Compliance is possible only when a diet is sustainable and people have an awareness of plant substitutes. Without dairy products that most Indians rely upon, only relying on lentils and nuts as a protein source may not always be practical. And almond or walnut milk is still an expensive proposition for most. “Most vegan options are not accessible to the masses. Over the long-term, you can sustain your healthy body markers only when you have balanced meals with enough in-between time to digest them fully. Besides, we do not have fortified foods. If you go oil-less, then fat-soluble vitamins, like A, E, D and B12, won’t get properly absorbed by the body. Remember that iron, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B 12, which are crucial for smooth functioning of body processes, are easily available from animal or dairy sources. Calcium and Vitamin D determine your bone health. Sub-optimal levels of vitamin B12 can result in anaemia, nervous system damage, infertility and heart disease. In their absence from your dietary sources, you would need supplements to stay healthy. One study found that all those who lived only on a raw vegan diet had less than the recommended 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12 per day,” says Samaddar.
That indulgence apart, these three girls succeeded because they kept it real and individual, followed science and didn’t just get swept up by a peer wave. (Designed by Abhishek Mitra)
Besides, those with existing or serious health conditions may not be able to keep to a strict vegan diet. That’s why she recommends a graded approach, giving up meats first, then dairy and poultry before relying completely on plant foods. “There has to be an evolutionary process for any diet to be sustainable. This has to be backed up by knowledge of alternative food sources and their availability among a wider population.” Besides, you have to attune your highly developed taste buds to new flavours over time. “Fortunately, most Indian street food is vegan and can address cravings,” says Stuti. That indulgence apart, these three girls succeeded because they kept it real and individual, followed science and didn’t just get swept up by a peer wave.
