So, now that all these substitutes are easily accessible, it is much easier to change the way you consume food, whether occasionally or entirely. As with everything in life, there are advantages and disadvantages to being vegan. However, the benefits outweigh the negatives, and here’s why:
To begin with, if you are not a big consumer of meats, eggs, cheeses, cookies, etc., this lifestyle won’t seem difficult to adopt, and you won’t feel deprived of anything.
Additionally, many dishes are offered in restaurants without meat or fish, such as pasta, pizza, gratins, stuffed vegetables, pastries, gourmet coffee, so it’s impossible not to find happiness. No matter which restaurant you go to, in the first months without meat and fish, you’ll realize that by not changing other habits, you tend to lose weight because meat contains fat and cholesterol, which is actually a bonus.
Vegans tend to lose weight more quickly, hair and nails grow faster, you become more agile and energetic, mood improves, and it becomes easier to interact with others, even to discuss this important lifestyle. Digestive disorders tend to disappear, and digestion itself becomes easier; bowel movements are regulated, and problems with constipation are resolved.
The few disadvantages we could mention are that you may appear a bit odd in society. For some, vegetarians are seen as abnormal; they think no one can be happy eating only vegetables or fruits. This stereotype even intensifies when you say "I’m vegan," as you often have to justify how and what you eat, and explain why, if it’s not too difficult, you’re not just eating fruits, vegetables, and seeds.
Another downside is that you often face the same questions and comments repeatedly, having to explain why and the benefits over and over again.
Going to restaurants as a vegan can be more challenging than as a vegetarian. There aren’t always alternatives besides pasta or pizza, so you need to check the menu carefully.
Most importantly, the hardest part is giving up old bad habits, like indulging in sweets; for example, if you have a sweet craving at university or work, you’d buy a good pack of chocolates or cookies (although now vegan supermarkets exist), but now you’ll have to bake your own cookies or cakes.
