“I’m a vegan.” A statement that has baffled Maltese minds for a few years now. What does it mean to truly be vegan? Is it as difficult as it seems? Will I still eat what I want if I decide to go vegan? Your questions are about to be answered! We reached out to vegan influencer and blogger, Kristina Zammit who explained what it really entails to be on a vegan diet.
Kristina began educating herself and watching YouTube videos of “different women filming healthy version of ‘what they eat in a day’ as she wanted to become ‘healthier’ since she had just started working out. She quickly came to the conclusion that veganism was an option for her. “I started reading and watching documentaries and realised how many health problems like diabetes, heart disease and obesity were linked to a meat and dairy diet.”
So, where to start from? “I started off by cutting out meats but still eating fish and dairy. Then I slowly became vegetarian – cooking mainly vegan foods at home for myself, but I would eat dairy products when I went out for meals.” After eight months of being vegetarian, Kristina decided to make the switch and committing fully to veganism. “I instantly felt a change in the way I felt. I saw a change in my body, I didn't feel sluggish anymore, and I fell in love with the lifestyle.”
“It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I love exploring new countries and trying new cafés with amazing vegan foods. I don’t miss out on anything; in fact, I eat way more delicious foods than ever before. For me, becoming vegan wasn’t just a diet. It’s a lifestyle change I wanted to make for the better.”
As many locals know, it is very hard for Maltese to imagine a lifestyle with no fenkatas, pastizzi, Maltese sausage, timpana, and the lot. “Thankfully, nowadays, a lot of restaurants in Malta have started including vegan options on their menus, and are willing to make all sorts of amendments to their dishes.” The awareness in Malta, Kristina observes, has increased immensely. “There is a domino effect with veganism as the demand rises and there are more people entering cafés and restaurants in Malta asking for vegan options. It has and is really making a difference.”
So, what are the benefits of becoming vegan? Kristina mentions that it helps save the environment as it takes less water to produce a year’s food for a vegan than to produce a month’s food for a carnivore. Other benefits include standing against animal cruelty and having all the nutrients your body needs within your vegan diet. “Vegans suffer less from cardiovascular diseases, have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and have lower cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure.”
There are various vegan options, and nowadays vegans don’t miss out on anything. “There are vegan burgers, great vegan cheeses, ice-creams, pizzas, an abundance of vegan milks, and so much more. Curries, stews, tagines, veggie lasagne, avocado on toast, bean burgers, veggie ross il-forn, and creamy cashew pasta are all great vegan meals!”
Kristina’s advice to anyone wanting to try out veganism is to start slow, and experiment with different foods that you like. It is also beneficial to educate yourself and research it well to make it work as part of your own lifestyle!