Veganism is becoming more and more popular with young people.

Shushu Le (Ho Chi Minh City), owner of TikTok channel@le.shushuwith nearly 375 thousand followers - a channel specializing in sharing vegan dishes in European style. Although she is young, she has been a vegetarian since early, Shushu shared: "I started being a vegetarian with my family since 2006, and by 2009 I was a vegan. Being a vegetarian makes me always have to be creative, know how to take advantage of and appreciate the dishes I make. Also from being a vegetarian, I started to have more 'green' actions in my daily life such as shopping, dressing or traveling. Maybe I started very early, so I don't see too many obvious changes."

Nowadays, many young people decide to practice vegetarianism every day, maybe for religious, health or taste reasons. We will listen to young people share with Travellive readers different perspectives on their vegetarian stories in the article below.

Having a hard time at the beginning

Like many others, Shushu also encountered difficulties in the early days of being a vegetarian when she was living in Germany. She confided: "The first year, the vegetarian diet was quite boring and tasteless. Vegetables and fruits in Germany are very expensive. But because of my strong belief and purpose in being a vegetarian, I started searching on websites and animal protection associations to find more recipes, then participated in many activities to learn more about vegetarianism."

Anh Tu (26 years old, Ho Chi Minh City), creating content on the IG channel "Zoey Vegetarian", after two years of practicing vegetarianism, she said: "When I first started being a vegetarian, I immediately felt a change in my digestion. Being a vegetarian helps my body digest better, my skin is more beautiful, I have less acne and my body is lighter. After a period of being a vegetarian, I also get sick less often, my weight is controlled and much more stable. When my body absorbs nutrients from plants and no longer eats animal meat, my mind naturally becomes calmer and less irritable."

Anh Tu also encountered many difficulties when practicing this lifestyle: "At first, when I first became a vegetarian, I got hungry and tired much faster. Being a vegetarian can lead to malnutrition, so in addition to diversifying plant-based foods, you should also eat more afternoon snacks to replenish energy." She gradually increased the amount of vegetables and fruits in each meal, reducing the amount of meat and fish consumed. In addition, she also reminded readers to always supplement vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, iron, etc. for the body to metabolize more effectively.

As for Thu Trang (30 years old, Vinh City), an office worker, she started eating vegetarian in January 2022. "Before switching to a vegetarian diet, I started to stop eating red meat, gradually reducing white meat and fish. After a period of being vegetarian, my body is more flexible and less prone to minor illnesses than before. When I eat vegetarian, my body starts to become lighter, more comfortable and will smell more pleasant than when I eat a lot of salty food," Thu Trang shared.

When she first started being a vegetarian, Thu Trang lost two kilos. "At that time, my body had not yet adapted, and the pressure of work made me feel tired and lifeless. But then, I started listening to my body, understanding my needs and gradually changing my vegetarian diet to suit my body. I always pay attention to eating a variety of colors - the more diverse the colors, the more diverse the nutrients so that my body does not lack nutrients," Thu Trang shared.

Many people "force" themselves to switch to a vegetarian diet right away when they are eating meat. This can easily make you lose interest and cannot be maintained in the long term. To make vegetarianism a lifestyle, you should try to start the change slowly.

Are vegetarian dishes that imitate meat actually vegetarian?

When asked about her opinion on the vegetarian dish that is currently very popular on the market, Thu Trang also shared: "I think the vegetarian dish that is currently popular is not suitable for me. It takes a long time to prepare and for me, it is not delicious."

Besides, Anh Tu added: "I find that eating vegetarian food that mimics meat easily causes bloating, which is not good for my digestion. But I think that vegetarian food that mimics meat also brings a more positive perspective to those who do not eat vegetarian food regularly, only on certain occasions. Or for those who are just starting to eat vegetarian food, this can also be a gentle start."

Finally, Shushu stated her personal views: "I think we should not have too strict a view of vegetarian dishes that imitate meat. Hearing the name 'vegetarian imitation meat' like 'vegetarian chicken', 'vegetarian pork' may seem a bit offensive, but in fact, it is just a way of naming. Instead of using ingredients of animal origin, the processor replaces them with plant ingredients and uses it as a name to help listeners easily visualize the dish. In addition, it is also a way to 'recreate' a dish of plant origin, making vegetarian food attractive, easy to eat and rich."

Try the vegetarian experience

"When I first started being a vegetarian, I wondered why I had to be a vegetarian, since I wasn't the one directly slaughtering animals. But then, after learning more about the animal husbandry industry, I thought it would be difficult to continue eating animals," Shushu said.

"Anyone can be vegetarian, being vegetarian is contributing to the environment and the earth. And it is especially good for everyone's health. Not using products of animal origin keeps your body in a gentle state, minimizing the amount of toxins entering the body," Thu Trang also added.

Anh Tu also agrees with that point of view, she added: "To start being vegetarian, we need to understand its nature, whether it is suitable for our body and spirit. Always need to listen to yourself and balance to create energy balance in the body".

Shushu advises that if you are not a skillful person and do not cook much, you should spend more time learning how to cook vegetarian food. You can also try eating at vegetarian restaurants to approach, learn how to prepare and present to apply. Being vegetarian properly and seriously requires an investment of time and knowledge to scientifically nourish the body. Therefore, you can also regularly update through books, blogs, videos, and social networks to learn more dishes. Don't be too stressed, you can create more fun and positive challenges with vegetarianism and start being vegetarian comfortably.

All three characters also believe that we can find a companion to accompany us on our vegetarian journey. Have you found a companion to start your vegetarian journey?

Bileo