It sounds like a religious thing, and I suppose in some ways it was. You see, for seven days I was a born again vegan.

I began this experiment on Sunday a week ago at 6:30pm, in a bid to figure out what was the appeal – if there indeed was one – to being a vegan. I tell a lie – the actual reason behind the experiment was just good old fashioned boredom, but that’s just between you, me, and the Internet.

Admittedly I found it difficult at first, not only trying to find substitutes for milk, but also having to check the ingredients of everything I’d normally eat without thinking, such as bread, sandwich toppings, sauces and canned goods. You’d be surprised just where dairy and egg products actually end up!

There were a few things I had trouble adjusting to, such as avoiding milk. Not just because soy had an acquired taste (which I started to enjoy near the end of the experiment), but because I couldn’t find anything wrong with the idea of milking a cow. As far as I could tell, cows don’t mind it in the slightest. In fact, one former dairy farmer I spoke to said the cows seem to enjoy it.

Another issue I had was with not being able to eat honey. This is because vegans are opposed to animal produce and the labouring/slaughtering of animals for human convenience. After seeing caged hens and slaughterhouse videos I can understand this point quite well.
I couldn’t figure out the honey boycott however. Perhaps it allows the overworked “worker” bees to go off and do their own thing, such as open casinos or write poetry?

Those two oddball things aside, the rest of the experience was enjoyable, with it actually becoming quite good fun in the last two days as I got into the swing of things. Additionally, I couldn’t help but notice that my skin was healthier than when I started too. I put that down to the extra walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts I’d been eating (I’ll keep that up for sure!).

I know this might sound a little health-freakish, but I have to admit I developed a new taste for fruit and vegetables during my stint. I’d never really appreciated how tasty local market apples were. I even invented my own coconut-curry stuffed tomato recipe.

While at the end of the experiment I didn’t feel any different physically, I did feel better about myself mentally – knowing that for one week I wasn’t involved in the animal slaughter industry. It meant giving up wearing leather for a week (goodbye to my favourite jacket and watch) but I soon got used to wearing other clothes and checking the time on my mobile phone instead.

During my veganism research I also learned a lot about just how much junk is in our food, and how easy it was to avoid it and have healthier meals at the same time.
And while veganism isn’t ideal for me at the moment, by doing it for just seven days I gained a whole new level of respect for vegans and vegetarians, and the many reasons behind their decisions.

For those who are interested, I made a short, fun video about the highs and lows of my seven day veganism right here. Good for a laugh if nothing else!