FEATURE
HEALTH
“You are what you eat”
On the growing trend of Veganism in the Philippines
by Kate Paulyne Tayco and Mark Nelson De Leon
Posted on December 11, 2020
“Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are.”
This might sound like the parody of the proverb “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are,” but it’s a real thing.
Growing up, I’m sure that you have been taught both in school and at home that eating vegetables and fruits is essential. Our parents usually convince us to eat green leafy vegetables and juicy fruits that, they say, will make our bodies stronger. However, as a kid, who would favor bitter and plain-flavored leaves over bacon, ham, and eggs? I hate to break it to you, but we certainly have them. They are the vegans and they might live longer than you.
Photo from The Vegan Society
The Vegan Society, a registered charity and the oldest vegan society in the world, defines veganism as “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment.”
Before the year 2019 ended, it dropped a bomb that could single-handedly wipe out humanity. It was the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) that the world is still facing today. One fact about it is that it is a zoonotic disease. It was transmitted from an animal to a human. Researchers from China, where the virus originated, found out that it first came from pangolins which might have ingested bats' fecal material or urine. Another example is the bird flu and African Swine Fever (ASF) that leave commercialized chicken and pigs vulnerable to the like.
As a person who has tasted the glorious palette of meat dishes, I can't deny the fact that these are the peak of humanity's discovery. Thanks to that first man who thought of cooking animal meat with fire. It might appear that vegans are reverting to the primitive era where they salvage mushrooms, grass, fruits, etc. but with the current technology, you'll be surprised that they can make an egg-free scrambled egg, meat-free tocino, and sisig, etc.
Veganism did not stop from individualism and start taking over some restaurants, making a name for itself. One noticeable merit of the vegans’ effort is the vegan desserts. It's spearheading the innovative adaptation of desserts by turning them into less sugar and dairy-free desserts. Is it even possible to create such a thing? Or even if it is, does it guarantee the same texture and taste of the desserts? To help you answer such questions and understand more, here are some examples that could take you into the world of veganism.
It might be hard to believe, but did you know that you can have your favorite Halo-Halo without the regular cow and goat milk in it? But it tastes the same and even more delicious? In Pipino Vegetarian Food by Pino restaurant in Quezon City, you will expect less but a healthy and delectable Halo-halo dessert. Their Halo-halo recipe is made from scratch. It has sweetened beans and Lanka, homemade natural ube, vegan Leche flan (which is actually in their menu as well), nut milk, and topped with coconut ice cream. Who would have thought that it is possible to make full-blown vegan halo-halo with vegan Leche flan and vegan ice cream? Does it make your taste buds scream for more desserts?
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Vegan Halo-Halo.
Photo from Pipino Veg Facebook Page
Believe it or not, but an online vegan bakeshop Delicielo in Paranaque makes one of the best desserts in the country – their cakes. The bakeshop offers a wide variety of flavors to satisfy your sweet craving healthily. One of their bestselling and signature cakes is the Calamansi Coconut Cake which promises to be a completely dairy-free dessert. They also serve Malunggay cakes as one of their all-time favorites. With their salivating looks and heavenly taste, you won’t even know that they are dairy-free and egg-free desserts.
Calamansi Coconut Cake.
Photo from Delicielo: Vegan Cafe
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However, vegan desserts are not limited to cakes, halo-halo, and ice cream. Even the famous Starbucks has its vegan drinks to offer to their vegan customers. According to PETA Asia, you can try various drinks from Starbucks such as their Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino and Dark Mocha Frappuccino as long as you choose the soy milk option and turn away from whipped cream.
Photo from PETA Asia
Since the world has been facing a health crisis today, everyone needs to be extra vigilant and careful about what to eat.
It is a fact that the Philippines is a meat-loving country. With our different savory meat dishes, who could resist Beef Caldereta? Pork Sinigang? Tinolang Manok? And Pork or Chicken Adobo? So, it's surprising that plant-based food starts invading the Philippines cuisine. However, it is not baffling that Filipinos easily opened their heart to this food especially desserts. Some Filipino desserts are naturally plant-based in the first place. They just need some modifications to claim as vegan desserts. But why consume vegan food? Well, every food could be tasty but not all of them could be healthy and against animal cruelty. #