Vegan Profile *4*

I met Marthe the first week I moved to London, and I was immediately impressed by how smart she is! I only discovered recently that she's been vegetarian/vegan for a long time, although I think the day I tried to make her an egyptian meal (and failed) she had probably told me!

How long have you been vegan for? I've been 13 years vegetarian, of which 6 years vegan. I became dissatisfied with my eating meat when I cycled to school at the age of 15 and saw a big truck with live pigs in, on their way to the abattoir. They were clearly distressed. The vegetarian friend who cycled next to me saw my shock and bluntly said: "they'll be on your plate tonight" and I realised she was right.

In one sentence, why did you go vegan? The decisive factor for me were animal welfare considerations, but the considerable benefits for the environment, world food distribution and health are also important to me.

What improved in your lifestyle when you turned vegan? I lost weight, felt fitter and less tired, my nose and taste buds worked better, I taste the full flavours of vegetables now, the weight of killing sentient beings is no longer on my consciousness, I have a smaller footprint and don't eat more than my fair share of food, based on current crop production and number of people on this planet.

What's your favorite meal?  Pfff. So many. I believe I make the best soy burgers on this planet. That, served with a salad of puy-lentils, roast squash and beetroot, hazelnut, rocket and pear.

Anything else you would like to tell the world? If you're considering veganism or vegetarianism, two things will make it easier. Firstly: learn to cook a wide range of dishes. A good cook can make something nice from a few simple ingredients. Secondly: people will often feel criticised by your lifestyle, and respond by throwing fallacious arguments at you. You'll hear them a lot ("it's human nature to eat meat", "you'll miss nutrients", "your eating food that's meant for the cows", "you can't guarantee that you won't kill a fly", "what if plants can feel pain" etc.). Explain friendly why that argument is invalid, but try not to get annoyed. You don't owe anyone a justification for what you're eating, and neither do they. You won't convert anyone by preaching.