Veganism, a practice followed by those who renounce consumption of animal products, continues to gain support in Mexico, since at least 9% of the population has opted for this type of food.
“Being a vegan is a way of life that leads to avoid ingesting meat, dairy products, honey, gelatins and all kinds of animal derived products,” explains nutritionist Paulina Hernández Espinosa.
For the specialist, veganism has become popular in recent years because more and more people are “raising awareness to contribute something to the planet.”
According to a study carried out in 2016 by the Nielsen company, unlike other countries in Latin America, Mexico is the country where more people have declared to follow diets like veganism motivated by personal convictions.
In 2016, the blog veganpolice.com.mx made the first Vegan Census in Mexico 2016, which was targeted at 3,316 vegans, of whom 59% said they follow this diet for reasons of ethics.
However, Hernández admits that although Mexicans are more familiar with the term veganism, those who carry out this type of food are still being rejected by some people.
“It’s difficult for society to understand the decision to be a vegan, they think that we say to them,” you do not love animals like me “, they feel attacked and we do not like them. Reject, “he admits.
However, it accepts that the market has understood the needs of vegans in Mexico and more and more establishments that offer this type of food are opening.
“There are many places one can go, even on the market you can already find cakes, jellies and even kings of vegans for kings,” he says.
Also, the nutritionist says that there are still myths around veganism.
“Many people think that they will not be fed with a diet like this but, well planned, this diet improves digestion, prevents diseases such as high cholesterol, high uric acid, among other things,” he added.
The specialist also states that although some think that eating a vegan diet is expensive, the monthly average of a menu for two people can cost 1,600 pesos ($ 88).
Likewise, ensures that anyone who so decides can switch from omnivorous to vegan, as long as you have the advice of a specialist.
“From children, youth, adults, even high-performance athletes can follow this type of diet, you just have to look for all the micronutrients your body needs to avoid decompensation,” he concludes.
