Last updated 09:01, Saturday, 08 November 2008

National charity Animal Aid has declared November ‘vegan month’ and is urging people to go meat and dairy -free.

Vegans, like vegetarians, do not eat animal or fish flesh – but they also avoid eating products that contain eggs, milk and honey.

The vegan diet is 100 per cent plant-based and award-winning vegetarian Cumbrian B&B owner Anita de la Riviere reckons it is the healthiest way to eat.

She said: “I’m very fussy about what I put in my body and I don’t want to put food into me that comes from another animal.

“I don’t like all the hormones that are in milk and I don’t eat cheese – do you really want all that fat and cholesterol and all those hormones in your body?”

Food scares always prompt people to look at what is in their shopping and the latest involving Chinese milk being doctored with melamine to increase protein content has made many wonder about milk. Milk products encourage the build-up of mucus in the body for many people, while others have milk intolerance.

Anita said: “There are many milk alternatives – soya milk, rice milk, even milk from nuts. And there is a range of margarine to choose from.

Anita always cooks vegan at home, though admits it can be difficult when eating out.

“Indian restaurants provide a lot of vegetarian meals and they can also cook with vegetable ghee (oil) if you ask them. But I don’t mind a little bit of cheese or cream outside of my home.

“Being vegan can be difficult, or you can be positive and make it work, it is not about what you can’t eat, but what you can.”

And it can also save you money, according to Anita: “If you think of the price of meat or fish, you can get quite a few extra dinners out of your money.”

Anita was joint winner of the Vegetarian Society’s award for Best Vegetarian Breakfast 2007.

She has been fully vegetarian since 1997 though regularly cooked veggie meals for years before.

“Turning vegan means you feel healthier, you don’t feel so heavy and full and I have not been so susceptible to winter ills.”

Visit www.veganmonth.com online for more information