Adah Sharma: ‘It is a misconception that vegan food is boring’ | Exclusive 

Adah Sharma Pic/Instagram

Bollywood actress Adah Sharma, who rose to fame with ‘The Kerala Story' has been propagating animal welfare through her social media posts. She is one of the few celebs who embarked on the vegan journey and asserts its health benefits and how it is not as heavy on the pocket as one would imagine. Busting the myths around veganism, Adah speaks exclusively to mid-day.com on how she adapted to this lifestyle, her recipe for a quick bite, and more.

Adah, who was a vegetarian since birth turned vegan after she saw alarming videos about calves being taken away from cows at birth so that the milk could be kept for humans.

She states that adapting to this lifestyle wasn't that difficult for her. "I stopped eating pizzas because that was the only time I ate cheese. I also added healthier ingredients to my diet, such as seeds and nuts, which I hadn't eaten as much before."

The ‘1920' actor says that there will be a lot of naysayers along the way especially if you're a non-vegetarian. "Stay strong because a lot of people around you will tell you things like you aren't getting enough protein. Please read up on how long it takes to digest non-veg food and how it taxes all your organs to flush the toxins out of the body after consuming dead meat. People will also tell you that lions and tigers eat meat. But then you can tell them that they hunt the meat down themselves and have canines and a digestive system that allows them to digest raw meat, human beings don't have that," she avers.

Stating a beloved food item she gave up was curd made from cow's milk, Adah maintains that she is happy now that there are a multitude of options out there such as curd made from almond or coconut milk.

Some of her quick fixes for a delicious and healthy vegan meal include dosas made from moong gal and carrot, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seed milk, and Avial a staple dish from Kerala that is made using 13 vegetables like drumsticks, carrots, french beans, elephant foot yam, and pumpkin, among others, and seasoned with coconut and curry leaves.

Adah doesn't believe that one needs to find a fancy spot to live a vegan lifestyle. She asserts that making it is very easy and delicious that too at home. "It is a misconception that you have to eat boring food. Eating plant-based is an affordable diet. You can make scrumptious concoctions using vegetables, millet, and legumes. However, very high-end products including mock meat may be expensive. But you don't need to eat something available in a fancy supermarket only. There are options that you can make at home. And finally, there is no price you can put on health," she says.

On a parting note, Adah mentions the health benefits she has experienced turning vegan. "Being vegan is great if you have PCOD or PCOS. From your bowel movement to period regulation staying away from animal products is the best thing you can do for yourself," she signs off.