When someone is about to adopt a vegan lifestyle or has already become one, he needs clarity and spends significant time and energy finding out what to put on their shopping list. We had also experienced the same confusion. We’ve discovered on our journey that when going vegan, one needs to go slow, and cut down on your consumption of animal products by removing the ones you don’t like that much. Then, gradually work on swapping all animal-based ingredients and meals with plant-based alternatives.
First and foremost, have clear reasons why you want to become vegan or why you should give up on animal-based products. Watch this video to learn about the 7 main reasons we feel are important to quit dairy!
Once you decide to give up on various animal-based food, find new healthy & tasty alternatives that can help make this transition journey easier for you. Now talking about the healthy and tasty alternatives, we get a plethora of questions from our community members who are on their transformation journey towards veganism. Let’s discuss some of them!
Coconuts & nuts are very expensive. So, is nut milk more difficult to afford than dairy milk?
We completely understand your point. But we have found it equally or even less expensive than dairy milk. Let’s know how:
1 kg of dairy milk costs you around Rs.60 per kg, and one medium-sized coconut gives you around 600-650g of coconut milk. So, the price is almost the same. It is not necessary to consume other nuts’ milk; coconut milk serves the purpose well. Also, dairy consumption has many health hazards owing to our Sedentary Lifestyle. So, while following the Satvic Lifestyle, veganism saves you a lot of money you might have to spend on medical fees or medicines.
I am already underweight. If I don't take dairy products, what shall I do?
Whether you believe it or not, dairy doesn’t help in healthy weight gain. You can follow the Satvic Lifestyle for healthy weight gain. You can choose the Active Meal Plan for a healthy weight gain. Watch this video to know more about healthy food plans that will help you gain weight. And along with this, you’ll learn some special bonus tips at the end of the video, which is essential for weight gain.
Can we consume Desi Cow milk?
We don’t recommend consuming dairy milk in the satvic lifestyle. Apart from the adulteration in milk these days, the problem is concerned with our Lifestyle.
- Though many people consider the milk of Desi Cows beneficial, we don’t recommend it because it is quite heavy and hence, difficult for humans with a sedentary lifestyle to digest. Digesting a cow’s milk requires a physical workout of at least 4-5 hours per day, which is impossible for a common person these days.
- Also, Cow’s milk contains growth hormone six times more than a human requirement, making it a lesser fit for humans.
- The milk sold in the market is adulterated and is health-draining instead of health-giving.
- The cows are not taken care of; they are tortured to obtain milk from them. Their condition is pitiful, and very painful to survive like that. They feel helpless. In such circumstances, how can anything obtained from an emotionally hurt animal do any good to us physically or mentally?
- Also, the bull calves are being slaughtered so that they do not consume cow’s milk, and the dairy needs of humans are fulfilled. It means cow’s milk is not available for her kids but for humans who don’t need it.
- Supply-Demand relationship – Today, the population of cows is being increased forcefully to meet the increasing demand for milk for human consumption. When they are no fitter to offer milk, they are slaughtered. So, veganism helps control the breeding of cows. The lesser the population, the lesser the slaughtering, and they can live more happily.
However, you can drink cow milk if the cows are from a farm where
1. They are loved and cared for:)
2. The calves have the first right over the milk!
3. They have free grazing time and are fed good quality food
4. They should not be artificially impregnated or given any hormonal injections
Is Cacao powder & Cocoa powder the same or different?
Both these powders are made from the same cacao beans, but cacao powder is a healthier substitute for cocoa powder.
- Steps involved in making Cacao Powder
The beans are slowly roasted at low temperatures to develop flavour and are then cracked & winnowed to separate the outer shell & inner cacao nibs. The delicious cacao nibs are then milled into powder. This process keeps the enzymes, minerals and antioxidants intact. This is how cacao powder is made. - Steps involved in making Cocoa Powder
Cacao beans are processed at very high temperatures, and this process removes most of the fat in cacao beans, giving rise to a smooth texture & soothing taste that people enjoy in baked goodies, smoothies or hot drinks. This is how the cocoa powder is made. - The difference in Characteristics
Cocoa powder is slightly darker, less bitter and less healthy than cacao powder, as it loses its nutritional value during processing. Usually, sugar and dairy are added to the cocoa powder to enhance its taste. No such additives are added to raw cacao powder, which is more nutrient-rich, lighter in colour & bitter in taste. - Usage
Both can be used similarly; you can add jaggery or dates to the dish while using cacao powder to neutralise the bitter taste.
Which is better: Cacao Nibs or Cacao Powder?
Both cacao nibs and cacao powder are extracted from organic raw cacao beans.
Difference between cacao nibs and cacao powder
Cacao nibs are dried and fermented bits of cacao beans. Cacao powder, on the other hand, is made by cold-pressing unroasted cacao beans. This removes the fat, leaving you with a subtle, bitter-tasting powder. Unlike cacao powder, the nibs contain all the fat (cacao butter).
To make raw cacao powder, whole cacao beans are ground (just like you would for nibs), but this time you extract the fat, or the cacao butter, during the cold-press process. There’s less or no heat and minimal processing, so even though we’ve removed the fat, many phytonutrients and antioxidants remain intact.
In Short, it can be summarised as follows:
Cacao Nibs = Cacao Powder + Cacao Butter
So, the nibs are wholesome and better than the other two if you want to use them in larger quantities. But since they are normally used in lesser quantities, they will make little difference. To extract cacao butter separately, fermented cacao beans are further processed by dried & pressed at low temperatures. It’s a great plant-based butter to add to your smoothies, cakes, or brownies!
The difference in health benefits:
Both are loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants. Raw cacao products retain the most health benefits, unlike processed cocoa powder.
How to use cacao nibs vs cacao powder:
Cacao nibs are a perfect swap if you like chocolate chips. Use them in chocolate chip cookie recipes, on top of a smoothie bowl, or in your granola recipe.
When using the powder form, this superfood can be used anywhere, add cocoa powder to brownies, cakes, hot chocolate, smoothies, healthy chocolate syrups, and sauces, or enjoy cacao powder in a warm morning drink to replace your coffee.
Does Cacao powder contain caffeine?
Cacao powder is made from organic cacao beans. However, organic cacao beans have a small amount of caffeine but unlike tea/ coffee, it contains very little Caffeine. Theobromine is another stimulant significantly found in cacao powder, but unlike caffeine, it is not a central nervous system stimulant and is therefore non-addictive.
What are the options for lactose-free milk?
You can make fresh coconut milk or any other nut milk at home, which are all lactose-free. But if you don’t have access to fresh coconuts at any time or it is impossible to prepare any other nut milk (say, while travelling), you can use Vegan coconut mylk powder.
It is the best and most convenient option for you when fresh coconut is unavailable to prepare Fresh Coconut Mylk. It has a natural Coconut Taste and contains no preservatives, sugar/maltodextrin, emulsifiers, additives, etc.
Can I make nut butter at home?
Yes, you can make nut butter at home by roasting almonds/peanuts for a few minutes on low flame and then blending them until smooth to achieve the desired consistency.
Watch this video to learn how to make peanut butter at home
How much nut butter can I have in a day?
Nut butter is much better than dairy butter. So one can have 1- 2 tbsp in a day. However, keep in mind the following points-
- If you are working to heal a disease or want to lose weight, avoid nut butter, which is heavy and difficult to digest.
- Once you have healed yourself / reached the desired weight, you may have nut butter occasionally in a sparing amount. Eating too many nuts and seeds can even be constipating.
- If you are an athlete, a child or doing intense physical workouts (1-2 hours a day), you can consume nut butter more often.
Got Some More Questions About Dairy Substitutes?
Are there some more questions left unanswered? Don’t Worry! Watch this video “All Answers to Kickstart your Dairy-Free Journey” it gives all the answers to kickstart your dairy-free journey! Watch this video to know the best vegan substitutes for dairy milk, butter, curd, cheese and dairy-based chocolates.
Tell us your story!
Being a vegan is much more than simply a diet; it is a philosophy of life that links with ethics because you want a better world where we have more equality and can live harmoniously with our fellow creatures. Would you consider becoming a vegan? If you already are a vegan, how did you choose to become one?
