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If you have ever considered becoming a Black Vegan, this guide is for you!
We know that intoxication – the consumption of harmful substances – is one of the weapons of white supremacy. Sometimes this intoxication is involuntary: governments spray chem-trails over our heads, contaminate our drinking water with lead, or create food deserts in our communities. Other times, intoxication is voluntary. We choose to drink sodas, eat fried chicken, and support fast food franchises.
But if you are coming into consciousness, then changing the way you eat is the easiest and most important step in fighting back against intoxication and disease.
Making the change can be simple with the right advice, so we asked our Black Vegan members who have successfully completed the transition the tools they cant live without.
What Is A Vegan?
Before I introduce the tools to you, lets clear up what a vegan really is.
The definition of a vegan is anyone who lives a “cruelty free” lifestyle by refusing to consume anything that comes from animals. Vegans do not eat meat, eggs, chicken, beef, fish, or any other animal byproduct. Since the vegan lifestyle is centered on preventing animal exploitation, vegans also avoid using animal clothing, accessories, or furniture.
When it comes to dieting, Black Vegans consume nutrient-rich whole plants, seeds, legumes, and grains that include black and wild rice, beans, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
Why Our Communities Need More Black Vegans
You have probably heard the saying “the health of a nation is the wealth of a nation” . You have probably heard the advice from your ancestor Imhotep who said “let your medicine be your food and your food be your medicine”. But it seems like we are not getting the message.
In the Black community here in the United States, here are some statistics that will wake you up:
- 4 to 6 of the leading causes of death in the Black community are health and diet related
- According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, 57 percent of Black women over 20 are obese and 38 percent of Black men are too fat for their own good.
- 45% of Black women and 41% of Black men have high blood pressure
And the top 3 leading causes of death in our community? Heart disease, cancer, and stroke. All these statistics can be prevented by our diet!
Here are some of the benefits of becoming a Black Vegan:
- You will lose body fat and unhealthy weight – Randomized controlled scientific studies show that vegans lost more weight than those who followed other diets, no matter how much the vegans ate.
- You will avoid certain cancers – Eating legumes regularly may reduce your risk of colorectal cancer by about 9–18% (source). Eating at least seven portions of fresh fruits and vegetables per day may lower your risk of dying from cancer by 15% (source).
- You will look better – Vegan diets are rich in vitamins and minerals that lead to clearer, healthier eyes, nails, and hair. Dairy has been shown to cause acne, so cutting it from your diet will lead to clearer skin, too.
- You will feel better – Becoming a Black vegan fills your plate up with foods that give you energy and mental clarity. Vegans have reported feeling happier and less anxiety than those on meat or high sugar diet
- You will save money – Heart bypass surgery typically costs about $70,000. The total cost of a heart transplant can reach almost $800,000 or more. And researchers have estimated the lifetime costs of treating diabetes and its complications at $85,200 and up. As a Black vegan, your chances of avoiding unnecessary medical costs are far higher than non-vegans.
You might already be convinced that its time for you to become a vegan. but without a plan and the right tools, you risk backsliding onto a plate of rib tips. So we asked 10 Black Vegan members of United Black America what tools they used to make their transition and keep them on the path.
5 Must Have Tools For Black Vegans
Before you empty your refrigerator and head to the store, you will need tools that will help you transition and stay on the path. These are the must have tools that Black Vegans have told us they cant live without:
Black Vegan Recipe Books Our Members Suggest
One of the hardest things about being a vegan is putting together random items into filling and flavorful meals. Lets be real, if it doesn’t taste good, you are not going to eat it. And if you dont know what to eat, then you are right back your old habits…
Let us save you from killing yourself with KFC. Here are the best recipe books that our panel of Black vegans suggested.
![Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed [A Cookbook]](https://www.panafricanalliance.com/wp-content/plugins/aawp/public/assets/img/thumb-spacer.png)
Our Member Picks For The 2 Best Blenders
Your blender might become your new best friend. Blenders open up a whole new world of smoothies and blends that you didn’t know existed. The down side of blenders is that they remove most of the fiber from fruits and vegetables – but thats where your food processor comes in.
But blenders do give you nutrition, flavor, and convenience with fast fresh blends. The only two blenders our vegans suggested were the Ninja and the Vitamix.
While the Ninja is the best option for budget conscious folks, the Vitamix is quieter, faster, and easier to work with. You dont want to be struggling with a blender lid at 2am like I had to last night lol .
- The Ninja professional blender 1000 features a sleek design and outstanding performance with 1000 watts of professional power 64...
- Ninja total crushing blades gives you perfect ice crushing, blending, pureeing, and controlled processing crush ice and frozen...
- The 72 Ounce professional blender jar is perfect for making large batches of creamy, frozen drinks and smoothies for the entire...
- Variable Speed Control: Easily adjust speed to achieve a variety of textures. The dial can be rotated at any point during the...
- Large Batches: The size and shape of the self-cleaning 64-ounce container is ideal for blending medium to large batches. Design...
- Hot Soup: The blades in the Vitamix container reach speeds fast enough to create friction heat, bringing cold ingredients to...
The Only Food Processor Our Members Suggested
A food processor turns big chunks of food or ingredients into smaller pieces. As a Black vegan-in-training, I use my food processor to turn rolled oats into gluten free flour that I use for banana pancakes.
I have seen people online use food processors to turn almonds into almond butter and chickpeas into hummus – all things you cant do with a blender!
There was only one food processor that was brought up, and its the Hamilton Beach basic processor.
- PREP THE FRESHEST INGREDIENTS: A powerful 450 watt motor and 2 speeds plus pulse control save you time and money
- SIMPLE TO ASSEMBLE AND USE: Stack and Snap design requires no difficult twisting or locking; A simple function guide is printed on...
- 12 CUP CAPACITY: Sealed bowl helps prevent leaks when mixing liquids; Dimensions (inches) 16.25 H x 9.55 W x 8.76 D; BPA free in...
Top 3 Best Selling Toaster Ovens
Get rid of your microwave and replace it with a toaster oven now!
This whole Black conscious eating thing is about not killing yourself and not killing animals unnecessarily. So you might be asking why you need a toaster oven when you have a microwave, right?
Microwaves heat food from the inside out at the cellular level, destroying life in the process. In order to eat to live, you must eat living foods. You can only get life through plant based items that havent been cooked to death.
Toaster ovens cook food through something called ‘convection’ and food absorbs heat from the outside in. You can heat food in them just as quickly and easily as a microwave, food tastes better, and they fit on your countertop. Many of the recipes in the books above call for a toaster oven, so you will need one anyway. Here are the three best sellers right now.
| # | Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Black+Decker 4-Slice Toaster Oven, TO1303SB, 14.5 x 8.8 x 10.8 inches 7.5 pounds, Stainless... | 3,867 Reviews | $39.99 | Add To Cart Or Save For Later |
| 2 |
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Toaster Oven 4 Slice, Multi-function Stainless Steel with Timer - Toast - Bake - Broil Settings,... | 1,684 Reviews | $59.99 | Add To Cart Or Save For Later |
| 3 |
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BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Toaster Oven with Natural Convection, Stainless Steel, TO1760SS | 763 Reviews | $53.45 | Add To Cart Or Save For Later |
The Number 1 Tool Every Black Vegan Should Have
The Instant Pot movement is real. Every vegan I have talked to owns one of these things. I was like “its a pot”. Nah – this is a tool that will change your life. If my house burned down I would try to run in to get my pot.
It takes an hour or longer to make beans and lentils. Trying to get black rice cooked just right is dumb hard. I want vegan jambalaya but I dont want to wait all weekend to cook it. And I am not a cook, so when you say medium-high heat, I dont know what you are talking about.
✅ I want steamed vegetables.
✅ I want fast cooking rice that comes out perfect every time.
✅ I want quinoa thats easier to make than it is to say.
For me, the instant pot is the answer.
It combines an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker and yogurt maker in one unit. All you do is plug it in and tap a button, and it does everything else. It’s as user-friendly as a Crock-Pot — except that it gets dinner on the table a day or so faster.
- Built with the latest 3rd generation microprocessor technology, up to 240 minutes pressure-cooking up to 24 hours delay start,...
- Instant Pot Lux 3 quart replaces 6 Appliances in 1
- Accessories include, stainless steel steam rack without handles, rice paddle, Soup Spoon, measuring cup, recipe booklet (English)...
- For large families, 6+ people. Item dimensions is 14.88 x 13.90 x 10.39 in inches
- Instant Pot Ultra electric pressure cooker is the next generation in kitchen appliances. A central dial with a simple turn and...
- New features: altitude adjustment, cooking indicator, and a steam release reset button. The Ultra button provides custom...
If you only get one tool on this list, make it an Instant Pot. There is a small version for 1 – 2 people and a large version if you are cooking for your family.
One of the biggest reasons many Black Vegans backslide to destructive dietary practices is a lack of the proper equipment and knowledge, so invest in these 5 tools and make your transition once and for all!
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