THERE’S a new craze sweeping the nation and it has something to do with going green.
What does that mean? Well, we are not talking about the green fingers we’ve adopted during the movement control order, but rather the new wave of plant-based meal alternatives that’s been cropping up all over town.
If you haven’t noticed, many an upscale café and restaurant have begun to make their rounds on social media and many of these trendy new eateries even go as far as centering their entire ethos around, you guessed it, a greener offering.
But beyond the hype of ‘grammable cafés and fad diets, for many Malaysians, it’s about building sustainable and delicious new habits.
Another long-time advocate in Malaysia is model, actress, and emcee Melissa Tan, an eco-warrior who has been vocal in her motivations for going plant-based over the years – mainly, her love for animals and the environment.
“I encourage everyone to reduce your impact in any way that you can, and one of the most effective ways is going plant-based, ” Tan says.
It was not always an easy journey though, having experienced the earlier alternatives of plant-based proteins.
“When I went meatless 10 years ago, there weren’t as many options, ” she points out.
However, Tan also acknowledges that food tech has come a long way and the plant-based diet and lifestyle is more accessible than ever.
“Shifting to a plant-based diet has become much easier with the great options available and the wealth of inspiration from the plant-based community, so there’s very little reason for us not to do it. This societal change will be one of the greatest tools in our fight against climate change.”
Differing from hype diets and passing fads, plant-based eating does not revolve around limiting food groups for weight loss. Most who attempt a plant-based diet do so for one of many reasons – to tackle environmental impacts such as water scarcity and pollution, for animal rights, or simply to improve their health.
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