Scottish vegans on food tips, festivals and misconceptions
Three vegans share their experience of living a plant-based lifestyle as dedicated festival opens.
Glasgow and Edinburgh have both scooped titles for being the most vegan friendly cities in the UK in the last few years.
They have also been party to the launch of new festivals celebrating veganism, with Aberdeen confirmed as the next location to add to this list in 2017.
This weekend, the Edinburgh Vegan Festival opens a two-day event among the busy capital calendar, with founder Louise Pinchen saying the expanded two-day event has been born out of a demand by Scots.
"Last summer was our first event in Edinburgh and we could not have been prepared for what we came across," she says.
"There were queues down the street all day. We were overwhelmed with the amount of people who attended.
"There are so many stereotypes out there about being vegan and vegetarian and these type of events show that the stereotypes are wrong and not all vegans have to live on fruit and vegetables as there are so many options out there."
According to The Vegan Society, there are over a half a million vegans in Britain which is three and a half time as many as estimated in 2006.
We spoke to three Scots to find out their experiences of living a vegan lifestyle.
Olivia Unwin
Olivia became a vegan six months ago, saying it has been a big learning curve as she works out vegan-friendly foods and products.
"I realised there's so much from the shampoo you use to bleach to the shoes that you wear," she says.
"Everything is a consequence of something that's probably being tested on an animal.
"When I first changed my diet, I thought 'what am I going to eat?'
"But I feel quite lucky because Edinburgh is quite open and there's so much variety and choice."
The 20-year-old who works in retail says the hardest part has not been her change in lifestyle but the reaction people have had to it.
"I guess the hard thing about turning vegan was the controversy," Olivia says.
"My parents are really stuck on the belief that you need to eat meat.
"For me, it is not about criticising them that they eat meat - it is more trying to educate them and say that if you are not a vegan, you don't understand the empathy we have for other animals."
Olivia's treat tip: Vegan hot chocolate from Starbucks.
She admitted it is sometimes easier to say she is dairy intolerant or allergic to eggs when out for a meal rather than ask for vegan options, but she has no regrets about her recent decision.
"It is a lifestyle and a journey into an open mind," she says.
"I've always struggled a lot with things like personal confidence and it seems so far fetched but even six months into the journey of veganism, it's helped me love other people.
"It's given me a deeper connection to myself, it's taught me how to love myself more - it is just such a compassionate lifestyle."
Ash Alexander
Ash became a vegetarian eight years ago led by her compassion for animals but felt that something was missing something until turning vegan last year.
"For quite a while, I was a bit scared of the change because somehow it felt like a bigger leap," the 31-year-old says.
"As a vegetarian, I had perceived a lot of intense hostility towards vegans, more so than vegetarians, so I was kind of worried about it.
"It turned out to not be the massive change I thought it would."
Ash's treat tip: Vegan BLT from The Flame Tree Cafe in Dundee
Despite noticing some of this hostility, Ash has been buoyed by the reaction of companies around Scotland offering vegan options such as Sgaia, and the new festivals popping up.
"When I first became vegan, I thought I was the only vegan in Dundee," Ash says.
"I literally knew no other vegans so going to [a vegan festival] made me feel like I wasn't alone.
"A lot of time it is quite hard to find information on what's available so being in a space full of vegans and people who really care about it and understand, it is really helpful."
Esther Norie
Learning about veganism through Instagram and Tumblr posts, 23-year-old Esther says her eyes were opened to a lifestyle she had previously never given much thought to.
"A lot of it was the ethical aspect of it," Esther from Musselburgh says.
"The treatment of animals and also for environmental reasons.
"I have never been vegetarian so I ate meat right up until I went vegan, it was quite an overnight thing."
For the last ten months, the self-confessed foodie says she has enjoyed trying out new recipes and meals, although can find it hard deciphering which products are vegan friendly.
"I think one of the hard things is you don't always realise what comes from animals," she explains.
"A chemical will have a name and you won't realise that's been processed or produced in a way that harms animals."
Esther's top treat tip: Las Iguanas's vegan menu in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
"I feel a lot healthier," Esther adds. "I feel like I have a lot more energy.
"That heavy feeling you get when you have eaten a lot, I never feel like that anymore.
"I always feel lighter because the foods I eat are a lot lighter."
"I ate meat and cheese and everything before I went vegan but I think when you just focus on the ethics of it, it becomes the easy and right decision."
Eating out: More vegan-friendly options around Scotland
[Treacle Bar and Kitchen](http:// http://treacleedinburgh.co.uk/)
The Edinburgh restaurant has just launched a new vegetarian and vegan menu, with dishes such as Bao Buns with Bean Curd on the menu.
A dog-friendly pub in the west end of Glasgow only uses food that is free from any animal produce, with options such as vegan curry.
Predominantly a beer bar in Aberdeen, the food offering isn't extensive but vegetarian and vegan diets have been kept in mind with options such as the veggie dog with avocado hummus on offer.
The Dundee restaurant has a vegan and gluten free menu, with options such as Pea and Asparagus Risotto.
Having just celebrated its first anniversary, the Fire Station in Fife has vegan options such as their sweet potato and chickpea stew in their café.
Eating in: Try out Treacle's miso ramen soup recipe