Nigerians were recently urged to be mindful of what they consume so as to minimise the chances of being encumbered by serious health challenges such as cardiovascular diseases. Mr Clement Dike, the Executive Director, a group, Abuja Vegan Food Connect, have this advice, at its inauguration, and a public awareness forum to celebrate Africa Vegan Restaurant Week.
Vegan foods are foods that are from natural sources such as plants and avoiding foods that other products derived from animals.
The forum, which aims at promoting plant-based diet, was jointly organised in partnership with restaurant owners in Abuja.
Dike said the Africa Vegan Restaurant Week was a period to celebrate plant-based diet across all Africa.
He said that the group was carrying restaurant owners along to encourage them to promote plant-based diet in their menus.
Said Dike: “We are purposely here at the Eagle Square to create awareness to these restaurant owners to inculcate plant-based diet in their menu options.
“It is also to let people know that there are vegan outlets in Abuja for those who also want to become vegan.
“Our organisation is in partnership with African Restaurant Food which is a pan-Africa organisation that is working to promote veganism in Africa.
“The more vegan food you eat, the more healthy you will become, we are saying no more eating of animal diet food like red meat”.
Femi Johnson, Holistic Life Coach, also a member of Vegan group, encouraged Nigerians to live on Vegan, saying that there were so many benefits from it in terms of health wise.
Said he: “Vegan diet will help in lowering the level of cholesterol; it will help to reduce weight for those who are overweight; as well as helping you to shelve excess fat in the body.
“It will help to reduce cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, stroke; eating right is something that every Nigerian should embrace.
“You don’t have to be a vegan at once, you transit to this gradually, you can start by eating less meat, oily food.
“We are also encouraging restaurant owners to include Vegan diet in their services so that those who want to become vegan can have a place to go and eat”.
Dr. Opeyemi Adeosun, Executive Director, INEMO Foundation, an NGO, said his organisation was supporting the initiative because of the importance of eating right.
Noted Adeosun: “The earlier we stopped eating some kinds of food the better; we don’t need to wait until we are 40 or 50 years old. This is because at age 20 and 25 some people are already renal failure, cardiac arrest and hypertension.
“We have to start watching our eating habit, now is the time to change, even if we cannot stop at once, let us stop gradually..
“Let’s focus our diet on plant source, plant is one of the gifts of God, let’s take more of our vegetables”.
