Living a meat-free life was never part of my plan. Nothing about veganism, Meat-Free Mondays or giving butternut squash a chance seemed appealing to me — in part, because it seemed like a huge fad (and as a specie, we’ve never been more fad-obsessed than we are now) but mostly, because I didn’t understand the advantages of opting for that lifestyle.

A one-and-a-half-hour documentary on Netflix changed my mind, though. What The Health is an ‘expose’ of sorts on the carnivorous mentality a lot of us humans automatically adopted from the generations before us. According to the many health experts that were interviewed on the programme, meat and animal products (including milk, eggs, cheese and butter) do our bodies more harm than good, not to speak of the environment. They also claim a lot of the research that supports including animal-based products in our daily diets (“children need milk to build strong bones!”) is funded by corporate giants, who are in it only for profits and care nothing for our health.

That’s one perspective though. Other studies and pieces of research will tell you that the protein, vitamins and other nutrients derived from animal produce can’t be replaced by plants, roots or supplements. A good number of outspoken pro-plant-based advocates and influencers even claim veganism has caused a barrage of health issues, and that they have had to include some meat in their diet to feel their best. It’s all a massive hullabaloo — who is right, wrong and what is just straight-up propaganda?

Having consumed a ton of content and done some reading over a few weeks, I did have a strong inclination to lean towards the pro-plant-based arguments, however — admittedly, not because of environmental or sustainability concerns, but because of personal health. I had a nagging feeling that did agree that chugging down large amounts of meat and dairy wasn’t particularly great for digestion and overall health, so I decided to give a version of a plant-based diet a go.

It’s been argued that, not only does Nigerian cuisine not cater to vegetarian/vegan needs, it actively fights against it but I would totally disagree. While we’re certainly a meat-loving nation, Nigerians consume a ton of carbs, vegetables and roots, and more importantly, in lower-income areas, where you find working-class communities to be more prevalent, meat isn’t always the most affordable option.

My conclusion was that a part-time plant-based diet, at least, was entirely doable — even though I might have to switch to almond milk and ignore the mature Parmesan aged for 30 months sitting in my freezer. I still had a ton of options, my mind said — plantain, yam, rice, noodles, potatoes, “swallow” and soup, etc.

DAY 1 (OF THE DIET)

This was, by far and ironically, the easiest day. I had moin moin and ogi for breakfast, plantain for lunch and pasta for dinner. I did crave a bowl of cereal after dinner, but as I didn’t have any plant-based milk handy, it was off the cards.

day 2

Things started to get a bit tough on the second day. I really wanted some eggs for breakfast, and I had these gorgeous pepperoni slices in the fridge making googly eyes at me, but I fought my urges. It all went downhill when I made lunch for my family, though — Jollof rice and a peppered goat meat-pomo mix.

I held out for a few minutes but eventually, I succumbed and did have the meat with my hot rice. I was determined to keep going though; after all, it was sort of an 80/20 agreement.

DAY 3

I was sticking to my guns but a massive ice cream craving was lurking over me. Instead of a trip to Eric Kayser for my favourite, I decided to stop by Hans & Rene instead, knowing they had a Vegan Vanilla option. I still stayed away from milk, eggs and meat that day but my resolve was waning.

Day 3 was the real turning point. It was the day I realised it would take a much longer time to retrain my brain and reprogram my habits to really be able to live a plant-based lifestyle — wanting it or believing in its benefits alone wasn’t enough. Additionally, I’d started doing more research into the great Meat VS Plant-Based debate and I was coming to understand that there were lots of inconsistencies in the information we’re generally being fed.

So, like a true coward, I chose the comfy middle — I still do. I went back to eating turkey with my Jollof (enduring the mockery of my partner in the process), eating Milo cereal with cow’s milk and not feeling bad about my 2-year-old’s daily nightcap of extra creamy hot chocolate. There’s so much to yet understand, and for this reason, I decided that maybe Meat-Free Mondays (Wednesdays and Fridays, too?) were not an entirely bad idea while we figure out what our bodies really need.