A vegan diet can be liberating

When most people see or hear the word "vegan" they get a little wide-eyed, back away and say, "Oh no, I could never give up meat or cheese!" A vegan diet is often viewed as restrictive, making people think about what they can't have rather than what they can.

The truth is, there's a lot that vegans can have. One of the most striking things about the seemingly restrictive diet is that most vegans say they feel more liberated and free to eat what they want on a vegan diet than they did on a Standard American Diet (SAD). How is this possible?

• Vegans tend to worry less about their calorie and fat intake. They cut down to the basics and get creative with plant-based, whole foods that are naturally lower in calories, fat and cholesterol. Most vegans eat for optimal survival, not optimal indulgence.

• Vegans get to avoid nearly half of the grocery store. Instead of being overwhelmed by everything there is to buy, most of it is already voluntarily ruled out for them. Shopping is pretty simple. And avoiding the money pit sections (meat and cheese) is just an extra perk.

• Vegans try lots of new and exciting foods. It's pretty normal to cycle through the same ten or so recipes that you've come to rely on for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vegans do this too, but as beginners they are opened up to a whole new world of new foods to try and discover. They are no longer trapped by their usual routine. Increasingly they learn how much more there is to eat as a vegan than they originally thought.

• Vegans get rid of the mystery behind nutrition. They must take the time to learn how to fuel their bodies properly in order to ensure optimal health. Vegans quickly discover that there's not some mysterious way of eating that only nutritionists or people who come up with fad diets understand. Nutrition is simple: eat a balanced diet with foods that naturally make you feel great. Just knowing this makes life a lot easier.

• Vegans have the power to eat what they want. They don't have to worry about feeling pressured to eat something they don't want. They have a perfectly defined excuse to make healthy decisions and feel good about it. When it comes to eating vegan, there aren't many grey areas. It's either an animal product or it isn't. Vegans either choose to eat it or they don't. The decision is ultimately up to the individual person. There's a huge sense of relief knowing that the control is theirs and theirs alone.