In Russia, although it occupies the largest territory, the number of adherents of plant foods is incredibly small – only 2% of the population. And according to a recent report from the independent Zoom Market agency, the least of them are in the Siberian regions. Of course, the results are very inaccurate. So in many cities there were no vegetarians at all, but I personally can refute this statement. Although we must admit, we are really few.
When a couple of years ago the place where I studied found out that I did not eat any animal products, it aroused everyone’s interest. People who barely knew me began to approach me to find out the details. For many, this seemed like something incredible. People have a lot of stereotypes about what vegans eat. Many people believe that a lettuce leaf and a cucumber are the only pleasures if you give up meat. A couple of days ago I celebrated my birthday and laid a vegan table. To say that the guests were surprised is an understatement. Some even took to photographing the food and sharing on social media.
Despite the fact that I have never met bears, some rumors about the conditions of Siberia are still true. Frosts over 40 degrees, snow in early May, you will not surprise anyone here. I remember how this year I walked in one shirt, and exactly a week later I was already in winter clothes. And the stereotype: “We can’t survive without meat” has taken root very much. I have never met a person who said: “I would gladly give up meat, but with our frosts this is impossible.” However, this is all fiction. I tell you what to eat and how to survive in this article.
Severe climatic conditions are perhaps the main problem for residents of Siberian cities. I was not joking at all, speaking about frosts over 40. This year, the minimum was – 45 degrees (in Antarctica at that time it was – 31). In such weather it is hard for everyone (regardless of food preferences): there is almost no transport, children are released from school, not a soul can be found on the streets. The city is freezing, but residents still have to move, go to work, on business. I think Vegetarian readers have long known that plant foods have no effect on frost resistance. But there can be serious problems with clothes.
Compared to the residents of the capital, we cannot walk in the park without fur or in a fur coat made of Mango. This clothing is suitable for our autumn, but for winter you have to look for something warmer, or the second option is layering. But putting on a lot of things is not very convenient, because if you go, for example, to work, then you will need to take off your outerwear, and no one wants to look like a “cabbage”. Wearing two sweaters over a T-shirt in this case is not a good idea. But in the 300st century, this is no problem. Now everyone can order an eco-fur coat on the Internet. Yes, we don’t sew such things, so you have to pay for delivery, but it doesn’t cost that much – around XNUMX rubles from Moscow to Novosibirsk. When it comes to wool, viscose comes to the rescue. This year, warm socks made of this material helped me a lot. The same goes for jackets and sweaters.
Got the wardrobe sorted out. There is one “small” issue – food. Nevertheless, energy consumption at such temperatures increases significantly. Even the houses get chilly because the heating can’t keep up. Wholesome nutrition is essential.
Unfortunately, Russia as a whole lags far behind Europe in terms of the vegan assortment in grocery stores. But it is worth noting that the situation has been gradually improving lately, but the prices for such products are still at a high level. Although from my own experience I can say that on any type of diet, if you try to provide your body with everything you need, it will come out decently.
Now in almost every place you can buy at least lentils. And even such small chains as Brighter! (a chain of stores in Novosibirsk and Tomsk), very slowly, but they continue to expand the choice of products. Of course, if you are used to sweet potatoes, then you have nothing to do here (we don’t have such “exotics” anywhere else). But avocados can now be found almost everywhere.
Prices for fruits and vegetables due to transportation are quite high. When I was in the Czech Republic in March, the difference struck me. Everything is about twice the price. I do not know about the situation in other cities of our country. Now we also have several specialty stores where you can find a lot of things.
Vegetarian cafes have recently started operating in Novosibirsk. In less than a year, their number was as many as three, although there had not been a single one before. Vegan positions have also begun to appear in mainstream restaurants. Society does not stand still, and this pleases. Now it’s not difficult to get somewhere with the “meat-eaters”, you can always find options that satisfy both. There are also private enterprises that make vegan yeast-free pizza, sugar- and flour-free cakes, and hummus.
In general, life is not as bad for us as many people think. Yes, sometimes you want more, but the good news is that in modern conditions veganism is becoming more and more accessible. 2019 has been declared the Year of Vegans in Europe. Who knows, maybe 2020 will be special in this regard in Russia as well? In any case, it does not matter where you live, it is important to maintain love for everything that surrounds you, including our smaller brothers. The times when it was necessary to eat meat are long gone. Human nature is alien to aggression and cruelty. Make the right choice and remember – together we are strong!