THE KEY TO HEALTHY VEGAN TRAVEL

Have you ever felt uninspired at the thought of another ‘quick bag of nuts’ whilst traveling?

Staying healthy on the road can be challenging at times and I’m definitely guilty of the quick-bag-of-nuts lunch on occasions but generally, after ten years on the road and whilst leading trips all over Latin America and Europe, I’ve managed to stay fit and healthy whilst following a vegan diet.

Here’s how.

Whole foods. 

One ingredient. 

Graze as opposed to thinking about set meals.

Keep hydrated by eating foods high water content.

So what exactly is the definition of whole food? 

Food that has been processed or refined as little as possible and is free from additives or other artificial substances.

Whole foods are not just confined to a kitchen, although I love chocolate chia pudding which requires blending and refrigerating, a whole food mindset is the best one to take traveling with you too. 

Three years ago I did a (epic, even by my standards) motorbike trip from Guatemala City to New York City and even after ten years on the road tour leading in Latin America and Europe it confirmed for me that you don’t need vegetarian or vegan restaurants (as wonderful as they are) to survive, even the smallest village or town in the most remote location will have a supermarket or even fresh produce market.

If your not in the mood to watch me harping on about a chia plantation in Guatemala then skip to 0.33 seconds and you’ll see that, on the side of a main road near the jungle I managed to stop for a tasty, healthy vegan friendly snack of coconut water.

(Excuse the helmet hair, it was a long day’s riding and super hot)

Here’s a list of whole foods to look out for that are high in protein which is the key to feeling full, the perfect antidote to panic eating (damm having to eat another bread roll).

>Avocados

>Shelled peanuts

>Pumpkin seeds

>Sunflower seeds

>dates

>Figs

>Dried Apricots

>Goji berries

>Bananas

>Kumquat

>Papaya (seeds are also know to cure stomach upsets)

If you’ve been postponing a trip, feeling unsure about travel or even sitting on the fence about going vegan then you really don’t need to worry, panic eat or pack a years supply of energy bars for a ten day holiday, just pack your whole foods mindset, a great book, sense of adventure and get stuck in.

May your travels be safe, healthy, compassionate and full of lovely avocados.

Em x

OVER TO YOU       

What are your main food based concerns surrounding vegan travel?

Share your thoughts in the comments box below so I can work towards serving the vegan travel community better and creating trips and products that you love.

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VEGAN ADVENTURES IN 2015

Discover how compassionate travel can promote the availability of a lifestyle in which animals, people and the environment are not exploited, one holiday at a time. 

www.veganbnbtravel.com for further information on vegan adventure holidays in Guatemala and Spain. 

Find out more about self guided adventures in Spain here