I was in Portland for a weekend in January, freely roaming the streets, guided only by the magnetic pull of delicious restaurants and my never-ending quest for the perfect cappuccino. Portland is a unique place — hip, artsy and deeply “green.”

Vegan restaurants thrive in Portland

You may have watched an episode of Portlandia, which does a great job explaining the endearing quirkiness of the city’s culture. Customs like veganism, which exclude any and all animal products from consumption, are not uncommon there. Vegans do not make up a large percentage of Portland’s population — but of all places for veganism to thrive, this city is the place. There are many flavorful vegan restaurants, and grocery stores go out of their way to accommodate vegan diets.

Decision to try a healthy, vegan diet

While I was in Portland, a friend told me she wanted to try a vegan diet for a month. After chewing on the animal-friendly idea, I came to realize I wanted to try it too. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to go vegan and I’ve heard it is significantly healthier than other diets. I told some friends, and soon enough a small group of us chose to begin our vegetable-saturated journey. Thus, “No Face February” began.

I know when some people hear the word “vegan,” they feel uneasy, afraid of getting yelled at for murdering animals. Maybe that’s why people immediately grew skeptical when I mentioned my vegan experiment — or maybe they just can’t imagine life without animal products.

I did not choose a vegan diet to prove anything to anyone, or to condemn anyone’s lifestyle. I never yelled at anyone for eating meat, or hurled red paint at anyone for wearing fur coats (although if we were in a colder climate…). I simply wanted to experience another lifestyle and to find out if I would feel any healthier. Plus, I wanted a new culinary adventure.

I lost seven pounds during “No Face February,” and remained healthy while four of my housemates caught the flu. I felt healthier than I have in a long time, even with a hectic schedule and participating in Biola’s “Into the Woods” production.

Benefits of a vegan diet

The main concern with the vegan diet seems to be getting sufficient protein, but I found that it is not hard at all. Apparently, Americans consume twice the amount of protein they actually need, according to the online Nursing School Catalog.

I tracked my calories and nutrition for a few weeks on www.myfitnesspal.com, a free calorie counter, just to make sure I wasn’t going to become malnourished. I found that by relying on grains, beans, quinoa and the occasional tofu, that I got more than enough protein! However, I did find that I had to alter my portion sizes, as vegan foods have less calories per ounce. For example, an ounce of steak has significantly more calories than an ounce of spinach, or grapes. To compensate, I started giving myself larger helpings. Once I figured that out, I realized how lucky I was –– I could eat as much as I wanted without any guilt! For someone who loves eating, that’s a big deal.

I definitely enjoyed “No Face February.” I admit, I dearly missed my big breakfasts with bacon, eggs and homemade hash browns, and I clearly remember waking up in the morning with my mouth watering because I dreamt of eggs and cheese the night before.

Ethics of food

“No Face February” did bring up questions for me about the ethics of being a food consumer, after learning some disheartening things about the food industry. Chickens are raised for meat in extremely cramped conditions that influence the chickens in unnatural ways, such as cannibalism, and ammonia poisoning (from their own waste). Egg-laying chickens are induced to lay eggs year round, resulting in calcium deficiency, making them unable to support their own weight.

Still, I don’t know that a vegan lifestyle is for me, but I do want to make smart choices in my purchases so that I support companies that are kinder to creation. I’ll buy free-range chicken products. Now that February is over, I am slowly incorporating dairy, eggs and fish back into my diet. Red meat does not sound particularly appealing to me — and I probably need to buy some smaller pants.