Meet Keana Aquino, the vegan Instagrammer educating us from Japan

Veganism is often misunderstood and perceived to be nothing more than a restrictive diet. Keana Aquino (aka @shweetea on Instagram) has opened up about her journey as a vegan, which proved to be a life-changing decision she made last summer in 2015.

With over 15K followers on Instagram and 4K subscribers on YouTube, Keana has been able to spread awareness about the vegan diet by uploading both photos and videos of her deliciously plant-based creations. Keana lives in Okinawa, Japan and simultaneously maintains her vegan lifestyle, proving that, no matter where you are in the world, you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

How would you define veganism?

In my own words, I would define veganism as a lifestyle that promotes justice and equality among all living beings: humans, animals, and the planet.

What was the turning point in your life that made you want to become a fully committed vegan?

Throughout my junior and senior year of high school, I suffered from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), along with a poor relationship/mindset with food in general. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve visited doctors to cure my IBS (they assumed it was IBS because they couldn’t specifically figure out what was wrong) and it was really affecting me. Almost every time after I would eat, I would have the most excruciating pain in my abdomen area, and it prevented me from properly nourishing my body; I would try not to eat as often because of how bad the pain was.

I’m the type to Google basically anything I wasn’t sure of, and so that’s when I started my research. I learned that meat, eggs, and dairy were very hard on the digestive system, which resulted in the start of my journey to veganism. I cut meat out of my diet right away and remained pescatarian for about a year until I slowly decided to cut dairy out, and then eggs, and lastly, seafood (I loved sushi!). In the summer of 2015, I finally committed to a plant-based lifestyle, and the results were uplifting.

I can finally enjoy eating without suffering any consequences! I hadn’t really made the connection to animal and environmental cruelty until I stumbled upon vegan social media accounts on YouTube and Instagram. They recommended books and documentaries that were very informative about the dangers, harmful effects, and abuse that animals and the environment suffer from in order to cater the needs of humans.

How hard was the switch from your original diet to a vegan diet? Any tips you’d like to share?

The hardest difficulties I’ve faced would probably include the transition from being unaware of the foods I’d been consuming to double-checking every ingredient on a package, or making sure there were vegan options for me when dining out. Especially living in Japan, it can be difficult to know if a food item contains animal products as the ingredients are in Japanese, so it’s helpful to know the language if you’re in a foreign country! On the bright side, there are many farmers markets in Okinawa, so grocery shopping is very easy and affordable.

I think it also depends on how determined you are to make the switch. I recommend taking it slow by cutting out meat first, and then dairy, and then eggs, and so on. It’s easier to cut out one animal product at a time so it’s not too overwhelming. I also strongly recommended eating enough calories and ensuring you’re getting all of your micronutrients, as in vitamins and minerals.

Many think that supplements are a necessity to vegans, but that’s false! If you eat a large variety of different whole, plant-based foods, then it’s very easy to get everything you need. In the beginning, I used the website cronometer to track everything I ate to make sure I was hitting every nutrient 100%. I don’t use it anymore since I have a good sense of how much and what to eat, but I recommend it for those starting out.

How did your loved ones react when you decided to become a vegan?

My family was very supportive about it! They’re used to me wanting to eat healthily, and although they didn’t quite know what veganism was at first, they continued to encourage me with my decision. I’m very lucky and thankful for them, especially the support from my mom!

She always wants to try new things and is up for anything that is healthy for us, so she and I would go grocery shopping for not only my needs, but for ingredients to create meals that will be nourishing for the rest of my family as well! As for my friends and boyfriend, they have shown a great amount of support. I get teased about being a vegan every now and then from them, but I don’t mind!

They’re very considerate of my dietary needs when it comes to dining out and I always make sure they have foods to enjoy, too. I’m very blessed.

You have over 15K followers on Instagram (impressive!), as well as a nice following on YouTube. How does social media enable you to spread awareness regarding veganism?

Thank you! Social media is an incredible way of spreading the vegan message since the majority of the population is involved with it. With me, for example, I didn’t learn anything about veganism until one day I stumbled across YouTube videos about it. While being on this journey, I was able to inspire a few people to try out vegetarianism and veganism!

It’s honestly such an empowering feeling knowing that the content I post has impacted lives in a positive way. I’ve been told that my “What I Eat In A Day Videos” are helpful references with healthy eating! It’s amazing.

Are there any specific social media accounts that have inspired you on your journey?

Definitely! Although they are many, I would have to give majority of the credit to: Freelee the Banana Girl (YouTube, Instagram) , Bonny Rebecca (YouTube, Instagram), Mr. and Mrs. Vegan (YouTube), and Hot for Food (YouTube). They all create very informative content, and have either taught me everything there is to know about veganism, or provide a ton of incredible vegan recipes that are just as good, or even better than traditional ones!”

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is hard! I love food, but I also get tired of eating the same thing everyday pretty easily. I would have to choose… rice. White rice, brown rice, purple rice. All kinds are good!

What’s your favorite recipe?

Another hard question, so I’ll choose my favorite meal of the day: breakfast! My favorite meal is oatmeal in the winter, and a smoothie bowl in the summer. Typical oatmeal ingredients include: old fashioned rolled oats, a ripe banana, seasonal berries, seeds and nuts, and peanut butter.

My favorite smoothie bowl to make is an acai bowl! Simply blend frozen berries, a ripe banana, acai powder, and your choice of non-dairy milk, pour the smoothie into a bowl, and top with anything! I usually top mine with coconut, more fruit, and cacao nibs.”

Have you ever considered writing a cookbook?

I have not, actually. I’m good at following recipes, but not at creating my own! I really enjoy cooking and baking, but to create my own recipes would be very time consuming. Maybe when I have a lot of free time in the future, I’ll make some attempts. It’s my dream to have my own vegan cafe anyways.

Do you think people truly know what being a vegan means?

I don’t think so. From what I’ve heard in the past, some people think of vegans as weird hippies or health freaks. Even some vegans themselves represent their lifestyle in their own way. There are junk food vegans and there are raw food vegans, but they are all in support of the same philosophy. To me, being a vegan means being aware of the other living things around us.

Some of us are constantly occupying ourselves with social media or the stresses of work and/or school that we forget to acknowledge the other creatures we share the planet with. Mankind has dominated the earth for many centuries, so the connection that some people don’t seem to make is that even though nature and animals can’t speak or defend themselves, it does not make them any less of a living being than humans are.

If people wanted more information about veganism, what sources would you recommend?

“I recommend books such as: The China Study by T. Colin Cambell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Cambell II, M.D.; The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall; and How Not To Die by Michael Greger. For films, I recommend Cowspiracy, Forks Over Knives, 101 Reasons to Go Vegan, The Best Speech Ever, Vegucated, and Earthlings.”

What’s one thing you’d like to tell your followers/readers?

Every journey has its struggles, but you gotta keep sticking to it. There will be people you will come across along the way who will throw their criticism and negativity at you, so it’s important to stand your ground and remember your goals, morals, and values. Keep in mind that not everyone has the same knowledge, experience, or mindset as you, so it’s also important not to bash on those who don’t feel the same way you do.

There are days when I wish I could just erase everything I’ve learned about veganism so I could blend in with the crowd, but I always remind myself that I’ve come too long of a way to just give up that easily. At the end of the day, it’s all about self improvement!

Special thanks to Keana for her honesty and sincerity! If you’re interested, check out Keana’s social media accounts below:

Instagram: @shweetea 

YouTube: Keana Aquino