Some people eat sweet potatoes to please their mothers at Thanksgiving.
Gabrielle “Gabby” Boeger eats sweet potatoes as a means of sustenance and survival — twice daily.
And she is a freshman in college. Why would a girl so young follow such a strict diet?
One word, two syllables: ve-gan.
Boeger is a self-described “whole plant-based vegan,” searching for food that complies with her diet and brings her joy. The latter request is not easy.
Boeger said her mother’s decision to become vegan initially inspired her dietary change.
“She was lecturing me one day about how milk products are bad for me, so I was like ‘Okay Mom, I’ll be vegan for a day,’ said Boeger, a freshman biology major at Pepperdine University. “I just decided to stick with it because I am always down for a challenge.”
Boeger’s temporary “challenge” became a lifestyle commitment.
“I stuck with it, because I am really into health. I have been an athlete my whole life, and I am very into the health and nutrition side,” Boeger said.
“It is a way I can use my passion for nutrition in a good way, because there are so many benefits of having a plant-based diet,” Boeger said.
For Boeger, health is more than an adjective or trend. Boeger has an Instagram account sprawling with images of her vegan fare, ranging from homemade meals to decadent dinners at plant-based establishments.
Her dedication to health goes beyond the meal plate. On top of Boeger’s rigorous schedule, she works part-time at SoulCycle, an indoor choreographed cycling studio.
Having been a vegan for over seven years, Boeger approached her freshman year with a game plan. She hoped for several options: to opt out of freshman suite-style living, wave or decrease her $3,000 annual meal plan and authorize the use of a Vitamix blender.
Housing and Residence Life begrudgingly accepted the blender, but denied her other wishes. Boeger’s optimism and perseverant attitude dwindled.
However, Boeger said she frequently visited the cafeteria with an open-mind. In the event that the cafeteria only offered vegetarian options, dining staff attempted to reassure her that “there’s always the salad bar.”
For some vegans, the salad bar and vegan lunch or dinner option do just the trick.
“Aside from being vegan, I’m not a picky eater, and I adore salad, so the caf is typically very good for me,” senior religion major McKayla Rosen said.
Some vegans choose a plant-based lifestyle for ethical purposes, while others follow it for health benefits. Boeger adapted to a vegan diet for the latter reason.
A cleanse in January 2016 prompted Boeger’s transition into a whole food lifestyle.
“I just realized that it’s just a really healthy way to live,” she said.
A whole food, plant-based diet eliminates processed or preservative-rich ingredients. In other words, the food is left in its purest form.
After a “failed attempt” at making butternut squash macaroni and cheese in a pressure cooker, Boeger took advice from a vegan friend and turned to the microwave-friendly sweet potato. The root vegetable provided the anxious freshman with energy and affordability. Combined with frozen mangoes for a secret-ingredient breakfast smoothie, Boeger has racked up an average weekly grocery bill of $60.
“I’ve turned to sweet potatoes,” Boeger said. “I’ve learned to love it because I’ve trained my tastebuds to eat whole foods, and to love the whole food taste. I actually have contacted the Dining Services to see if they could sell me raw whole sweet potatoes. However, I have not yet received a response.”
Boeger pairs sweet potatoes with a salad, along with a custom order from Nature’s Edge.
“I have ordered special order products like a guacamole that is clean and a hummus that is clean.”
Nowadays, Boeger’s daily routine revolves around meal preparation. Never to take academics lightly, she said she rushes to the cafeteria for her to-go salads and grabs bananas, guacamole and hummus at the campus’s “health food” store. Boeger’s approach to eating comes with many setbacks, including time spent studying or hanging out with friends.
Vegans are in the minority population at Pepperdine.
“I don’t think I could ever be that committed to a diet,” said Marlee Hewitt, a freshman sports medicine major. “But after seeing the way she lives and her diet with her lifestyle, it’s very feasible and understandable.”
With such deep health convictions portrayed in her daily life, Boeger aspires to not only change Pepperdine’s dietary standards, but also her fellow classmates. The university may never put these practices into place, but Boeger remains optimistic.
“However, I think it’s important to get the message out that this is a way people eat — a healthy way, and some people do prioritize their health,” Boeger said.
Sara Boesen completed this story in Dr. Christina Littlefield’s Jour 241 class.
