The vegan diet has gained more attention in recent years. It’s no surprise that people are interested in it; after all, the plant-based diet has plenty of health benefits.
The vegan diet focuses on eating natural and unprocessed foods while eliminating animal products such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy — which obviously make up a majority of most standard diets today. In doing so, vegans eliminate the intake of animal fats, cholesterol, and proteins from meat and other animal sources.
With its growing popularity comes an abundance of information about it, both reliable and unreliable. So what does being vegan actually mean? What are the benefits of a vegan diet? Do you need to be a nutritionist to follow one? Are there any downsides to this diet? Here is everything you need to know about the vegan diet:
What Does Being Vegan Mean?
Being vegan means consuming a diet that does not contain any animal or animal-derived products. This means vegans do not eat meat, fish, eggs, dairy, or any other animal by-products like gelatin, dairy products, honey, etc.
There are three types of vegan diets:
- Raw vegan diet: This diet consists of unprocessed, uncooked foods. It also includes plenty of sprouts, seeds, and nuts.
- Living vegan diet: This diet is based on a raw vegan diet, but it also includes some cooked foods.
- Organic vegan diet: This diet focuses on organic foods. It is mostly raw and vegan, but it can include some dairy products.
Why follow a Vegan Diet?
There are many reasons why you may want to try following a vegan diet. Vegans often claim that it helps them feel lighter, more energized, and sleep better.
Depending on what type of vegan diet you follow, you can also experience weight loss and better digestion. Following a vegan diet can also be a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, which is especially important while we are facing climate change. A vegan diet requires less water, fertilizer, and energy than a regular diet, which translates to lower carbon emissions.
Beyond environmental benefits, a vegan diet may also help to reduce your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer, as well as lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. Of course, not all vegans see these benefits as some may not meet their daily nutritional requirements, so it’s important to follow a healthy vegan diet carefully.
Vegan Diet Requirements
While each vegan diet is different, there are certain nutrients that are commonly lacking in vegan diets. Vegans may want to take note of these in order to meet their daily nutritional requirements.
Protein: While protein is found in all foods, animal products are the most common sources. This is why it’s especially important for vegans to get enough protein in their diet. Some great sources of vegan protein include soybeans, legumes, peanut butter, hemp seeds, and nuts and seeds.
Calcium: Calcium is an important nutrient for bone health. While dairy is the most common source of calcium, you can find it in plenty of other foods like broccoli, almonds, fortified orange juice, and soybeans.
Iron: Iron is important for healthy blood and proper cellular function, and it’s found in many different foods. Vegan sources of iron include lentils, beans, fortified cereals, nuts, and tofu.
Advantages of a Vegan Diet
As mentioned above, following a vegan diet can have a number of benefits. Here are a few of the most important ones to keep in mind:
- Healthier hearts: A vegan diet can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, which are two leading causes of death worldwide.
- Healthier bodies: A vegan diet can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes, and improve your sleep.
- Healthier animals: When you are vegan, you are not contributing to the suffering of animals. This can be especially important for animal rights activists.
- Healthier environment: Reducing your meat intake can greatly reduce your carbon footprint.
- Healthier wallets: Vegan foods are often cheaper than animal products, which makes a vegan diet more affordable.
Disadvantages of a Vegan Diet
Just like there are many benefits to a vegan diet, there are also some disadvantages.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Meeting the daily requirements: Like any other diet, it’s important to meet the daily requirements of certain nutrients. Vegans may need to actively make sure they are getting enough protein, iron, and calcium.
- Lack of variety: Following a vegan diet can lead to a lack of variety in your diet as most vegan foods are very similar.
- Lack of protein: Some vegan diets have too little protein while others have too much, which can lead to health issues. This can make it important to meet the daily requirements of protein with the help of a vegan protein powder.
Vegan Diet and Weightloss
There are many benefits to following a vegan diet, including weight loss. When transitioning to a vegan diet, you may find that you automatically eat fewer calories without even trying. This is because plant-based foods are typically lower in calorie density than meat and dairy products. In other words, you can eat more volume of plant-based foods for the same number of calories as meat and dairy products.
A vegan diet is also high in fiber, which can help you feel full longer. Additionally, vegan foods are typically low in saturated fat and cholesterol, which can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Following a vegan diet can also lead to a reduced environmental impact, as animal agriculture is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions.
If you are looking to lose weight, transitioning to a vegan diet is a great way to do so. However, it is important to remember that not all vegan foods are low in calories. There are plenty of unhealthy vegan foods out there, such as processed snacks and sugary drinks. Be sure to focus on eating healthy, plant-based foods to maximize the weight loss benefits of a vegan diet.
Final Words
If you are interested in trying a vegan diet, there are many resources available to help you get started. The first obvious step is to replace meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products with plant-based equivalents. There are many plant-based versions of common animal-based foods available, such as vegan burgers, vegan bacon, and vegan cheese. There are also many plant-based cookbooks and websites that can provide recipes and advice on how to follow a vegan diet.
The vegan diet is an interesting and nutritious way to eat. But as with any other diet, it’s important to make sure you are getting the right nutrients and following a balanced vegan diet. It’s also important to remember that there are many different kinds of vegan diets, so not all of the information above may apply to you. Be sure to consult a nutritionist or follow reliable vegan blogs to make sure you’re meeting your daily requirements and following a healthy vegan diet.