Veganism is not precisely what you eat, but rather it is curbing what you should not eat. With a lot of demand for vegan food and vegan products, it has become a popular lifestyle that people are adopting lately. So, why is it getting popular, and what does veganism is all about?
Also, are you someone who follows keto or gluten-free diet, you can check them too!
What is a vegan diet?
Vegans do not eat animal products and by-products, including dairy, meat, and eggs. Moreover, vegans avoid animal products such as fur or leather and personal care items that are animal tested.
Veganism is a way of living that eliminates all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, whether for food, clothing, or other products. In addition, a vegan lifestyle excludes the use of animals for any purpose. People follow a vegan diet for ethics, environmental concerns, improved health, and some even opt because of its popularity.
What can you eat as a vegan?
A vegan diet includes foods that do not contain animal products, by-products, or derivatives. But you can have fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, beans, legumes, and mushrooms are a great addition to any meal and exclude meat (red meat), poultry (chicken), seafood (fish, shellfish), and animal by-products (egg, milk, dairy).
You can include peanut butter, seeds, grains, legumes, lentils, quinoa, almond, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, and avocado for proteins
Health benefits of a Vegan Diet
Please note that vegans do not automatically mean healthy and nutritious, and thus one should not assume so. Furthermore, no matter what it is based on, it can lead to deficiencies if not followed under the advice of your nutritionist or a dietician. Thus, one may need to supplement to meet their daily dietary requirements.
A Vegan diet is low in saturated fat, high in fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and packed with antioxidants, phytochemicals, and other healthy compounds. As a result, it helps protect against high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. In addition, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vegans have lower cholesterol levels compared with meat-eaters and vegetarians.
Vegan food enjoys popularity due to its nutritional value, health benefits, and growing awareness about the help of a vegan lifestyle towards the environment.
Tips to start a vegan lifestyle
The first step is to go through what many refer to as a vegan transition. The process can be long and may include challenges. The vegan change may take one to six months, depending on your current diet. The following are some tips to make the transition easier:
- Remove meat first by replacing other protein sources with beans or legumes.
- If you must have meat, use plant-based alternatives like soy crumbles or TVP (textured vegetable protein).
- Remember that our bodies cannot digest meat properly, so it is crucial to ensure you are getting enough fiber.
- Milk is another animal product vegans need to avoid. Vegan alternatives include soy, almond, and rice milk. Even a lot of vegans started avoiding honey as it is derived from bees.
- Vegan cheese is without casein (a protein found in all types of dairy products), made from soy, rice, and other vegan products and is available in most grocery stores. Vegan snacks may include fresh fruit, cut veggies, cereal, trail mix, and nuts.
- Do not let yourself get too hungry. Vegan diets require lots of protein, so eating something every few hours is essential.
Nowadays, there are vegan bakeries with desserts and baked goods prepared without eggs or dairy products. Here you can shop for vegan ice cream, pies, chocolates, cookies, etc. For more options, check out other vegan sweet treats.
Benefits of veganism on the environment
It is very tough to ignore the environmental benefits of a Vegan lifestyle in this day and age. Everyone likes to point out that a Vegan diet does not cause any environmental problems, but what about a Vegan lifestyle?
Veganism means abstaining from animal products, including meat, milk, eggs, honey, leather, and silk clothing. However, a vegan lifestyle goes further than just these products. A vegan lifestyle also includes using any animal product as possible, whether it is medicine, cosmetics, or anything that does not harm animals. Therefore, it could solve environmental problems that take the planet towards significant degradation.