VEGAN DIET BENEFITS : Why Choose To Eat The Vegan Way

josephplatt1979
Jun 19, 2021
6 min read

Updated: Jul 4, 2022

WHAT IS A VEGAN

A vegan is someone who does not eat or use animal products and that includes animal meats, seafood, clothing, cosmetics, and other consumer goods. Aside from the lifestyle aspect which involves changes like no longer buying leather and products tested on animals your diet will shift to include plants instead of animals. There are many vegan diet benefits for your health, but many people adopt the diet to help put an end to the harm and exploitation of animals for food, clothing, beauty products, and other purposes.

A vegan diet is widely regarded to be better for the planet than those that include animal products and that is a big reason why people decide to go vegan. Some people are motivated by ethical, animal welfare and environmental reasons for becoming vegan, whereas others are motivated by perceived health benefits.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the consumption of animals is a major contributor to numerous global problems. Since a plant-based diet addresses all of these problems simultaneously and can help to resolve them, the move towards a diet and lifestyle free from animal products is rapidly gaining momentum.

A plant-based diet saves many animals from a life of suffering, reduces one’s ecological footprint, and can contribute to a fairer world. At the same time, plant-based eating can also offer a healthier and more varied diet. The high consumption of animal-based products is one of the main causes of widespread lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. A varied and balanced plant-based diet can help to minimize the risk of developing these diseases.

WHAT TO EAT ON A VEGAN DIET

A diet free from animal products is versatile, while the transition towards more plant-based eating opens up a world of new and exciting culinary possibilities.

One of the vegan diet benefits is that animal products can easily be replaced with foods like:

Vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, cabbage, beetroot, pumpkin, garlic, olives, broccoli, apples, nectarines, berries, bananas, melons, and oranges. These kinds of food are an important source of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber.
Pulses such as lentils, peas, beans, soya beans, and lupins, which are a key source of protein.
Whole grains and cereals such as oats, rye, spelt, wheat, barley, millet, and rice, quinoa, amaranth, or buckwheat. These provide complex carbohydrates, fiber, and phytochemicals.
Nuts and seeds such as flax seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds, which provide healthy fats as well as a range of other valuable nutrients.
Plant based alternatives such as tofu, vegan burgers, schnitzels, and sausages. These are available in many variants, things like based on soya, seitan, or lupins.
There are also numerous plant based alternatives to milk, yoghurt, and cheese. These are often based on soy, nuts, or cereals.
Vegan supplements are simply protein derived from plant-based sources, such as pea, rice, and soy proteins. Since it can be tricky to get enough protein into a plant-based diet, vegan protein shakes are a highly-convenient and popular way of getting a protein boost

Get Vitamin D, B12 and iron

Most people get Vitamin D from canned fish like salmon and sardines and fortified dairy products like milk and yogurt, but vitamin D is also in some fortified non-dairy milks such as soy or almond milk and orange juice. Some mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light are also good sources. In the summer months, when the sun is stronger our skin can synthesize vitamin D.

Vitamin B12-a vitamin that helps transform food into energy in our bodies and aids in brain function-is found mainly in animal foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy foods. People following a vegan diet can get some B12 from fortified cereals or energy bars and taking a supplement.

Animal proteins like meat and chicken are the best sources of iron, which is another nutrient that's important for vegans to pay attention to. Vegans can still get this mineral from beans, legumes and leafy greens, but iron from plant sources isn't as easily absorbed as it is from meat sources. There are lots of supplements that you can get with iron in them.

Unlike super-popular whey protein, vegan protein powders are not derived from cow’s milk. Instead, they are sourced from various beans and plants which are naturally high in protein. CLICK HERE to get your top-quality vegan protein

WHAT TO AVOID ON A VEGAN DIET

Some of the food vegans should avoid are obvious, but others may surprise you. What’s more, not all vegan foods are nutritious and some are best avoided. Vegans can't eat any foods made from animals as well as foods that contain any ingredient that is derived from an animal including:

Meat includes any animal flesh like Beef, pork, lamb, and other red meat, Chicken, duck, and other poultry
Fish or shellfish such as crabs, clams, and mussels.
Dairy is a no-go for vegans and includes milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, and sour cream
Farm chickens produce eggs for human use, which adds to the exploitation of animals that vegans don't support, so eggs are a big no.
Avid foods made with egg like pasta, pastry, even some beer and wine.
Sugar is a no but not all vegans avoid white sugar, but some do, as it can be processed using animal by-products.

Whenever you go shopping check the labels of all packaged products that you use. Check all the labels and keep an eye out for certain foods that contain certain ingredients. There are so many amazing vegan foods out there, you may be surprised by just how many options there are. You will find food sections just for vegan only but if you shop in other isles just be aware if what is in the product

START SLOW

Some people easily go from eating meat to vegan right away, while others struggle with their new commitment. Others may choose to go vegetarian first and then slowly omit eggs and dairy. There's no right or wrong way to do it.

If you don't want to jump in all at once, you don't have to. Instead, you can start by eating vegan a couple of days a week, then build that up until you're fully vegan. One great way to do this is by making Meatless Mondays a thing in your home. You'll be feeling so great at the start of each week that you'll want to stick to plants all week long.

It can be difficult to go full vegan straight away so easing into that way of eating would be best. Focus on the big changes like switching from meat, milk, and eggs to whole-plant foods. Such changes dramatically improve the nutritional composition of the foods you are eating, so this is where you will find the most noticeable and measurable improvements in your health.

VEGAN DIET BENEFITS

Cutting out meat and dairy can help with weight loss but doesn’t automatically lead to weight loss. Lots of vegan foods available in shops, restaurants and supermarkets can be high in sugar and fat. But if you eat a vegan diet and burn more calories than you consume then you will no doubt lose weight. As we’ve seen, a vegan diet can help you eat more fruit & veg, and less fatty and processed meat and saturated fats which is a plus for weight loss.

Due to the eating of less fat, going vegan may lower your risk of heart disease caused by Saturated fat found in lots of common foods. When we eat too much it can raise our levels of “bad” cholesterol and increase our risk of heart disease and stroke.

Eating a vegan diet may lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes which is a condition that can develop if you have an unhealthy diet. The best way to lower your risk is to cut back on foods that encourage insulin production.

Eating vegan can also lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure and high blood pressure left uncontrolled can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, vision loss, sexual dysfunction, angina, or peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Vegan diets are rich in fibrous foods which keep the digestive system running smoothly. These foods are also rich in other essential nutrients which are absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestine. A diet rich in animal products may result in slow digestion and often leads to constipation. Vegans enjoy smooth digestion which allows greater bioavailability of nutrients from the foods they eat.

Below is a weekly plan you could follow to succeed at the vegan diet

BOTTOM LINE

If you want to be successful with your vegan diet plan and ultimately reap its health benefits you need to load your fridge and pantry. Keep plenty of fruits and veggies on hand, which are packed with immune boosting nutrients as well as fiber to keep you full. Unless you hit the grocery store every day or run your garden, it can be challenging to maintain a supply of fresh produce.

For quick proteins, turn to canned or dried beans as well as whole grains, supplements, pulses, nuts, and seeds from the bulk bins at your local supermarket, all of which are relatively inexpensive, nutritious, and have a super long shelf. You will find that plant-based diets tend to be less expensive than animal-based diets. Unprocessed, whole, plant foods tend to cost less than their animal counterparts. There are many vegan diet benefits, but the main benefits are weight loss, better health and it is better for the planet.

JOE PLATT HEALTH, WEALTH AND FITNESS