Vegan Diet – How it Works

Posted by mcfitdad on March 5th, 2020

The common notion is one has to abstain totally from consuming meat, seafood, and any other animal product in exchange for grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

However, there is much hype and, at the same time, some confusion regarding the plant-based diet lifestyle.

It is time to unravel the mystery and look at this new trend.

Let us first understand what veganism entails.

What do Vegans Eat?

Although the view regarding a vegan diet is that one needs to restrict themselves, but the reality is vegan products are abundant. The majority of vegan lovers consume grains, legumes, soy, tempeh, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and seeds.

It can also include items as pasta, quinoa, chickpeas, tofu, and beans. Moreover, the majority of vegans also include many non-dairy products into their diet as almond and coconut milk.

However, the vegan diet covers a whole lot of other nutrients, which we shall see mentioned below.

What Vegan Diet Covers

Fulfilling the need for all the requirements when on a diet is an area of concern for everyone. Moreover, with the vegan diet cutting out all the animal protein, it becomes a bit hard to maintain the daily nutrient needs.

However, there are some essential nutrients the vegan diet focuses more on; these include;

Vitamin B12

As Vitamin B12 is much harder to find in regular food, the majority of vegans search for this vitamin in non-dairy milk, bread, and cereal. The individual can take B-12 supplements to fulfill the daily nutrient requirement.

Vitamin D

On a vegan diet, the best way to consume Vitamin D is sitting at least 15 to 30 minutes in the sun daily. We recommend the person search for a reputed plant-based health coach to get the right guidance during a vegan diet.

Calcium

The majority of people asking about the vegan diet carry a misconception that the only source of calcium is dairy products. However, one can easily find calcium in a plant-based diet, including broccoli, okra, figs, oranges, almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds, among others.

Omega 3

Omega 3 is abundantly available in fish oil and nuts or seeds. On a vegan diet, one can quickly get Omega 3 with flax seeds, which contain it in high amounts. Moreover, finding the best plant-based diet supplement will also fulfill the daily requirement of Omega 3.

Protein

The truth is that as a vegan, one would not find it hard to get enough protein daily, as it is abundantly present in many vegan foods. Some of the vegan food items with high protein quantity include lentils, tofu, beans, nuts, and plant-based protein powders.

Iron

Although iron comes from red meat, there is much more of it in chickpeas, pinto beans, navy beans, raisins, beans, and soy-based products in the vegan diet.

The individual should connect with an experienced plant-based health coach to find the right guidance when switching from a meat-based to a vegan diet.

With that said, it is time we check out how the vegan diet works and what it includes and excludes

How a Vegan Diet Works

When starting on the vegan diet, it can be quite intimidating for the individual. However, understanding how the diet works will help them transition with ease.

With a vegan diet, one has to remove any animal-based products from their daily menu, including meat, poultry, seafood, and animal derivatives, like eggs and dairy.

Depending on the present diet, it might be a minuscule or a significant change.

Given below are the food items that vegans can consume and the ones they should avoid at all costs.

What to Eat

Legumes including beans, and lentils

Nutritional yeast

Tempeh

Tofu

Seitan

Grains including rice, pasta, quinoa, and barley

Nuts and Seeds

Almond, coconut, and other non-dairy products

Vegetables and Fruits

What to Avoid at All Costs

Seafood

Eggs

Gelatin

Honey

Meat

Poultry

Lactose

Beeswax

Animal-derived products as milk, yogurt, and cheese

Casein

Endnote

The plant-based diet might be a bit of hassle for regular meat-eaters, but once the individual starts their journey, ample benefits await them. Moreover, one also gets the opportunity to reduce carbon footprint and spare countless animals from the slaughterhouses.