What to Eat on a Vegan Diet
Vegan nutrition refers to both the nutritional aspects and human health aspects of veganism. A well-planed, balanced vegan diet is suitable to fulfill all requirements for optimum human nutrition throughout all phases of life. This diet can be tailored to fit the needs of individuals with diverse individual needs like those with allergies, special dietary concerns or limited resources for food preparation and cooking. Within this fast-paced, stressful world, a vegetarian diet can help us avoid overeating and assist people lead a healthier, longer and more productive lifestyle. However, quite often we wonder which are the right ingredients to start a vegan dient with questions like “is honey vegan?“. Here some tips to solve those questions and find a healthy solution for your diet.
A well-planned vegan diet should consist of whole foods that are plant-based and contain minimal quantities of grains, dairy products and processed foods. These foods include fresh fruits and vegetables (freshly picking at regular intervals), cereals, whole-grains, whole-grain breads, and legumes (beans, lentils, peas, and beans) that have been sprouted. Grains should be soaked overnight to soften themground in a mill, rolled and lightly floured before cooking. Dairy products can be replaced with eggs, yogurt, or milk substitutes and refined grains should be avoided. Nuts and seeds are good sources of protein and fat, but they need to be eaten in small amounts and in combination with other foods.
A healthy, balanced vegan diet must contain adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and fibre. The recommended daily allowance of these nutrients is the same as for an average adult. The recommended vegan diet concerning calcium is 1.2mg for each kilogram of body weight. While it’s not possible to get all the needed calcium from everyday eating, it is possible to ensure sufficient levels of calcium from plant-based sources, including lots of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and legumes. For those with a particular vitamin B deficiency, it is advisable to eat fortified products.
Fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, which help to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. The best vegetarian diet for overall health will include plenty of dark green leafy vegetables, red peppers, carrots, potatoes, and whole-grain rice. Vegetables and fruits should be consumed in their raw and unpeeled forms, with juice contained. When buying fruits and vegetables, choose firm ones, and avoid those with plasticize layers or the ones that are heavily sweetened. The juice should be obtained from natural, clean, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
One of the best ways to begin on a vegetarian diet, and one of the most important to keep forever, is to prevent any additional consumption of meats. Even among vegans who consume meat and eggs, most go vegan after only a few weeks due to the potential risks to their health. Many young people choose to go vegan for a means to get into shape, to get rid of weight, and to make a statement against animal exploitation.
If you decide to buy milk, cheese, or yogurt, make sure to read the labels carefully to be sure that the dairy hasn’t yet been added to it with chemicals. Several soy products also contain compounds that mimic the effects of eggs or meat. They may not look like that bad, but when they are combined with other foods, like soy, soy milk can make a vegan diet unhealthy and dangerous. For instance, soy milk can often replace milk proteins, thereby increasing the degree of tofu used and thus decreasing the calcium in a person’s body. Tofu can also be high in phosphorus, which contributes to anemia in people without a proper diet.
