All You Ever Wanted to Know About Going Vegan

What Is Veganism?

Veganism is a lifestyle choice where you refrain from consuming animal products in any form in order to live and let live and improve the environment. This includes making conscious decisions regarding one’s diet, beauty products selected, and clothing choices. Most often the dietary restrictions are thought of first. Of those, meat, dairy, eggs, seafood, and honey are eliminated.

Why Do People Go Vegan?

Vegans choose this lifestyle for many reasons. Many people go vegan, or eat a plant-based diet, to protect against obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Others began their journey because of ethics, wishing to end animal cruelty on all levels. Still more people decide to reduce their environmental impact by becoming a vegan.

Can I Eat More Than Salads?

For many, the idea of going vegan conjures up plates full of wimpy-looking salads. Being vegan is way more than that! Any combination of vegetables, fruits, organic grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds can be consumed. Being a vegan doesn’t have to be limiting.By learning to cook with a different array of ingredients, you can make many of your favorite foods. Sweet potato lasagna, ice cream, and mac and cheese can all be enjoyed, among others.Search online for vegan versions of the foods you love and start experimenting in the kitchen!

How Can I Be Healthy on This Diet?

Being vegan, like any other healthy diet, requires planning to be healthy. Registered Dietician Ginny Messina created a “Plant Plate” to help vegans eat a well-balanced diet and meet their nutritional requirements. Think of it as MyPlate for vegans.

Her recommendations include eating at least five servings of vegetables, four servings of grains and starches, three servings of fruit and legumes, and one to two servings of nuts and seeds daily. You also want to ensure you have some unrefinedsalt, omega-3s, and vitamins D and B12 every day. Almond milk and olive oil can be incorporated into the diet as well.

How Do I Get Enough Protein?

Without a doubt, “How do you get enough protein?” will be one of the most inevitable questions you will be asked as a vegan. This is one of the easier nutritional needs to be metbecause there are so many nutritious and delicious options! Here are some protein-rich foods, with ideas for how to incorporate them into your diet.

Nuts and Seeds

• Hempseed– Use in smoothies, sauces, and more!
• Seeds(pumpkin and sunflower) – Sprinkle on salads.
• Chia seeds – Add to non-dairy milk to make chia pudding.
• Flax seeds – Use as an egg substitute in baking or grind and add to your smoothies.
• Nut butter (almond and peanut) – Spread on toast or celery, add to oatmeal and smoothies, or incorporate into a dessert.
• Nuts – Peanuts, almonds, and cashews can be added to granola, or eat a few for a snack.

Beans and Legumes

• Kidney and navy beans – Use in chilis, stews, and soups.
• Chickpeas – Make homemade hummus, bean salads, patties, or curry.
• Green peas – Enjoy by themselves or use in a vegan pea pesto.
• Black beans – Create veggie burgers, tacos, enchiladas, dip, hummus, and brownies.
• Edamame – Eat as a snack by itself.

Grains

• Spelt (and spelt flour) – Make delicious bread, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and pizza crust.
• Quinoa – Quite the versatile grain, use it in breakfast bowls, sprinkled over salads (or as the base for the salad), in patties, and soups.

Vegetables

• Kale – Try a green juice or smoothie, vegan Caesar salad, or add to soups.
• Brussels sprouts – Delicious roasted with sweet potatoes or chestnuts.
• Asparagus – Steam, sauté, or roast as a side dish.
• Broccoli – Eat raw, dipped in hummus.
• Artichoke – Roast it with garlic.
• Spinach –Enjoy raw in salads, smoothies, and juices or cooked lightly in olive oil.

Meat-Substitutes

• Seitan (wheat-gluten-derived meat substitute) – Use to make barbeque, fajitas, and roasts.
• Organic or non-GMO Tofu and tempeh (soy-based proteins) – Add to stir-fries to resemble meat or scrambled eggs.

How Do I Get Enough Iron?

In addition to protein, iron is another mineral you want to make sure you get enough of. Many of the high-protein foods listed above are also high in iron. Some more iron-rich foods you may want to eat are:

1. Lentils – This is a great base for stir-fries and helps to thicken soups.
2. Tomato sauce – Enjoy it on pasta, gluten-free noodles, or spiralized veggies.
3. Lima beans – Use in corn chowder or make a Greek-style casserole.
4. Organic Oatmeal – Add strawberries, blueberries, or bananas and walnuts.
5. Molasses – Try making chewy chocolate cookies.
6. Organic Dried fruit (apricots, raisins) – Add to your morning oatmeal.
7. Fortified breakfast cereals – As a bonus, add nuts, seeds, or dried fruit on top.

Pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C helps absorption. Try to include citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, and spinach in your iron-filled meals.

How Do I Get Enough Calcium?

Our culture associates calcium with dairy, but luckily vegans have calcium-rich food options. Try to eat a hearty combination of these foods each day:

• Non-dairy milk – almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, oat milk, hemp milk
• Nuts and seeds – Almond butter, almonds, tahini
• Fruit – figs, oranges, and fortified orange juice (but be mindful of the high sugar content)
• Vegetables – broccoli, bok choy, collard greens, okra, arugula, kale

While spinach and swiss chard contain calcium, they are not the best options because they contain oxalates, a substance that makes it harder for our bodies to absorb calcium. These healthy greens should still be in your diet, but don’t rely on them as your calcium source.

Do I Need Supplements?

While plant-based foods give you many needed vitamins and minerals, if you are going to be vegan long-term, you need to add supplements.

• Omega-3 fatty acids – Vegan options for this nutrient include chia, flax, and hemp seeds, algal and perilla oil, the garden weed purslane, Brussels sprouts, and walnuts. With such a limited amount of fatty acid options, you may want to consider an algae-derived supplement.
• Vitamin B12 – This is only found in animal products, so you need to take a supplement.
• Vitamin D – Get plenty of sunshine, but also use fortified products or take a supplement.

Going vegan is a wonderful choice for your health, for the animals, and for the environment of our lone Earth. With proper nutrition, it can be a healthy option for many.