The Vegan Diet for Beginner

A Beginner’s Guide to Going Vegan

The vegan diet has become very popular. Increasingly more people have decided to go vegan for ethical, weight loss, environmental or health reasons.

When you’re just starting out a vegan diet, there can be a lot of challenges. There are so many resources and different ways to approach this transition! You might feel lost in the huge information sea of the Internet.

What Is the Vegan Diet?

Veganism is defined as a way of living that attempts to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, whether for food, clothing or any other purpose.

The vegan diet is devoid of all animal products, including meat, eggs and dairy.

People choose to follow a vegan diet for various reasons. These usually range from ethics to environmental concerns, but they can also stem from a desire to improve health.

A vegan diet focuses on plant-based foods and beverages and excludes all animal products. The goal is to eliminate the use and harm of living beings.

While vegetarians still eat dairy and eggs, vegans remove any and all animal byproducts and foods that involve animals in their processing methods. Meat, poultry, fish, and dairy are taken off the plate and replaced with veggies, fruits, beans, nuts, and grains.

Many people apply its principles beyond food, steering clear of clothes, makeup, personal care items, medications, and entertainment options that exploit animals or use animal products.

We should also note that a vegan diet is not automatically a low carb or low fat diet. It’s about cutting the meat, not the macros.

Prepare Yourself for Vegan Diet

When you’ve decided to go Vegan Diet, do a little research and prepare yourself. What kind of foods should you focus on eating? After all, the vegan food pyramid is totally different from the conventional one that you were thought in school.

I really love this vegan food plate concept by RD B. David and V. Melina.

Of course, learning never stops. After stepping on a plant-based path, slowly expand your knowledge. Whether it’s discovering new cooking techniques or learning about cruelty-free cosmetic brands – keep on educating yourself! Here’s a great roundup of the best vegan apps that can also help you when starting out and make your life easier.

You’ve stepped into a new and exciting journey with lots of new discoveries ahead

What do vegans eat?

Veggies. In case the “veg” part of “vegan” didn’t make that clear.

Legumes. Meet your new primary protein sources.

Fruits. No limits on nature’s candy.

Tofu and tempeh. There’s a whole world of non-boring tofu recipes out there.

Nuts and seeds. So. Much. Almond. Butter. And don’t forget cashews — they’ll become a staple to provide a creamy consistency in dairy-free dishes.

Plant-based oils. Cold-pressed is best. Avocados will also be your friends.

Grains. Experiment with varieties beyond plain old bread, pasta, and rice. Think quinoa, freekeh, couscous, farro, and barley.

Natural sweeteners. Honey isn’t allowed (ya know, bees), but you’ll sweeten up life (in moderation) with coconut sugar, maple syrup, and agave.

To boost your vitamin intake, mineral absorption, or gut health, add fermented foods like seaweed, kimchi, sauerkraut, and miso paste, plus a source of vitamin B-12 (like nutritional yeast, which adds a cheesy taste).

What’s off-limits

Animal proteins. Beef, pork, poultry, and seafood are all off the table.

Bee products. Sorry, honey.

Dairy. Cashew “mac and cheese” and almond milk lattes await.

Eggs. Scrambled tofu is just as good — don’t worry.

Animal oils and fats. Careful — lard and fish oils can sneak into the most unexpected places.

Be Aware of B12

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, but should talk with their doctor about taking a supplement. The DV for Vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms for most adults.

Pump Up Your Iron

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 (non-heme iron) isn't as easily absorbed as it is from meat sources (heme iron). To get the most of plant-based iron, eat iron-rich foods with vitamin-C rich foods, which helps boost absorption, and not at the same time as calcium-rich foods, which can inhibit iron absorption.

Vegan Diets Can Help You Lose Weight

Vegans tend to be thinner and have a lower body mass index (BMI) than non-vegans.

This might explain why an increasing number of people turn to vegan diets as a way to lose excess weight.

Part of the weight-related benefits vegans experience may be explained by factors other than diet. These may include healthier lifestyle choices, such as physical activity, and other health-related behaviors.

However, several randomized controlled studies, which control for these external factors, report that vegan diets are more effective for weight loss than the diets they are compared to. Interestingly, the weight loss advantage persists even when whole-food-based diets are used as control diets.

These include diets recommended by the American Dietetics Association (ADA), the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)

What's more, researchers generally report that participants on vegan diets lose more weight than those following calorie-restricted diets, even when they're allowed to eat until they feel full.

The natural tendency to eat fewer calories on a vegan diet may be caused by a higher dietary fiber intake, which can make you feel fuller.