Healthy Vegan Diet: Most of us turn vegan for the animals but when we think about our diet, we believe we are having a healthier alternative to an omnivorous diet, which is the case indeed! But there are a few things we still need to be careful about. Managing and controlling your diet is very important to get a fully balanced and healthy diet. This article will look at seven tips for living a healthy and long life as a vegan
1. Healthy Vegan Diet – Eat fresh
Buying fresh produce and eating non-processed food is probably one of the most important aspects of following a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables bought fresh is much more likely to have higher nutrients and are more beneficial to you.
Always look for fresh food wherever you live, as it is always better to eat locally grown food for freshness and for the environment. There are various vegan recipes with all kinds of foods, so you should never be scared to try out fresh local stuff.
2. Drink plenty of water
This should be an obvious one, but drinking sufficient amounts of water and staying hydrated is one of the most essential things in a healthy diet. Our body is mostly water, so we need plenty of water in a day to stay adequately hydrated. Most doctors recommend 8-10 glasses of water a day, which equals about 2 litres of water. When you are working in the heat or exercising a lot, the water intake may need to be higher, so it can vary from person to person.
3. Ample amount of protein
We all heard it: “you won’t get enough proteins” or “where do you get your proteins from?”. While this is arguably the most overrated issue people think when they hear about veganism, you still do need to make sure you are getting the right amount of protein in a healthy vegan diet. Legumes such as Peas, lentils and beans are an excellent substitute for meat as these foods are rich in protein; there is also soymilk available which contains a similar amount of protein as cow’s milk. Nowadays, there are also many vegan meat substitutes that can provide a person with the recommended amount of protein in a day.
4. All types of foods
Being a vegan doesn’t mean that you are limited in your choices when looking for food. Finding vegan food has become even easier with many healthy and delicious options available in today’s day and age. Many researchers have found that eating vegetables of all colours and different types of legumes means that a person is less at risk of deficiencies and malnutrition. Different types of vegetables have different nutritions that they provide. Having a more balanced diet is much more important than eating all food items that might be considered most healthy. For example, foods such as Kale and Spinach are seen as very healthy foods everyone should eat, but eating other foods such as nuts and legumes are also important as they provide a different set of nutrition.
5. Healthy Vegan Diet – Vitamin B12
Vegans are more likely to be B12 deficient than people who eat meat. A lack of B12 is a leading factor for strokes later in life and is harder to find in vegan diets. However, the daily B12 requirement isn’t high and can be found in fortified foods, which some manufacturers include to daily consumption items. There are also supplements available that can provide you with the amount of B12 needed. In summary, make sure you’re taking it but rest assured this is just another overrated issue of veganism.
6. Ample amount of calories and empty calories
Eating the right amount of food is also important to receive all the calories you need for a day. It is more common for people who eat less to end up with vitamin deficiencies and feel weak. This doesn’t mean that you have to overeat; just eat enough. It’s also important to avoid empty calories such as sugar, as they provide close to no nutritional value. Instead of sugary foods, it’s better to go for naturally sweet foods such as fruits as they are much more healthier and more beneficial for you. Eliminating sugar completely isn’t necessary, but it should be avoided.
7. Regular exercise
Lastly, a part of every healthy diet is being regularly active and exercising regularly. Proper exercise helps you stay fit and is linked with less chance of heart disease. When exercising or working out, protein consumption is essential, luckily we know we don’t need animal products for proteins. On top of the health benefits, even the smallest amount of exercise, such as walking every day, has many health benefits.
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