Posted on April 23rd, 2017

Not long ago I was lucky enough to have a meal cooked that was completely vegan, that’s including nibbles, dinner and dessert. It was amazing J So let’s understand veganism in more detail and why people may choose to adopt this way of eating.

What don’t vegans eat?

Vegans don’t eat anything of animal origin (meats, cheeses, dairy products, honey, gelatin or eggs). Some vegans choose to go completely raw, however a majority do still cook some foods such as vegetables.

Why don’t they eat it?

People choose to adopt a vegan diet for a number of different reasons including; religious reasons, personal beliefs and health problems. Regardless of your reason it is essential that you understand how to eat a well-balanced vegan diet to reduce your risk of nutritional deficiencies.

Health Benefits

Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, pulses, nuts and seeds does come with benefits such as:

• Lowers cholesterol;
• Lowers blood pressure;
• Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease ;
• Reduces inflammation which has been linked to various medical, autoimmune conditions and cancers;
• Reduces/slows down the rate of some cancers;
• Alleviates arthritis symptoms;
• Aids in weight loss and maintaining a health BMI;
• Enhances the body’s detoxification mechanisms; and
• Provides a good range and variety of minerals and nutrients.

Nutritional Deficiencies

As with any diet if it is not done correctly and is not well balanced nutritional deficiencies can result. Some of the common ones seen in those that are vegan or vegetarian include:

• Vegans can struggle with meeting their protein and iron requirements if meals are not balanced, particularly if they do not consume a lot of legumes, pulses, grains, nuts and seeds. The iron found in plant based sources is not as well absorbed by the body like the iron found in animal sources, therefore foods that are rich in vitamin C need to be consumed to help with iron absorption.
• Vitamin B12 is generally found in animal products, therefore; vegans need to be diligent in ensuring these requirements are met. Nutritional yeast is a good source of B12 and nuts milks are often fortified with B12 as well. A supplement may need to be taken.
• Vegans need to ensure that they do not become deficient in calcium and consume foods such as; broccoli, leafy green vegetables, tahini, black beans, white beans, nut milks, and good quality soy products to meet daily requirements.
• Deficiencies in omega 3’s fatty acids are also common as vegans don’t eat fresh fish. You can still achieve it through foods such as walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds and hemp seeds, however often it is not enough and a supplement is recommended.
• Vegan diets can be high in refined sugars, therefore it is important to stick with wholefoods. Make baked goods yourself and choose healthier sugar alternatives such as; dates, coconut sugar, xylitol sugar and rice malt syrup.

Committing to a Vegan Diet

It is essential to eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods such as; fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds and wholegrains to get all the essential nutrients required to maintain optimum health. As meat and other animal products are not being consumed it is important to ensure that the foods you are eating contain adequate amounts of iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids as these nutrients are often found in high quantities in animal products.

It does require commitment and time to be well prepared. If you don’t want to put the work in to give yourself a balanced diet then you won’t reap the benefits from it and you may do more harm than good.

I do recommend investing in a high quality protein powder (pea, rice, quinoa or hemp) to ensure that you reach your protein intake daily.

Overall if done well, often with the support of some vitamins/minerals you can reap the benefits of a vegan diet.

**Please keep in mind that not everyone can maintain a vegan diet as their digestive systems do not handle processing pulses, legumes, nuts and seeds.

If you are looking for support to maintain a vegan diet or just looking at incorporating some vegan inspired dishes into your weekly plan let me know 🙂