From junk food, raw meals and everything in between, vegan diet plan can suit everyone. The common thing among all these diets is that no meat, dairy or other animal products are involved.

What do vegans eat?

An entire world of amazing flavours and foods is available for them. A raw vegan diet plan includes all kinds of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, beans, seeds and pulses. This can be cooked in countless combinations. You will never get bored. You can make your favourite pastries, pizzas and what-nots with vegan recipes too. It is not only about diet. Vegans avoid unfair treatment of animals for any reason. With lot of alternatives available, living a vegan lifestyle has never been more comfortable.

What are the advantages of Veganism?

1. Very helpful if you are planning to lose weight or slim down

When you stop consuming animal products, you will stay slim. This is because your consumption of high amounts of saturated fats from dairy and meat products is decreased significantly.

2. You can get 5 meals a day

Forget five, you can even get ten if you are following a raw vegan diet plan. Lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet increases the nutritiousness of the meal. Energy bars can also be consumed. Not to forget, they are scrumptious.

3. Vegans are healthier

Vegans generally have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower diabetes risk, healthy body mass indexes, etc. Research confirms that you can be healthy without meat too.

4. Vegan diet improves immunity and prevents cancer

Fruits and vegetables are super nutrient-rich. They many have anti oxidant purposes. This will improve the immune system and help the body fight against diseases.

5. Vegan diet can aid arthritis

Knocking out dairy products consumption alleviates arthritis symptoms. A new study revealed that a combination of vegan and gluten free diet is very effective in enhancing the health of those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.  

6. Boosts your energy

When you are on a vegan diet, you will find that your energy levels are higher. It keeps you energetic throughout the day.

7. You will live longer

Research says if you follow a raw vegan diet plan, you will live an average of three to six years longer than those who do not.

8. No body odor and less bad breath

Knocking off meat and dairy products from your diet reduces bad breath. Also, vegans often experience a reduction in body odor.

How popular is veganism?

Studies reveal that there has been a significant rise in the number of people on vegan diet. There has never been a better time to add vegan foods to the diet.

Planning to practice veganism?

Here are some shopping tips

1. Before you buy a product, check the labels of all the products that you use in cooking. 
2. Wines and beer might have been processed with animal products. Watch out for that.
3. Most breads and pastries contain dairy products. Stay away from them.
4. Replace gelatin with agar agar in your cooking.
5. Replace paneer with tofu.
6. Vegan food is rich in fibre, folate and vitamin c. The diet you may be missing a number of other vitamins and minerals, like vitamin B12. You might need to consider taking a B12 supplement.

Sample vegan diet plan

Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal to start your day in a balanced way. No matter what, do NOT be a breakfast skipper. Skipping your first meal of the day sets your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster. This will lead to making wrong food choices later in the day. Remember, breakfast plays an important  role in your daily intake of nutrients. It is also responsible for maintaining a healthy weight.

Breakfast suggestions

• Vegan tomato & mushroom pancakes
• Creamy mango & coconut smoothie
• Green breakfast smoothie

Mid-morning snack

Having good breakfast in the morning is crucial for balancing energy levels. Ideally, you must eat in tiny meals and often. Every snack must work for you. You need to choose snacks that fulfil your energy needs and supply extra nutrients.

Snack suggestions

• Cherry soya yogurt
• Energy bites

Lunch

Vegan diets contain quite low amounts of saturated fat. If you are a full-time vegan, you might miss out on heart-friendly omega-3 fats, which are the EPA and DHA.  We generally get these from seafood and fish. Some sea plants like kelp and a few micro-algae supplements can add considerable amounts of those nutrients to the diet. It is a good idea to incorporate lot of nuts, their oils and seeds especially walnut, flaxseed, hemp and rapeseed into your diet.

Box up your lunch with an assortment of carb-rich foods. This will give you energy and satisfying protein from foods such as nuts, beans, pulses and seeds. Make sure that you choose carbs that cause a steady rise in blood sugar. This will help you control the afternoon snacks. Lunch suggestions:

• Crunchy chickpea salad
• Tomato & carrot salad
• Simple coconut & bean soup

Mid-afternoon snack

Whether your mid-afternoon hunger pangs demand for sweet or savoury, there are a plethora of healthy options to satisfy your cravings. Mix dried fruits with unsalted nuts or seeds and lo! You have a healthy, protein-packed snack. You may also cook a savoury seed and nut bar or just add a handful of nuts to your veggie dip. Afternoon snack suggestions:

• Apricot & seed protein bar
• Tangy roast pepper & walnut dip
• Oven chips

Dinner

Sometimes, vegan diets are low in protein. It is good to plan your main meals around protein rich ingredients like tofu, chickpeas and lentils. Enhance the flavour with yeast extract. This is not only a tasty addition but also a useful vitamin B12 source. Include a lot of colourful variety of vegetables in your plate. Leafy greens are a great option as they supply small amounts of the iodine to your body. Drizzle with an oil made from flaxseed, walnut, rapeseed or hemp. Your body uses these healthy fats to regenerate and repair. This is important for the maintenance of healthy skin and hair. Dinner suggestions:

• Chickpea, tomato & spinach curry
• Vegetable vegan biriyani with carrot salad
• Veggie Thai red curry

Going vegan is no longer a herculean task, with the amount of choices available. Good health is not the only reason to go vegan. This also puts an end to all forms of animal cruelty. Take the pledge today, go vegan!

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