Everywhere you turn these days, there is information about the benefits of going vegan. There’s no dearth of people telling us that cutting back on meat and eating more fruits and vegetables can help improve our health. An extreme end of this school of thought is veganism. However, changing your eating habits can be difficult, especially if you don't know where to start. So here are five tips for incorporating a vegan diet into your diet.
Start Slow
When beginning a new diet, it is always recommended that you incorporate just one vegan meal per day. Why just one? Because when you begin eating new foods, your body takes time to adjust as the foods are unfamiliar to your gut and are harder to digest. Vegan foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are high in fibre, and consuming a lot of that in one go can give you gas and upset your tummy. So, if you are transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, it's best to start with one meal at a time and see how your body reacts. Eventually, it’s not just an eating pattern that you can do for a few weeks and then abandon; you must persist for months to see any benefits.
Identify Your Protein Sources
Protein is an essential macronutrient that should be included in your diet regardless of whether you want to lose or gain weight. When you begin eating vegan food, cutting out meat and other animal-derived foods, your protein sources become limited. Your goal should be to find lean protein, which is a protein that is low on fats and has very few or no carbs. Soya, quinoa, nuts, chickpeas and vegan whey protein should be your friends.
Also Read: 5 Side Effects Of Clean Eating That You Must Know
Don’t Forget Variety
Following a vegan diet does not imply that you must eat the same fruits and vegetables every day. Your goal should be to eat new fruits every day, such as having an apple for breakfast on Monday, an orange the next day, and a banana the day after.
Why is it important to consume a diverse range of foods? To begin with, each food has its own benefits and contains a specific amount of nutrients. When you continue to consume the same foods, you miss out on certain nutrients and have an overload of one type of nutrient. Secondly, when you repeat the same foods, your body becomes accustomed to them and stops producing the same results. When you consume a variety of foods, you enjoy your diet and are more likely to stick to a healthy lifestyle.
Also Read: Addicted To Your Phone? Use It To Lose Weight
Bottom Line
When starting a new diet or following a new eating pattern, it is critical to get your blood work done to see how your body is functioning and your vitamin levels. Once you have a clear picture of what's going on inside your body, you can include and exclude foods based on your goals. It’s best to keep a dietitian or doctor in the loop.
Image Credit: Freepik
