One of the most impactful changes you can make for your health, energy levels, and chronic disease prevention is adopting a plant-based diet. This guide aims to provide a clear and structured understanding of veganism, its benefits, and how to transition successfully.
Introduction: Embracing the Plant-Based Lifestyle
The vegan diet has surged in popularity, with more individuals opting for this lifestyle due to ethical, environmental, or health considerations. Scientific evidence suggests that a whole-food, plant-based diet can prevent, control, or even reverse many chronic diseases. This way of eating can help maintain a healthy weight, promote longevity, and reduce environmental impact.
Understanding Veganism
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. It extends beyond just food choices, with many vegans avoiding products made from animals, such as leather, wool, and cosmetics tested on animals.
What Exactly Is a Vegan Diet?
A vegan diet excludes all animal products and animal foods, including meat, fish, dairy foods, eggs, and honey. Unlike vegetarian diets, which may include dairy products and eggs, a vegan diet is entirely plant-based. This means you’ll be eating plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Vegan vs. Plant-Based: What's the Difference?
The terms "vegan" and "plant-based" are often used interchangeably, but there's a subtle difference. "Vegan" typically refers to an ethical lifestyle choice that avoids all animal exploitation, while "plant-based diet" often focuses more on the health aspects of eating primarily plant foods. Some plant-based eaters might occasionally include small amounts of animal products. FOK (Forks Over Knives) teaches the gold standard plant-based diet, which is completely free of animal products and therefore vegan.
Read also: Vegan Diet for Diabetes Management
Types of Vegan Diets
There are several variations of the vegan diet:
- Whole-food vegan diet: Based on a wide variety of whole plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
- Raw food vegan diet: Based on raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, or plant foods cooked at temperatures below 118°F (48°C).
- 80/10/10 diet: A raw food vegan diet that limits fat-rich plants such as nuts and avocados and relies mainly on raw fruits and soft greens instead. It is also referred to as the low fat, raw food vegan diet or fruitarian diet.
- Starch solution: A low fat, high carb vegan diet similar to the 80/10/10 diet, but it focuses on cooked starches like potatoes, rice, and corn instead of fruit.
- Raw till 4: This low fat vegan diet is inspired by the 80/10/10 diet and starch solution.
- Thrive diet: A raw food vegan diet where followers eat plant-based, whole foods that are raw or minimally cooked at low temperatures.
- Junk food vegan diet: A vegan diet lacking in whole plant foods that relies heavily on mock meats and cheeses, fries, vegan desserts, and other heavily processed vegan foods.
Getting Started: Transitioning to Veganism
Starting your journey on how to go vegan can feel overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t have to be. The key to successfully transitioning to a vegan diet is taking it one step at a time. You don’t need to change everything overnight!
Gradual Approach
Some people find success with "Meatless Mondays" or eliminating one animal product at a time. You might start by switching cow’s milk to oat milk, then gradually phase out other dairy products. There’s no shame in taking your time - this approach often leads to more sustainable changes.
A Sample Transition Plan
Here's one path to veganism, eliminating something every week or two, or even monthly if that works for you:
- Week 1: Eliminate red meat.
- Week 2: Drop chicken and keep eating fish.
- Week 3: Start to incorporate meatless meals into your diet and see how you do with them.
- Week 4: Experiment with new recipes.
- Week 5: Drop dairy and replace it with dairy alternatives.
- Week 6: Stop eating fish.
Familiar Foods
Many dishes you already love can be easily veganized. That spaghetti with marinara sauce? Already vegan! Your morning oatmeal with fruit? Perfect as is. Begin by identifying the vegan meals you already enjoy.
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Experiment with Vegan Substitutes
Today’s grocery stores offer amazing alternatives. Try different cheese substitute options until you find ones you love. Sample various plant-based milk alternatives - oat milk, almond milk, soy milk - to see which works best in your coffee or cereal.
The 80/20 Rule
This flexible approach suggests aiming to eat vegan 80% of the time while allowing yourself some flexibility the remaining 20%. This can be particularly helpful when you’re just starting out or in social situations where vegan options might be limited. It’s better to maintain a mostly vegan diet that you can stick with long-term than to aim for perfection and give up entirely. As you become more comfortable with vegan eating, you might naturally find yourself eating vegan more than 80% of the time.
What Foods Can Vegans Not Eat?
Understanding what foods can vegans not eat is essential for your transition. Here’s what you’ll need to eliminate:
- Obvious animal products: Red meat, poultry, fish, and seafood are clearly off-limits. This includes processed meats like bacon, ham, and sausages.
- Dairy products: This includes milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, and ice cream made from cow’s milk or other animal milk.
- Eggs: Whether scrambled eggs for breakfast or eggs used in baking, all forms are excluded from a vegan diet.
- Hidden animal ingredients: Many processed foods contain animal-derived ingredients that aren’t immediately obvious. Gelatin (found in many candies and marshmallows), casein (a milk protein), and whey (also from milk) are common culprits.
- Honey: While some vegans do consume honey, most avoid it since it’s an animal product.
- Animal-based ingredients: whey, casein, lactose, egg white albumen, gelatin, cochineal or carmine, isinglass, shellac, L-cysteine, animal-derived vitamin D3, and fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids
Reading Labels Like a Pro
Learning to read ingredient labels becomes second nature when you adopt a vegan lifestyle. Look out for terms like “may contain milk” or “processed in a facility that also processes eggs.” While these warnings are primarily for people with allergies, they can help you understand what products are truly vegan. Some ingredients have sneaky names - albumin comes from eggs, and lactose comes from milk. Don’t worry about memorizing everything at once; you’ll learn as you go!
Essential Nutrition for Your Vegan Diet
Favoring a well-planned diet that limits processed foods and replaces them with nutrient-rich ones is important for everyone, not only vegans. That said, those following poorly planned vegan diets are particularly at risk of certain nutrient deficiencies. Studies show that vegans are at a higher risk of having inadequate blood levels of vitamin B12, vitamin D, long-chain omega-3s, iodine, iron, calcium, and zinc.
Read also: Lose Weight with Veganism
Getting Enough Protein Without Animal Products
One of the most common questions about vegan diets concerns protein. The good news? It’s entirely possible to get enough protein from plant foods! Legumes like beans, lentils, and chickpeas are protein powerhouses. Nuts, seeds, and whole grains also contribute significant protein to your diet.
A serving of black beans contains about 15 grams of protein, while a cup of quinoa provides 8 grams. Chia seeds, hemp seeds, and nut butter are excellent protein sources too. Many vegans also use vegan protein powder to supplement their intake, especially if they’re active or building muscle.
Vegan Protein Sources:
- Tofu, tempeh, and seitan
- Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)
- Nuts and nut butters
- Seeds (hemp, chia, flax)
- Whole grains, cereals, and pseudocereals (quinoa, amaranth)
The Vitamin B12 Factor
Vitamin B12 is perhaps the most important nutrient to consider when following a vegan diet. This vitamin is essential for red blood cells formation and nervous system function, but it’s primarily found in animal products. However, this doesn’t mean vegans can’t get enough - you just need to be intentional about it.
Fortified foods like nutritional yeast, fortified plant-based milk, and breakfast cereals can provide vitamin B12. Many vegans also take B12 supplements to ensure adequate intake. Nutritional yeast, in particular, has become a staple in many vegan kitchens - it adds a cheesy flavor to dishes while providing essential nutrients. Vitamin B12 in cyanocobalamin form is the most studied and seems to work well for most people.
Other Essential Nutrients to Consider
- Vitamin D: While your body can produce vitamin D from sunlight, many people (vegan or not) don’t get enough. Fortified foods and supplements can help bridge this gap. Opt for D2 or vegan D3 forms, such as those manufactured by Nordic Naturals.
- Iron: Iron absorption can be enhanced by eating vitamin C-rich foods alongside iron-rich plant foods. Use of iron cast pots and pans for cooking, avoiding tea or coffee with meals, and combining iron-rich foods with a source of vitamin C can further boost iron absorption.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Don’t forget about omega-3 fatty acids, typically associated with fish. Chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts are excellent plant-based sources that support heart health and brain function. A daily intake of 200-300 mg of EPA and DHA from an algae oil supplement may be a safer way to prevent low levels.
- Calcium: To increase calcium, which supports bone health, look for vegan-friendly milk alternatives that are fortified with calcium and other nutrients. Options might include soy, almond, oat, hemp or pea-protein-based milks. Be sure to check nutrition facts and ingredients for calcium, vitamin D and protein, as these can vary greatly based on type and brand. Other calcium-rich choices include dark, leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, kale, broccoli and collard greens. Calcium is best absorbed when taken in doses of 500 mg or less at a time.
- Iodine: The addition of seaweed or iodized salt to your vegan diet can help you reach the recommended daily intake of iodine. Take a supplement or add 1/2 teaspoon of iodized salt to your diet daily.
- Zinc: This is taken in zinc gluconate or zinc citrate forms and should not be taken at the same time as calcium supplements
Supplements for Vegans
Vegans unable to meet their recommended nutrient intakes through foods or fortified products alone should consider taking supplements. You should only supplement with iron in the case of a documented deficiency. Ingesting too much iron from supplements can cause health complications and prevent the absorption of other nutrients.
Building Your Vegan Pantry
Building a well-stocked vegan pantry makes meal preparation much easier. Here are some essentials:
- Nutritional yeast: Adds a nutty, cheesy flavor to everything from popcorn to pasta. It’s also fortified with vitamin B12, making it a nutritional powerhouse.
- Canned beans and lentils: Perfect for quick meals. That vegan chili you’ve been wanting to try? Much easier when you have beans ready to go.
- Nuts and seeds: Provide healthy fats, protein, and texture. Almonds, cashews, hemp seeds, and chia seeds are particularly versatile.
- Whole grains: Like brown rice, quinoa, and oats form the base of many satisfying meals. Wild rice adds a nutty flavor and chewy texture that’s particularly satisfying.
Meal Planning and Recipe Ideas
A balanced vegan diet should include a variety of plant foods to ensure you’re getting all essential nutrients. Each meal should ideally include:
- A protein source (legumes, nuts, seeds, or vegan protein powder)
- Complex carbohydrates (whole grains, starchy vegetables)
- Healthy fats (avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil)
- Plenty of vegetables and some fresh fruit
Sample Vegan Meal Plan
To help get you started, here’s a simple plan covering a week’s worth of vegan meals:
- Monday
- Breakfast: vegan breakfast sandwich with tofu, lettuce, tomato, turmeric, and a plant-milk chai latte
- Lunch: spiralized zucchini and quinoa salad with peanut dressing
- Dinner: red lentil and spinach dal over wild rice
- Tuesday
- Breakfast: overnight oats made with fruit, fortified plant milk, chia seeds, and nuts
- Lunch: seitan sauerkraut sandwich
- Dinner: pasta with a lentil Bolognese sauce and a side salad
- Wednesday
- Breakfast: mango and spinach smoothie made with fortified plant milk and a banana-flaxseed-walnut muffin
- Lunch: baked tofu sandwich with a side of tomato salad
- Dinner: vegan chili on a bed of amaranth
- Thursday
- Breakfast: whole grain toast with hazelnut butter, banana, and a fortified plant yogurt
- Lunch: tofu noodle soup with vegetables
- Dinner: jacket sweet potatoes with lettuce, corn, beans, cashews, and guacamole
- Friday
- Breakfast: vegan chickpea and onion omelet and a cappuccino made with fortified plant milk
- Lunch: vegan tacos with mango-pineapple salsa
- Dinner: tempeh stir-fry with bok choy and broccoli
- Saturday
- Breakfast: spinach and scrambled tofu wrap and a glass of fortified plant milk
- Lunch: spiced red lentil, tomato, and kale soup with whole grain toast and hummus
- Dinner: veggie sushi rolls, miso soup, edamame, and wakame salad
- Sunday
- Breakfast: chickpea pancakes, guacamole and salsa, and a glass of fortified orange juice
- Lunch: tofu vegan quiche with a side of sautéed mustard greens
- Dinner: vegan spring rolls
Remember to vary your sources of protein and vegetables throughout the day, as each provides different vitamins and minerals that are important for your health.
Finding Great Recipes and Inspiration
Vegan cookbooks have exploded in popularity, offering everything from quick weeknight meals to elaborate dinner party dishes. Many focus on whole foods and minimally processed ingredients, supporting both your health and your taste buds. Online resources are abundant too. Food blogs, YouTube channels, and social media accounts dedicated to vegan cooking provide daily inspiration. Don’t be afraid to experiment - some of the best vegan recipes come from creative substitutions in traditional dishes.
Health Benefits of Going Vegan
There are several major benefits to moving to plant-based nutrition, all supported by science.
Easy Weight Management
People who eat a plant-based diet tend to be leaner than those who don’t, and the diet makes it easy to lose weight and keep it off-without counting calories. Research shows that people who eat plant-based diets tend to be leaner than those who don’t. A 2020 review looked at 19 intervention studies and found that in each one, participants assigned to plant-based diets lost weight.
Research suggests that the crux is calorie density. Meat, dairy products, and highly processed foods are high in calories yet low in the fiber that helps us feel full and fuels a healthy gut microbiome. Whole plant-based foods are low in calories, meaning you can eat a high volume of food without exceeding your calorie needs. Vegans tend to be thinner and have a lower body mass index (BMI) than non-vegans. 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. Vegan diets seem very effective at helping people naturally reduce the number of calories they eat, resulting in weight loss.
Disease Prevention
Whole-food, plant-based eating can prevent, halt, and in some cases reverse chronic diseases.
Cardiovascular Health and Blood Pressure
A whole-food, plant-based diet is extremely effective at promoting cardiovascular health and preventing, halting, and in some cases reversing heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. A 2021 review of 99 studies found that diets rich in whole and minimally processed plant-based foods were associated with significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared with diets high in meat and dairy products.
Animal-based foods are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which raise blood cholesterol levels, causing fatty, wax-like plaque to build up in the arteries. Highly processed foods often contain excessive salt, which raises blood pressure, damaging the lining of the arteries over time. By eliminating these harmful foods from your diet and replacing them with whole plant-based foods, you can bring down your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and risk of heart disease. Observational studies report that vegans may have up to a 75% lower risk of developing high blood pressure and 42% lower risk of dying from heart disease. Randomized controlled studies report that vegan diets are much more effective at reducing blood sugar, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol than diets they are compared with.
Type 2 Diabetes
Healthy plant-centered diets are associated with significantly lower rates of Type 2 diabetes and improved outcomes in those who already have this dangerous chronic condition. A 2018 report in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care found that for people with Type 2 diabetes, plant-based diets were more beneficial than the diets recommended by several diabetes associations, offering greater improvements in physical and emotional well-being.
Plant-based diets are low in saturated fat (a culprit behind insulin resistance) and high in fiber, which helps the body to regulate blood sugar and properly absorb nutrients. Plant-based diets also reduce the risk of being overweight or obese, a primary risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Vegan diets seem particularly effective at improving markers of blood sugar control. They may also lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Other Health Benefits
Vegan diets are linked to an array of other health benefits, including benefits for:
- Cancer risk: Vegans may benefit from a 15% lower risk of developing or dying from cancer.
- Arthritis: Vegan diets seem particularly effective at reducing symptoms of arthritis such as pain, joint swelling, and morning stiffness.
- Kidney function: People with diabetes who substitute meat for plant protein may reduce their risk of poor kidney function.
- Alzheimer’s disease: Observational studies show that aspects of the vegan diet may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Environmental Benefits
Plant-based diet benefits also extend beyond your own body: Switching to a WFPB lifestyle is one of the best things you can do for the environment. The main reason is that raising animals for food is an incredibly inefficient use of resources. Growing crops to feed animals “introduces a major extra step of waste relative to the efficiency of us just eating the plant foods directly,” explains David L. Katz, M.D., MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM. “If you just eat the plants, you cut out the middleman.” A 2018 analysis found that livestock provides just 18% of calories consumed globally but takes up 83% of farmland.
Cost-Effectiveness
Whole and minimally processed plant-based foods are not only the healthiest and most sustainable foods around; they’re also some of the most affordable. In fact, going plant-based can cut grocery bills by $750 a year per person, according to research published in the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition. When you stock your kitchen with WFPB staples such as brown rice, potatoes, and dried beans, you can assemble nutritious, satisfying meals for just a few dollars.
Navigating Social Situations and Dining Out
Eating out as a vegan has become much easier in recent years. Many restaurants now offer dedicated vegan options, and some cities have entirely vegan-friendly restaurants. Most restaurants are happy to accommodate dietary preferences, and many dishes can be easily modified to be vegan. Apps like VeganXpress and Vegman may also be helpful. When dining in a nonvegan establishment, try scanning the menu online beforehand to see what vegan options they may have for you. Sometimes, calling ahead of time allows the chef to arrange something especially for you.
Handling Social Pressures
Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle often means dealing with questions, comments, and sometimes criticism from non-vegans. Remember that your dietary choices are personal, and you don’t owe anyone a detailed explanation. Keep your responses simple and positive. Focus on how great you feel rather than lecturing others about their choices. Many vegans find that leading by example - showing how delicious and satisfying vegan food can be - is more effective than debates.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Dealing with Cravings
It’s normal to miss certain animal products when you first go vegan. The good news is that your taste preferences will likely change over time. Many vegans report that after a few months, they lose their cravings for meat and dairy products entirely. In the meantime, experiment with different vegan substitutes. Today’s plant-based alternatives are remarkably close to their animal counterparts. That cheese substitute might not taste exactly like dairy cheese, but it can be delicious in its own right.
Avoiding Processed Foods Pitfalls
While vegan substitutes can be helpful during your transition, try not to rely too heavily on processed foods. Some vegan products are highly processed and may not provide the health benefits you’re seeking from a plant-based diet. Focus on whole foods as much as possible. That doesn’t mean you can never enjoy a vegan cookie or plant-based burger, but these should be treats rather than dietary staples.
Ensuring Adequate Nutrient Intake
Some people worry about nutrient deficiencies on a vegan diet, but research shows that well-planned vegan diets can meet all nutritional needs. The key word here is “well-planned.” Pay attention to getting enough protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. Regular check-ups with your healthcare provider can help ensure you’re meeting your nutritional needs. Don’t hesitate to work with a registered dietitian who understands vegan nutrition if you have concerns.
Building Your Vegan Community
One of the most valuable aspects of going vegan is connecting with others who share your values and lifestyle. Online communities, local meetups, and vegan events can provide support, recipe ideas, and friendship. Social media groups focused on vegan cooking, nutrition, and lifestyle can be particularly helpful. You’ll find people sharing their favorite recipes, restaurant recommendations, and tips for navigating challenges.