A vegetarian or vegan diet has many health benefits. Weight loss and reduced risk of heart disease are just a few of them. Nevertheless, with such a diet, providing the body with all the necessary nutrients is not always easy, but possible.

7 rules of vegan nutrition for beginners

1. Leave the animals alone

As you can see, a plant-based diet is the most important principle of a vegan diet. No animal fats, no animal proteins and everything related to animals. Are you ready to give it up? Be honest with yourself. To begin with, conduct an experiment: do not eat food of animal origin on the weekend, a week, two weeks. This means that on your plate there will be not only meat, but also eggs, milk, cheese, gelatin, chewing bears. Not so easy, but not as difficult as it seems: a person gets used to everything. Just try.

2. Valuable, colorful, satisfying

You are free to eat all vegan foods in any quantity, color and shape. Basic foods such as pasta, rice, potatoes can be rotated every other day, while vegetables and legumes are what should be on the plate every day. Be careful with white flour – it is better to replace all products made from it with similar products made from whole grains. It is also best to eliminate all fried foods, protein powders, and meat substitutes from your diet. Nutrition should consist of the most useful foods – vegetables, fruits, nuts, germinated grains, algae. Their big plus is that they can be eaten in any quantity (with the exception of nuts) and not gain weight. A little secret: the more flowers in the diet, the better for the balance of vitamins in the body.

3. One half and two quarters

To keep meals as simple and healthy as possible, stick to the following basic formula: half the meal should consist of salad or low-calorie vegetables; one quarter from grains or potatoes, the second quarter from legumes such as beans, lentils, and so on. This combination will provide the body with all the necessary substances and make the transition to a vegan diet easier.

Sample dishes: whole grain noodles with peas and carrots; brown rice with lentils and broccoli; potato soup with sweet peas and paprika.

4. 2 liters = 0 calories

As you may have guessed, we are talking about the most useful drink – water. There are thousands of reasons why a person needs to drink at least 2 liters of water a day. Here are the main ones: water dampens the feeling of hunger, improves concentration, skin condition, stimulates the brain, removes toxins, and so on. If you switch to a vegan diet, but continue to drink energy and sugary carbonated drinks, then your body will continue to suffer and direct a lot of effort to dispose of the resulting garbage. Of course, there is no meat in “bad” drinks, but the vegan diet itself implies a meaningful attitude towards the food consumed.

5. Get moving

Eating healthy is a huge gift for the body, but getting outdoors is also essential. The more often you ride a bike, climb stairs or just walk the streets, the greater the health benefits. Every step counts, every minute in the open air.

If you play sports, you will probably ask yourself the question: “Where can I get protein from?”. From many herbal products. The image of a skinny vegan is largely due to the fact that many vegans eat one salad, which is a fundamentally wrong decision. Simple solution: eat more potatoes, grains, legumes. Your appetite in any case will control hunger and satiety. And you will eat more of the same foods, providing the body with protein.

6. Responsible for fat

There is nothing easier for the body than to turn ingested fat into body fat. Therefore, in vegan cuisine, there is simply no place for oils and lard. The fat you need for health is found in sufficient quantities in nuts and seeds. And also in avocados, a handful of walnuts and flax seeds. That’s all it takes.

At first it will be unusual to cook without oil, but it is easily replaced by broth. And if you absolutely cannot refuse oil, then choose refined olive or coconut oil.

7. Relax

Veganism is not a sect, not a way of life, not a solution once and for all. If you want, you can make it a part of your life or at any time stop the experiment and return to meat. Do not make a cult out of veganism and do not impose your point of view on others – everyone has the right to choose. If you got to a birthday where there is not a single suitable dish, then make an exception or bring something of your own. You have every right to eat nothing at all.
Enjoy veganism and the positive changes that it will bring to your body, easily and naturally.