What Do Vegans Actually Eat? A Beginner’s Guide to Easy Swaps

What is a Vegan Diet? 

  The vegan diet and lifestyle have been discussed a lot recently as January has become ‘Veganuary’ for many wanting a healthier start to the new year. In a nutshell, vegans don’t eat, or consume, anything that contains animal products. 

  This means that meat, fish, dairy, honey, eggs and some beers and wines are off the menu. People are also vegan for different reasons; animal welfare, environment, lower cost and health benefits.

Where Do Vegans Get Their Protein?

  But if there’s no meat, fish, eggs or dairy, then where do vegans get their protein from? There are so many other sources of protein in foods that aren’t derived from animals, for example, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds, tofu, dairy free yoghurts, meat free alternatives to sausages, burgers and other traditionally meat based foods. 

  On the whole, a vegan diet has a smaller carbon footprint than other main diet types as it eliminates any animal farming methods that carry a high carbon or water output like beef, milk or poultry production.

Easy Vegan Swaps to Get Started

  If you fancy making some vegan friendly swaps to your diet but don’t want to dive straight in, there are many little things you can try:

 Having soya, oat or coconut milk at your local coffee shop - oat makes coffee really creamy! 

 Adding oat milk to porridge for a breakfast packed with fibre and antioxidants.

 Swapping your usual bar of chocolate for a dark or dairy free brand; there are so many to choose from including Moo Free and Vego.

 Swapping honey for vegan agave nectar or maple syrup.

 Taking part in Meat-Free Monday and trying out a vegan meat substitute.

 Swap butter for dairy free spread - soya, coconut, sunflower, avocado etc.

 Swap dairy free yoghurt for soya, coconut or almond- soya is usually the most neutral tasting.

 Eggs in baking can be swapped for a ripe banana, chia seeds soaked in water or apple puree!

  

Staying Healthy on a Vegan Diet

  If you want trial being vegan, or have been so for a while, it’s really important to make sure you eat a varied diet full of fruits and vegetables, get enough protein and also vitamin B12. Vegans are more prone to vitamin B12 deficiency as it is naturally found in animal products, however you can get it from fortified cereals or supplements. You may also need to increase portion sizes as plant based foods tend to be lower calorie than animal derived foods. 

Source

BBC - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46459714