Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products in a particular diet and rejects the belief of animals being a commodity. People who practice it are known as vegans. This practice has become quite popular in the last few years and is continuing to spread. Vegans take simple vegetarianism several steps further. They just do not eat but also they don’t wear or use any animal products, this means no eggs, dairy, honey, leather, fur, wool or silk. Cosmetics tested on animals are a BIG no for them.
You might be thinking what they eat! Well, they have these:
• Veggies
• Fruits
• Grains
• Legumes
• Nuts and seeds
• Tofu and tempeh
• Plant-based oils
• Natural sweeteners
There is a growth in the market for vegan products now. Vegan food does not limit to just fruits and veggies; they have:
• Hot dogs
• Ice creams
• Cheeses
• Non-dairy yogurt
• Vegan mayonnaise
• Veggie burgers
• Soy milk,
• Tofu
Adopting veganism involves an ethical, environmental and health reasons. Vegans choose this lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring world where they respect other people’s opinions as well. Health-wise, a vegan requires supplements and professional consultation to meet every dietary need. As most vegetables and fruits are low in fat and cholesterol and rich in fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and Vitamins C and E, being a vegan is not that much of a loss.
Different types of Vegan Diet
• Whole-food diet, this diet involves whole plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds.
• Raw-food vegan diet is based on raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds or plant foods cooked at temperatures below 118°F (48°C).
• The 80/10/10 diet is raw-food vegan diet that limit 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.
• The starch solution is a low-fat, high-carbs vegan diet similar to the 80/10/10 but that focuses on cooked starches like potatoes, rice and corn instead of fruit.
• Raw till 4, in this low-fat vegan diet inspired by the 80/10/10 and starch solution. The raw foods are consumed until 4 pm, with the option of a cooked plant-based meal for dinner.
• The thrive diet is a raw-food vegan diet. Most followers eat plant-based, whole foods that are raw or minimally cooked at low temperatures.
• Junk-food vegan diet lacks is the whole plant foods that rely heavily on mock meats and cheeses, fries, vegan desserts, and other heavily processed vegan foods.
There are several reasons to adopt a vegan lifestyle, and most of these are medically related.
Find out more in our next post!
