Switching to a vegan diet can be an effective way to improve your health over the long term significantly. In fact, studies have proven that vegans tend to live longer and healthier lives than most other humans.
But being vegan doesn’t automatically make you healthier. Even if you’re plant-based, it’s crucial to eat a balanced diet and ensure you’re getting all the necessary nutrients.
While a plant-based diet shows significant advantages in the long run, there are a few things to keep in mind to stay healthy as a vegan.
1. Go For Variety
The most effective way to stay healthy on a vegan diet (or any diet) is to eat a variety of foods.
You’ll need to ensure you’re eating vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds if you want your body to receive and absorb the different nutrients it requires.
By combining these different food groups, you can balance out a nutrient that may be lacking in one of these food groups, ensuring you’re consuming a more wholesome diet.
2. Try Out Plant-Based Proteins
Plant-based proteins are the new fad, and many vegans who miss the taste of meat have replaced the texture with various mock meats available on the market today.
However, plant-based products like tofu, tempeh, and seitan are packed with protein and can help you recreate a variety of different tastes and textures.
While mock meats are rich in protein, these products are heavily processed and can’t be consumed often without adverse health effects.
Sourcing protein can be one of the difficulties of going vegan, but you can balance out your meals by including soy products along with chickpeas, quinoa, and other plant protein sources.
3. Increase Your Iron Intake
Iron is another nutrient that’s difficult to obtain on a vegan diet because the iron provided by plants is more complicated for the body to absorb. As such, vegans are often reported to have lower levels of iron in the body.
This is why new vegans tend to feel sluggish and tired when they first make the switch.
As a vegan, it’s imperative to increase your iron intake by including iron-rich foods in your diet. Tofu, tempeh, leafy greens, lentils, nuts, and seeds are rich sources of iron and can be combined into various dishes.
The most effective way to increase iron absorption in the body is to include vitamin C in your diet. If you want a straightforward solution, squeeze some lime on top of iron-rich foods to boost iron absorption in the body.
4. Add Omega-3
Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid usually obtained from fish, like salmon and tuna. This is one nutrient most people overlook when switching to a vegan diet, and omitting it can lead to serious health problems.
Luckily there are plenty of plant sources of Omega-3 you can use to fulfill your nutritional needs. Some of these include
- Walnuts
- Flaxseeds
- Chia Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Edamame
- Kidney Beans
To stay healthy as a vegan, ensure you’re consuming enough Omega-3 daily.
5. Don’t Forget Vitamin B12
Perhaps the only drawback of a vegan diet is the lack of B12. Factory-farmed animals are generally fed B12 supplements, which is why most non-vegans possess adequate levels of B12.
You’re sure to find plenty of fortified plant milk, cereals, and energy bars that offer your body ample amounts of B12. But you want to be extra careful with this nutrient as a lack of B12 can lead to severe cognitive issues over time.
To be sure you’re staying healthy as a vegan, it’s best to work a B12 supplement into your diet, so you’re getting the recommended daily intake.
6. Get Some Vitamin D
This nutrient is essential for healthy skin and can help elevate your mood. The strange thing is that both vegans and non-vegans suffer from low levels of vitamin D worldwide.
The body can easily absorb vitamin D in the summer month as the Sun’s glare is brighter. So, as with B12, it’s best to take a vitamin D supplement, to be sure.
Veganism is Perfectly Healthy
If you sort out your menu and ensure you’re putting the proper nutrients into your system, a vegan diet can work wonders for your long-term health and vitality. Just be sure to include various foods and consult a nutritionist if you need to, and you’re good to go!