Vegan Health Diet - Here Are 5 Foods to Eat

 Being vegan is a religion in itself. With time, many individuals are becoming vegan to say no to animal foods for ethical, environmental and health reasons. Whatever reason you have behind adopting veganism, you are on the path of having a healthy lifestyle. 

Studies have shown that vegans are less prone to diseases such as high cholesterol, heart diseases, obesity, diabetes, and some kinds of cancers. If you are a vegan, you might live longer. Another benefit of being a vegan is that you will have lower Body Mass Index (BMI), which will help in controlling the weight. 

 

What to Eat?

Vegans can eat foods made from plants. These could be:

• Nuts and seeds

• Legumes

• Fruits and vegetables

• Soymilk, almond milk and coconut milk

• Vegetable oil

 

What Not to Eat?

Vegans cannot eat:

• Fish, beef, lamb, chicken, and other animals

• Eggs

• Milk and milk products

• Honey

 

What Does a Vegan Health Diet Comprises of?

1. Legumes

Since vegans cannot have meat, poultry and eggs as well as milk and milk products, they need to replace these foods with protein rich plant-based alternatives. This is why legumes should be a part of vegan diet. These are rich in fiber and also contain high amount of anti-nutrients that can lower the absorption of minerals.

 

2. Hemp, Chia and Flax Seeds

All the three seeds have higher amount of protein content that in most of the other seeds. Chia and flax seeds have high percentage of Alpha-linolenic acid, which is a kind of OMEGA3 fatty acid.

 

3. Tofu

Tofu is made from soybeans. It is rich in protein, iron and calcium. If you are looking for a replacement for meat, tofu is the right choice. It is a minimally processed, nutrient-rich food. Soybeans are also used for making plant-based chicken.

 

4. Nuts and Nut Butters

Another good alternatives to protein-rich animal products, nuts and nut butters must be in your refrigerator, especially if you are aiming at a healthy vegan diet. Nuts and plant based butter are good source of fiber, zinc, iron, magnesium, selenium and vitamin E. Nuts and nut butters also have high amount of antioxidants.

 

5. Seaweed

A rare plant that has DHA, which is an essential fatty acid, Seaweed also contains riboflavin, potassium, magnesium and manganese. Seaweed such as kombu, nori and kelp have high quantity of iodine. Seaweeds are great source of vitamin B12.

 

Summary

If you are a vegan looking for some health foods to add to your daily diet, this list will help you in having a balanced diet.