These days, being vegan is super easy. But, like all other diets, there are a lot of junk food options out there for vegans. Consuming a frozen veggie burger or veggie hot dog, along with vegan desserts and other processed and packaged foods, every once in a while, is totally fine. Hey, we could all use some convenience every now and then, right? But eating junk food too often, even if you are eating vegan junk foods, isn’t a good idea for your weight and long-term health. So, check out the tips below on how to be a healthy vegan.
Don’t Stress Too Much About Protein
When it comes to protein from a vegan diet, you don’t need to stress. You can get plenty of protein from a variety of sources, including vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, as a few examples. The key is to eat whole foods and to consume a range of foods that contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids. As you focus on adding more fruits, veggies, and grains to your diet, you’ll get the protein needed to build and maintain muscle.
Take Supplements Whenever Necessary
Most people are deficient in vitamin D, regardless of what diet they follow. And vegans can get vitamin B12 from foods that are fortified with it, but it’s a good idea to also supplement your diet with these important nutrients. You can take a simple multi-vitamin/mineral daily or you can purchase these vitamins individually. Experts recommend having your blood tested by your doctor to check your levels of vitamins D and B12 so that you can gauge whether you are deficient or not, and so you can determine how many units of each vitamin you really need to take daily to be a healthy vegan.
Make It a Point to Get Healthy Fats
Healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids are an integral component to good health, but if you aren’t consuming animal products, you’ll need to add foods like nuts and seeds to your diet. Flaxseeds and chia seeds are a couple of great examples of foods that are vegan and high in healthy fats.
As you can see, the rules to be a healthy vegan are much like the rules for being healthy on any other diet. Stick with minimally processed foods, organic options, and whole food ingredients that will give your body the boost of nutrition that it needs to thrive. It’s that simple!
