Veganism is the new buzz word. As people become more conscious of their environment and health, more and more people are switching to a vegan diet. While it is great to be compassionate towards animals and your environment, avoiding all animal products may result in nutritional deficiencies. Also, there are a lot of misconceptions about going vegans. So before you jump start on your vegan bandwagon, here are ten things that you should know before you go vegan.
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1. Transition Slowly
As you plan to go vegan, it is best to start small and go slowly. Start by making slight changes in your diet so that it less overwhelming. It is okay for others to comment on your slow pace, but this is important as you transition into a lifelong habit.
2. Replace Animal Products with Healthy Substitutes
Veganism is all about avoiding animal products, and as you do so, make sure you replace animal products with healthy substitutes. As you avoid steak, instead of replacing it with a bag of chips, go for raw salads or steamed vegetables.
3. You May Lose Weight
It is a common perception that veganism is a way of losing weight. And that is not always true. You might end up losing weight if you replace animal products with healthy foods. But if you still consume high caloric vegan-friendly foods, you might not lose weight.
4. Keep Track of Your Proteins
Consumption of protein is a major concern as you go vegan. While fruits and vegetables contain essential nutrients, they are not necessarily rich in protein. Try and incorporate plant-based proteins in your diet such as lentils, seeds, legumes, and nuts.
5. Add Nutritional Supplement in Your Diet
Since a vegan diet is free from all animal products, it can compromise on your dietary needs of iron, Vitamin B12, and calcium. So as you go vegan, try and incorporate nutritional supplements in your diet to get sufficient calcium, iron, zinc, and B12.
