There are many reasons why someone might want to become a vegan. It could be because you dislike the idea of eating animals and their products due to ethical reasons. Perhaps it’s because you know it’s a more sustainable option. Maybe you feel it’s the healthiest way to enjoy food. Whatever your reason, it can be hard to go from a fully omnivorous diet to a vegan one overnight. This is why it is wise to take things slowly and to understand the best ways to start a vegan diet, so that you are more likely to stick to it. Read on to find out more.
Consult With Your Doctor
Before you make any major changes to your diet, whether that’s becoming a vegan or something else, it’s a good idea to see your doctor. You can ask for advice about how to ensure you are staying healthy when you switch to a vegan diet and even what supplements you might need to take to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need.
Although this can be hard to do when you’re busy, it’s certainly a good start. A great doctor like those at nhsgp.net will be able to check over your general health to ensure that a vegan diet is going to work for you and offer you guidance. Although you can find a lot of information online, seeing your doctor is a sensible way to begin.
Make Vegetables The Star
Once you know that a vegan diet is going to be right for you, you’ll need to think about the kinds of food you can eat. Much of the time, first-time vegans focus on what they can no longer include in their diet, and this can be worrying. It might even put them off the vegan idea altogether.
Instead, think about what you can include; the fact is, there is probably more you can eat than you thought, especially when you consider how many different vegetables there are and how they can be cooked to enhance their flavor. When you concentrate on making the vegetables the star of every meal (instead of meat), you’ll soon realize there is a lot of variety to enjoy.
Include Whole Grains
Of course, a vegan diet is not solely going to consist of a plateful of vegetables for every meal. There are other things you can eat as well, and they are important in terms of a well-balanced, healthy diet. One such item is whole grains.
If you switch from refined grains (which you’ll find in white bread and pasta, for example) and have food that contains whole grains instead (this will include wholewheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, and similar ingredients), you can ensure you are getting plenty of vitamin B, which you might otherwise be lacking in when you have a vegan diet.
Don’t Assume You’ll Be Healthier
Many people assume that a vegan diet is healthier than any other kind because it contains more fruit and vegetables. However, this is not necessarily the case, and you’ll still need to be wary of what you eat and how much you eat. Often it’s the cooking process that turns a healthy ingredient into an unhealthy one, so be careful – remember, using coconut or palm oil to cook food in will automatically add plenty of saturated fat to any meal.
It’s best to use whole foods and enjoy them raw when possible if you want to be entirely healthy.
