Veganism centres around eating wholesome, plantbased foods and cutting out animal products like meat, seafood, eggs and dairy. You can incorporate this kind of diet by including more nutritious foods using unsweetened soya milk or by adding extra beans to salads instead of meat. Filling your plate with fruits, vegetables, legumes (soya & beans) and whole grains is also interesting. The substituted options are low in protein. Also eliminating animal products and eating mostly refined grains like white flour or rice won’t provide any health benefits either. In addition, cutting certain processed options may decrease saturated fat, sodium and added sugar in your diet.
How vegan diet principles in lifestyle give healthier outcomes:
1) Vegetarians typically have a decreased BMI than people on a typical Western diet.
2) Plant-based diets incorporate more fibre and are more filling.
3) As they are rich in antioxidants, they boost the immune system.
4) Soya milk, bok choy, broccoli, fortified breakfast cereals, chia, flax, walnuts, canola oil, soy, help to prevent vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids and iron deficiencies in your body.
5) Vitamin C, zinc (found in soy, legumes, grains, nuts and citrus fruits) help to absorb iron.
Dr Suneet Khanna is dietician at the Westside Clinic.
