Following The Vegan Diet will certainly result in a healthier body.  As its popularity increases (with celebrities like country singer Carrie Underwood and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres following a vegan diet), so do the recipes. Nowadays there are plenty of tasty recipes available to create delicious and nutritious meals, andvegan chefs like [easyazon-link asin=”0061874337″ locale=”us”]Tal Ronnen[/easyazon-link] have developed many unique vegan creations.

Losing Weight Following The Vegan Diet

[easyazon_image align=”right” asin=”B0057D8R6Y” locale=”us” src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HJ4ZAkByL.jpg” width=”200″]The Vegan Diet is also a fantastic way to lose weight. It is for those who are searching for optimum health and a whole new way of life. It is easy to adapt for some, but harder for others. Individuals who are not used to eating vegetables may have a hard time adjusting; especially during the first few weeks. The secret is to gradually incorporate vegetables into your daily meals and not abruptly change your diet overnight.

It’s also important to maintain a regular exercise regimen and to avoid vegan junk food: there are vegan versions of cupcakes and pizza, for example. Just because a food is vegan, it doesn’t make automatically make it healthy.

What Is The Vegan Diet All About?

When you become a Vegan you cease to eat any animal products and their derivatives. It is however much stricter than that as you also do not wear or use any animal products or products made by animals. Veganism is a philosophy and a lifestyle that requires a great deal of commitment. Vegans also frown upon and stay away from any form of animal exploitation.

The Vegan Diet is mainly focused on eating organic fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and their derivatives. The main foods which cannot be consumed are: meat, fish, dairy products, honey, gelatin and eggs.

Secrets to a Successful Vegan Diet

[easyazon_image align=”right” asin=”1401603475″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QiEmWGz8L._SL160_.jpg” width=”139″]The true secret to an effective Vegan diet is consuming a wide variety of Vegan-friendly foods to ensure that you get all the required vitamins and minerals your body needs in order to stay healthy. It is imperative, however, that you inform yourself of which nutrients you may be lacking in following this type of diet and therefore compensate by taking the appropriate supplements. And don’t forget to get the much needed Vitamin D by simply going out in the sun for about 30 minutes per day in order to get your recommended daily dose.

Be Informed

The Vegan Diet

It is fundamental that you learn everything there is to know about nutrients and where to get them from; not doing so may endanger your health. Especially keep an eye on your intake of: protein, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, Zinc and Omega 3 oils whilst on a vegan diet. Although the same goes for whichever diet you are following.

Some Essential Dietary Nutrients That Your Body Needs

  • Fat: Between 20-35 percent of the daily calories recommended should come from fat.
  • Protein: Veganism should keep you within the acceptable range for protein consumption.
  • Carbohydrates: 45-65 percent of the daily calories recommended should come from carbohydrates.
  • Salt: The recommended daily maximum is 2,300 milligrams, but if you are 51 or older, or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, that limit is 1,500 milligrams.
  • Fiber: The recommended daily amount is 22 to 34 grams for adults. It helps you feel full and promotes good digestion.
  • Potassium: Most people get far too little. How much potassium you get on a vegan diet is entirely up to you, but because you are eating more fruits and veggies than you were before, you’ll likely get more potassium than most.
  • [easyazon_image align=”right” asin=”B0009F3P3A” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51641FWZ3DL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Calcium: Women and anyone older than 50 should try hard to meet the government’s recommendation of 1,000 to 1,300 mg.
  • Vitamin B-12: Adults should shoot for 2.4 micrograms of this nutrient, which is critical for proper cell metabolism.
  • Vitamin D: Adults who get too little sunlight need to meet the government’s recommended 15 micrograms a day with food, sunshine or a supplement to lower the risk of bone fractures.

Is The Vegan Diet For You?

I guess this is entirely up to you. If you’ve always felt like meat and fish aren’t really your thing and you absolutely love fruit and veg than this might just be the perfect diet for you. If like many you love meat and dairy products than be assured you can still have a very health promoting diet by making the right choices. Feel free to let us know how you feel about Veganism and diets in general in the comments section below.

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