Relevant information about the five most popular restrictive diets: Gluten-free, Lactose-intolerant, Pescetarianism, Vegan and Vegetarian.
A vegan is a type of vegetarian who not only does not eat meat or fish, but does not eat any animal products or by-products, including honey, dairy products, and eggs. Vegans also usually don’t use items like soap (if it is made with an animal product), cosmetics, wool, silk, fur, or leather. While switching to a vegan diet can be rewarding, it can be extremely daunting and difficult. Many people decide to switch to a pescetarian or vegetarian diet first to help make the switch to vegan a little bit easier. If you are switching to a vegan diet, there are several tips you can follow to make the transition slightly easier.
There are several things you need to know before you switch to a vegan diet, including a few changes you need to make to your lifestyle. These changes will make your transition a lot easier. First, you need to buy a B12 supplement. Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in animal foods, and since you will be eliminating all of these, you need to find a supplement to make up for this loss. While you’re at it, you may want to buy an iron supplement as well. A lack of iron can lead to anemia. You also want to make sure your dietary change is okay with anyone you are living with. While you should live your own life and make your own decisions, you may need to begin buying your own groceries and making your own meals (if you don’t do so already). You will also need to find new protein sources. The best sources are beans, lentils, and natural soy. Lastly, make sure you aren’t replacing animal products with junk food. Getting rid of meat to chow down on pasta, white bread, and other packaged food will set you up for failure. Instead, it can actually lead to weight gain and health risks down the line. Incorporate fruits and vegetables into your life to gain the full health benefits of a vegan diet!
One way to help make the vegan transition a bit easier is to make a lot of vegan snacks for you to eat throughout the day! This will make you less hungry at meal times, making it less likely that you will feel an urge to eat meat. One popular vegan snack is endurance crackers. They are crispy, light, and provide long-lasting energy. They are oil-free, sugar-free, nut-free, soy-free, and gluten-free, so are perfect options for anyone. If you want the taste of cake without all the calories and fat, try a chocolate cake batter smoothie. It is mad with almond milk, carob powder, cashew butter, vanilla, oats, and chocolate chips. There are dozens of websites that provide recipes for all sorts of vegan snacks that you can try.
One of the more difficult things to do when you are on a vegan diet is to eat out at restaurants. While many restaurants have options for both vegetarians and pescetarians, many are still limited in their vegan options. Before you choose to go out for dinner, make sure you look up the restaurant to see if their menu has a vegan option. You should also call the restaurant just to confirm. If they do not, and you are going out for a social gathering with friends, call ahead to see if they can make you a special vegan dish.
