Vegan Diet: Foods You Should Be Eating

Veganism is on the rise, with over 79 million people following a vegan lifestyle

as of 2021, veganism is an ever growing way of life.

Many different factors contribute to why people are choosing the vegan diet,

factors such as animal cruelty and exploitation, health and environmental

issues.

As a vegan, all animal products and by-products are eliminated from your diet.

Excluding high nutritional foods like meat and eggs means that you need to get

your vital nutrients from other vegan friendly food sources.

Today we will discuss what you should be eating for the best optimal health on

a vegan diet.

Legumes

Legumes such as beans, lentils and chickpeas are a nutritional powerhouse

that you really need to be eating on a vegan diet.

Beans contain important micro and macro nutrients such as iron, protein, zinc,

fibre and potassium.

Studies have shown that adding legumes into your diet can significantly reduce

the risk of cancer, heart disease and even diabetes.

Some delicious ways to incorporate legumes into your diet include:

• Chickpea hummus – you can eat hummus with almost anything.

• Adding beans into your salad.

• Refried beans in a vegan burrito or quesidea.

• Home-made Bean/lentil/chickpea burgers or fritters.

• Lentil curry

• Chickpea curry

Fruit

Fruit is truly divine, not only is it delicious it is also highly nutritious, every

single fruit has a magnitude of health benefits.

Some of the most nutrient dense fruits include berries, apples, mango,

banana, papaya and avocado.

Beside from tasting so good, mangoes are also an excellent source of

potassium, fibre and vitamin C.

Unlike most other fruits, avocado is high in healthy fats and low in natural

sugars making them a priority to include in a vegan diet.

Overall, fruit is a healthy, yummy and versatile food group that is super easy

and important to include in your vegan diet.

Some delicious ways to incorporate fruit into your diet include:

• Mix any fruit of your desire into a refreshing smoothie – try out a banana, mango and coconut milk smoothie.

• A fruit salad is a delicious filling meal – a great combination is melon, strawberries, banana, mango and passion fruit.

• You can also add fruit to a wide variety of sweet treats – indulge in apple-pie, banana cake or spiced stewed apples which is the perfect cosy dessert for autumn.

• Delicious melon boats filled with your favourite yoghurt and toppings.

Quinoa

Quinoa is gluten free and higher in nutrients than most grains, Quinoa is a

wonderful source of iron and protein, iron and protein are usually lacking in a

vegan diet so that makes Quinoa a fantastic addition to your meals.

Quinoa is high in vital amino acids, amino acids are the building blocks of

proteins, and proteins are the building blocks of all tissues in your body.

Amino acids are essential, as your body cannot naturally produce them,

making it necessary to acquire them from your diet.

Quinoa provides more protein than most grains, such as barley, rice, and

corn.

Quinoa can be enjoyed as breakfast, lunch and dinner, making it super easy to

add into your diet.

Some delicious ways to incorporate Quinoa into your diet include:

• Enjoy Quinoa as porridge for breakfast – try adding some of your favourite fruits on top.

• You can add Quinoa to any salad, savoury or sweet.

• Quinoa patties are tasty and easy to make – enjoy them as a side dish or make a burger out of them.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds may be small but they are packed full of important nutrients such as

antioxidants, fibre, iron, protein and magnesium, these are just a handful of

all the goodness these powerful seeds contain.

All the nutrients within these seeds promote heart health, gut health, blood

sugar management and supports strong, healthy bones.

Due to the small nature of these seeds they can easily be incorporated into your

diet, they do not need to be cooked so you can simply eat a spoonful a day.

Some delicious ways to incorporate Chia seeds into your diet include:

• Chia pudding is fantastic for breakfast.

• Perfect as a dessert - try making Chocolate & peanut butter breakfast pudding.

• Try adding Chia seeds on top of your smoothie bowls in the morning.

• You can also add Chia seeds into your cakes – try making banana Chia seed muffins.

Nuts

Just one handful of nuts a day is associated with an increase in lifespan by two

years.

Each type of nut contains their own unique health benefits, some of the most

nutrient dense nuts are, walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts.

Walnuts have the highest antioxidant and omega-3 content and appear

particularly adept at killing cancer cells.

Brazil nuts are particularly high in selenium which is incredibly important for

your overall health

Nuts are incredible plant foods with remarkable disease fighting properties.

Some delicious ways you can incorporate nuts into your diet include:

• Try making your own home-made nut-butter with a food processor.

• Banana and walnut cake goes perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.

• Use nuts to make home-made granola.

These are my top foods for optimizing a healthy vegan diet. Comment below any tips you may have for a healthy vegan diet.

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This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.

If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that you have read on this blog or in any linked materials.