Nutrition & Diet Veganism Is More Than Just Being Vegan

[edde]

More and more people are becoming vegan for health reasons. But wannabe vegans and even longtime vegans fail to understand one crucial aspect. Just because your diet is mainly vegan does not mean that you are eating healthy.

It is true that most if not all animal products have been linked to lifestyle diseases. Even though vegan meals are the answer to healthy living, not every vegan meal is good for your health.

Vegan foodstuffs like French fries and pastries (like cakes) are just as bad as milk and meat. Such edibles are full of added fats and simple carbs that are bad for your body. Added fats increase blood cholesterol while simple carbs put you at a high risk of obesity.

The more obese you are, the more prone you are to Type 2 diabetes. Likewise fatty dishes are linked to cancer of the breast and cardiovascular diseases. That goes to show that even if you are a strict vegan, you may not be fully immune from lifestyle ailments.

The best kind of vegan food should be whole meal. Whole meals are lowly processed foods. For instance, French fries are not whole meals because they are highly refined (deep fried) potatoes. A whole meal is full of fibre which helps in digestion and even prevents colorectal cancers.

Therefore, as a vegan, ensure that your diet mainly consists of whole foods that are low on added fats and simple sugars so as to keep your body weight in check and avoid chronic diseases.

 

[Danielle]

I think everyone knows fries are unhealthy. You can choose to eat healthy or unhealthy and you’re vegan either way. Veganism means you’re against the use of animals.

 

[Calliegirl]

People usually become vegan for ethical reasons rather than for their health and it extends to all parts of their life, not just their diet. They avoid animal products in their clothing, household products, and entertainment (avoiding rodeos for example). People who are doing it for their health usually take up a plant based diet, and there are some who do it for both reasons.

Eating a healthy vegan diet is of course the best thing you can do for yourself and the animals, but just remember, animal welfare and not health is the main reason for most to go vegan. I'm just mentioning that because sometimes those doing it for health will put down those doing it for ethical reason who may eat a less than healthy diet.

 

[Lou]

Its all kind of confusing but this is how i figure it.
Vegans are vegan for ethical purposes
Plant-based are plant-based for health reasons
Plant-based vegans are plant-based vegans for both ethical and health.

Oh, and environmental reasons? are those minimalists?

 

[Nekodaiden]

I don't agree that things like hydrogenated fats/trans fats found in things like fried products and pastries are "just as bad" as meat and dairy, while conceding that they are in fact unhealthy. Further, it is my opinion from both observation and experience that vegans who subsist largely on a diet of refined products either don't last or really struggle being vegan. I know for myself that unless I get enough whole food containing enough fiber/resistant starch I do not feel satiated/satisfied.

That said, eating more whole food/more nutritiously doesn't make one "more vegan" any more than avoiding animal products solely on a specific motive (like animal rights, or environment) makes one "more vegan". Anyone who avoids all animal products in their diet, by willful and knowing choice, is a vegan.

The term "plant based" is largely used in the scientific literature to isolate a vegan's diet in order to analyze it outside of other factors to test and draw conclusions from it for the purpose of proving hypothesis. Although it is used by some virtue signaling people to put down others for not having the exact pure motives they make claims to, it was not originally coined for this purpose.

 

[Jabba]

I prefer the term "vegitan" to "plant-based", because the word "plant-based" makes it sound as if you're willing to eat a dish that is 51% or higher non-animal foods, when I think most plant-based people wouldn't eat such a dish. I think they'd prefer to eat a dish that is 100% from plants. But, what do I know, I'm just a vegan who boycotts rodeos, circuses, zoos, aquariums, etc.

 

[Danielle]

Further, it is my opinion from both observation and experience that vegans who subsist largely on a diet of refined products either don't last or really struggle being vegan. I know for myself that unless I get enough whole food containing enough fiber/resistant starch I do not feel satiated/satisfied.

I wouldn't be able to feel satisfied unless I have vegan meat, it's pretty rare that I even go a day without it. I would think being able to have your favorite unhealthy foods would help, not hurt. I know if I eat a healthy meal, I'll crave something unhealthy. If going vegan meant no junk food ever, I don't think I would last at all. Yet, I've been able to do this for years. The food is delicious.

 

[silva]

I don't agree that things like hydrogenated fats/trans fats found in things like fried products and pastries are "just as bad" as meat and dairy, while conceding that they are in fact unhealthy. Further, it is my opinion from both observation and experience that vegans who subsist largely on a diet of refined products either don't last or really struggle being vegan. I know for myself that unless I get enough whole food containing enough fiber/resistant starch I do not feel satiated/satisfied.

That said, eating more whole food/more nutritiously doesn't make one "more vegan" any more than avoiding animal products solely on a specific motive (like animal rights, or environment) makes one "more vegan". Anyone who avoids all animal products in their diet, by willful and knowing choice, is a vegan.

The term "plant based" is largely used in the scientific literature to isolate a vegan's diet in order to analyze it outside of other factors to test and draw conclusions from it for the purpose of proving hypothesis. Although it is used by some virtue signaling people to put down others for not having the exact pure motives they make claims to, it was not originally coined for this purpose.

I don't have issues with staying vegan, but I certainly do with eating all wfpb!
I have stuck with whole plant foods for a couple months at different times, following Dr Gregers daily dozen. I did feel great, but I keep switching back and forth and will wake up one day and all that healthy food makes me gag. It's completely contrary to what everyone who follows wfpb says.
I mostly eat well, and focus on veggies, greens and beans, but dam I love Beyond, I love Daiya, and making seitan!
I've known far more people who've gone plant based (vegan to you!) that gave up than people who;ve gone vegan for ethics and eat processed foods

 

[Danielle]

I definitely don't agree with the statement if you eat too much vegan junk food then you won't last as a vegan. What makes people say that? The vegan alternatives are even better than what they're replicating. The one thing that sucks is sometimes it's hard to get your hands on them.

 

[Second Summer]

I definitely don't agree with the statement if you eat too much vegan junk food then you won't last as a vegan. What makes people say that? The vegan alternatives are even better than what they're replicating. The one thing that sucks is sometimes it's hard to get your hands on them.

Maybe the limited availability of vegan specialty junk foods is exactly the problem? These are the kinds of products that often "complete the protein" for junk food vegans, right? Without that, they'd probably subsist mainly on crisps, french fries, white rice, white pasta and sugary fizzy drinks, causing blood sugar spikes that will make them feel awful and forgoing significant sources of the typically limiting amino acids required to synthesise protein.

I may or may not be speaking from experience ...!

I personally feel that a satisfying meal and overall diet needs to have the right balance of the macro nutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat. In the junk food vegan diet the protein and fat are important in order to limit the high amount of quickly-absorbed simple carbohydrates that would otherwise be consumed.

 

[Nekodaiden]

I wouldn't be able to feel satisfied unless I have vegan meat, it's pretty rare that I even go a day without it. I would think being able to have your favorite unhealthy foods would help, not hurt. I know if I eat a healthy meal, I'll crave something unhealthy. If going vegan meant no junk food ever, I don't think I would last at all. Yet, I've been able to do this for years. The food is delicious.

I definitely don't agree with the statement if you eat too much vegan junk food then you won't last as a vegan. What makes people say that? The vegan alternatives are even better than what they're replicating. The one thing that sucks is sometimes it's hard to get your hands on them.

I say that because I've seen it here on this board - people struggling (especially with hunger) because they aren't including enough fiber/resistant starch (in particular) in their diets as well as enough whole food to meet basic requirements. I've also experienced it (hunger) myself. No, not after just one meal, but incorporating enough refined products that are considered staples (like white rice instead of brown, white pasta instead of whole wheat etc) over short periods of time (days to weeks). It's not like it's something one can judge after a single meal. I was super hungry as a new vegan when I started out because a big part of my staple diet was white noodles and a (relatively) low fiber bread (in addition to a few veggies/seeds/nuts). I had to change this to stop being hungry.

In contrast, sometimes I can feel satisfied on just 2 large meals a day if it's loaded with enough fiber, resistant starch and calories.

 

[Mufflon]

I did feel great, but I keep switching back and forth and will wake up one day and all that healthy food makes me gag. It's completely contrary to what everyone who follows wfpb says.
[...]
I've known far more people who've gone plant based (vegan to you!) that gave up than people who;ve gone vegan for ethics and eat processed foods

This is true for me as well. For me it's easier eating vegan when there is this junky fake stuff available. It doesn't mean I'm eating it all the time, but damn it tastes good for sure!

Fish sticks imitation with sweet chili sauce anyone?

 

[Danielle]

I say that because I've seen it here on this board - people struggling (especially with hunger) because they aren't including enough fiber/resistant starch (in particular) in their diets as well as enough whole food to meet basic requirements. I've also experienced it (hunger) myself. No, not after just one meal, but incorporating enough refined products that are considered staples (like white rice instead of brown, white pasta instead of whole wheat etc) over short periods of time (days to weeks). It's not like it's something one can judge after a single meal. I was super hungry as a new vegan when I started out because a big part of my staple diet was white noodles and a (relatively) low fiber bread (in addition to a few veggies/seeds/nuts). I had to change this to stop being hungry.

In contrast, sometimes I can feel satisfied on just 2 large meals a day if it's loaded with enough fiber, resistant starch and calories.

I had that issue too, in the beginning I was always hungry. I typically only eat 2 meals and some snacks.

 

[Hog]

The easy availability of vegan junk food is exactly my problem.
The guy in my avatar could probably go without eating for months and still have a Santa belly.

 

[SaraSmith85]

Healthy food is healthy food.
Vegan food is vegan food.
Sometimes its both vegan and healthy, but not always.

And to eat healthy vegan food we also need to add for example Omega 3.
I use Omega 3 from www.HealthPassionClub.com , because its good quality and price.
Which more vitamins are important?

 

[fakei]

People usually become vegan for ethical reasons rather than for their health and it extends to all parts of their life, not just their diet. They avoid animal products in their clothing, household products, and entertainment (avoiding rodeos for example). People who are doing it for their health usually take up a plant based diet, and there are some who do it for both reasons.

Eating a healthy vegan diet is of course the best thing you can do for yourself and the animals, but just remember, animal welfare and not health is the main reason for most to go vegan. I'm just mentioning that because sometimes those doing it for health will put down those doing it for ethical reason who may eat a less than healthy diet.

With low fat whole food plant based diets being shown to reverse and prevent serious conditions and at the same time processed and exotic plant foods being shown to be the ones with greater environmental impact among vegetable sources, although much less than animal sources,the two ideals, i.e. health and animal welfare, seem to coincide.