Vegan diet is a best choice for people looking for rapid weight loss or prevention and management of chronic health issues such as diabetes, hypertension. Acquiring Vegan diet can cut down your weight and prevent chronic diseases since most non- vegan diets are high in calories, cholesterol and harmful chemicals (due to industrial and farming practices).
But what is the Vegan Diet?
The Vegans are people who are animal right activists and do not appreciate the use of animal products. There diet is only comprised of green leafy vegetables, nuts, and legumes.
Is Vegan diet good option for reducing weight?
Yes researches have proven that since vegan diet comprises of low calorie foods so most consumers tend to acquire lesser amount of calories, resulting in low BMI (Body Mass Index). Vut it is imperative to keep in mind that excessive calorie restriction on vegan diet can increase the risk of health issues significantly.
What are its benefits with respect to health issues?
Since vegan diet consists of all essential things required by the body, it is logical to assume that it protects the body from several diseases like diabetes and chronic heart diseases. When a person is consuming low fat diet and more vegetable diet (high in antioxidants and fiber), his risk of developing cardiovascular issues decreases substantially.
What should you know about the nutritional value of Vegan Diet?
Fats: If the diet is aimed at making person healthy and free from disease the person should consume an average healthy unsaturated fat (20-30 percent of calorie from daily diet). It shouldn’t exceed much above this range as it can cause severe heart disorders. Besides, saturated fats are known to cause a wide range of metabolic and circulatory disturbances. Fat in vegan diet is obtained through oils and nuts.
Proteins: Vegan diet is completely stable with proteins. It provides all the essential proteins that are required by our body. Since protein is very important for our body vegan diet completes its essentially.
Carbohydrate: With fats and proteins carbohydrate is the third most essential thing required by body. Vegan diet does not completely provide the amount of carbohydrate required but the amount which is provided is enough to coup up. Carbohydrate is essential and required in high quantity and is always utilized by our body.
Salt: Salt is commonly and widely used in foods to increase its taste capability. But excessive salt usage is harmful to humans as it can cause serious disturbance to patients with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. So patients should remain under prescribed amount of salt, that is;
- Normal-2.3 grams
- Diabetic or hypertensive patient-1.5 grams.
Other Key nutrients
Though these nutrients are required in trace amounts but they have important role.
Fibers: RDA- 22-35grams for adult’s source-fruits, vegetables, grains, beans are legumes all are good source of fibers. These fibers are really helpful in digestion and prevent constipation. Since it is present in vegetables and fruits so Vegan diet gives it a boost.
Potassium: RDA 4.7grams in food – Source-fruits, vegetables. Potassium is vital nutrient required by body to prevent bone damage and also it prevents formation of kidney stones. It is of high value and should be essentially taken.
Calcium: Sources-fortified soy milk and dark green veggies and orange juice, almond and butter. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body it is deposited in bones and is also helpful is vasoconstriction and vasodilatation and muscle function. It is required more in late ages as bones start to loss calcium.
Vitamin B12: RDA 2.4 micrograms. Sources: wheat gluten and Fortified soy milk and products of soy are good sources. It is really important for cell activity without this vitamin several malfunctions occurs so this should be consumed in proper way.
Vitamin D: RDA 15microgram a day. Sources- sources of Vitamin D are usually obtained from animal products so Vegan diet is deficient in it only sunlight is a source of Vitamin D in this condition. Vitamin D gives strength to bones and hardens them if Vitamin D is poor in diet it can because disorders related to bones.
How easy it is to follow this diet plan?
Veganism is not at all hard to follow its pretty easy if one just images the incentives it gives.
Convenience: cooking veganism brings a lot of art and variety of flavors and taste to your taste-buds.
Fullness: No doubt that high fiber content of most veggies furnishes the satiety and creates a state of fullness that prevents over-snacking.
Taste: Vegetables are much tastier than animal foods and are delicious when cooked and that’s why they taste marvelous.
How much does it cost?
It is not much expensive but since it gives you a complete food diet it doesn’t matter even if it cost a little over average.
References
1. Sacks, F. M., Bray, G. A., Carey, V. J., Smith, S. R., Ryan, D. H., Anton, S. D., … & Williamson, D. A. (2009). Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. New England Journal of Medicine, 360(9), 859-873.
2. Barnard, N. D., Cohen, J., Jenkins, D. J., Turner-McGrievy, G., Gloede, L., Jaster, B., … & Talpers, S. (2006). A low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes care, 29(8), 1777-1783.
3. Barnard, N. D., Cohen, J., Jenkins, D. J., Turner-McGrievy, G., Gloede, L., Green, A., & Ferdowsian, H. (2009). A low-fat vegan diet and a conventional diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled, 74-wk clinical trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition, ajcn-26736H.
