How is it different than being a vegetarian? A vegetarian is somoene who doesn't eat animal flesh, whereas a vegan doesn't eat anything that comes from an animal-- like dairy, eggs, and butter. A vegan diet also excludes gelatin, which is derived from the bones and tissues of animals. Some vegans avoid all products with animal origins, not just foods. For example: Leather, wool, and silk. Some soaps and candles made will tallow contain animal products. A vegan diet is not the same as a raw diet, in which foods are not heated above 118 degrees farenheit. So, can you really lose weight on a vegan diet? Some doctors estimate that the average vegan woman is about twenty to twenty-five pounds lighter than her meat-eating friends. Cynthia Sass, R.D. agrees that a vegan diet will help you drop pounds. You eat more veggies, fruits, grains, beans, and lentils than you were before. Vegans have also been more prone to junk food like french fries, chips, vegan candy. Eating alot of oatmeal cookies could be the end of it!
What should you do if you really want to try it? Plan carefully! You can't just eat what you're eating now minus the meat. You would be protein deprived and exhausted. The easiest way to ensure you're getting enough protein, iron and zinc is to swap in legumes wherever you'd eat meat. Use extra beans instead of beef in chili, or stuff a pita pocket with lentil salad instead of turkey. Adding soy can also help you rack up protein. Snack on edamame, tofu, almond milk, and orange juice for your extra vitamin D and calcium that you might be lacking. Another challenge to contend with: Vegans may not get enough vitamin B12, which keeps nerve cells firing properly and is plentiful in fish, eggs, and dairy. It is nearly non-existant in plants. Fortified cereals can help with this shortfall.
Since fish is off the menu, buy walnuts and flaxseed as sources of heart-healthyomega3s. Nutritionists recommend vegans take a multivitamin every day as well.
Source: Glamour
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