How to Eat Vegan: A Beginner’s Guide

how to eat a proper vegan diet

Embarking on a vegan diet can be a transformative experience, not just for your health but also for the environment and animal welfare. If you’re new to veganism, the shift might seem daunting, but with the right guidance, it can be a smooth and enjoyable transition. Here’s how to eat vegan for beginners.

1. Understand the Basics

Veganism involves eliminating all animal products from your diet. This includes meat, dairy, eggs, and other substances derived from animals such as gelatin and honey. Understanding the ethical, environmental, and health motivations behind veganism can also provide a solid foundation and inspiration for your journey.

If starting vegan eating is hard for you to follow, you can try other forms of vegetarianism:

  • Vegetarian: Excludes eggs, garlic, onions, and strong spices, but allows dairy.
  • Lacto Vegetarian: Excludes eggs, meat, and fish, but allows dairy.
  • Lacto Ovo Vegetarian: Excludes meat, but allows dairy and eggs.
  • Pollo Vegetarian: Includes chicken, but no red meat or fish.
  • Pesco Pollo Vegetarian: Includes chicken and fish, but no red meat.
  • Pescatarian: Includes fish, excludes other meats, and allows dairy.
  • Flexitarian: Primarily vegetarian, occasionally includes meat and fish.

2. Start eating on a vegan diet Slowly

Transitioning to a vegan diet doesn’t have to be abrupt. Don’t force yourself to eat only plant-based foods on the first day. Remember, you’ve been eating meat and fish for decades. Therefore, completely eliminating meat and fish in the first week is impossible.

vegan Spanish paella
The vegan version of Spanish paella

You might start by incorporating “Meatless Mondays” into your week, gradually increasing the days of plant-based meals, you should gradually reduce the amount of meat and fish, replacing them with high-protein plant foods.

Alternatively, gradually replace red meat (beef, pork, etc.) with white meat (seafood, chicken, etc.) and reduce the amount of animal meat slowly. This process can take from 1 month to 6 months. Don’t rush. This gradual shift helps your body and taste preferences adjust without feeling overwhelmed.

3. Explore Plant-Based Alternatives

The market is full of vegan alternatives for traditionally animal-based products. You can try these ingredients instead to have a proper vegan diet:

Animal ProductsVegan Alternatives
HoneySugarcane syrup, coconut syrup, molasses, maple syrup, palm sugar, corn syrup, stevia
ButterPlant-based oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, applesauce
Cow’s milkCorn milk, soy milk, oat milk, almond milk
EggsTofu, tempeh
Ice creamFrozen fruits
Meat from livestock or poultryMushrooms, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts, various beans
Meat brothVegetable broth
How to eat a healthy vegan diet
Raspberry sorbet
Sorbet is totally made from fruits
FoodRecommended intake
Fresh or dried fruits and vegetablesEvery meal
Protein-rich foods such as lentils, chickpeas, tofu, seitan, tempeh, and nattoEvery meal
Starchy foods such as oats, sweet potatoes, whole grain rye bread, brown rice, and quinoaEvery meal
Plant-based milk and nut milkEvery day
Nuts and seeds such as almonds and chia seedsEvery day
Recommended food intake to have a healthy vegan diet

4. Master Vegan Nutrition

One of the key challenges of veganism is ensuring a balanced diet. Focus on diverse sources of plant-based proteins like lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and quinoa. Incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds to get a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Pay particular attention to nutrients that might be harder to obtain in a vegan diet, such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and calcium.

a. Protein

One of the biggest obstacles for vegetarians is the fear of lacking protein. Health experts recommend that adults need from 0.36 grams to 0.86 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Heavy laborers or bodybuilders need to increase their protein intake based on the frequency and intensity of their activities.

To make it easier to estimate, according to the latest research from the World Resources Institute, adults should maintain a level of 68 grams of protein per day. For those who are very active or perform heavy labor, it is recommended to increase by one-third, which means up to 90 grams of protein per day.

Here are 19 plant-based protein-rich foods for vegetarians:

  • Peanuts (26g protein/100g)
  • Seitan (25g protein/100g): Made from wheat gluten, Seitan is often called “wheat meat.” It’s rich in calcium, phosphorus, and iron. However, it is not suitable for those with Celiac disease. Additionally, seitan also contains a lot of sodium, so when preparing it, consider reducing the amount of salt to make your meal healthier.
  • Tempeh (20g protein/100g)
  • Green beans (24g protein/100g)
  • Pumpkin seeds (25g protein/100g)
Tempeh for vegan diet
Tempeh is one of the popular ingredients to help you eat enough protein as a vegan
  • Almonds (21g protein/100g)
  • Chia seeds (16g protein/100g)
  • Soybeans (17g protein/100g)
  • Tofu (15g protein/100g)
  • Chickpeas (19g protein/100g)
  • Oats (12.5g protein/100g)
  • Black beans (9g protein/100g)
  • Buckwheat (3.4g protein/100g)
  • Mushrooms (3g protein/100g)
  • Spinach (3g protein/100g)
  • Water spinach (3.2g protein/100g)
  • Malabar spinach (5.3g protein/100g)
  • Lentils (9g protein/100g)
  • Soy milk (3g protein/100g)

b. Vitamins and Minerals

If you intend to fully switch to a vegetarian diet, ensuring an adequate supply of essential vitamins and minerals is crucial. Below are some key nutrients and the food you can take them from:

– Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that humans cannot synthesize themselves. It is naturally found in animal-based foods. You can take this vitamin from multivitamins, supplements, and fortified foods.

– Vitamin A: tomatoes, spinach, and orange-colored vegetables like cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, carrots, and pumpkins.

Fruits for vegan diet- how to eat vegan on a budget

– Vitamin D: soy milk, mushrooms, cereals, and nut milk. To ensure a sufficient intake of vitamin D, sun exposure is a great method, especially for children.

– Iron: spinach, oats, tofu, almonds, red beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, raisins, and sunflower seeds. However, plant-based iron is harder to absorb than animal iron. To ensure adequate iron intake, you can pair it with vitamin C-rich foods, which help form a more absorbable compound. Additionally, avoid coffee and tea during meals as they reduce iron absorption.

– Calcium: orange juice, soy milk, figs, tofu, and leafy greens (kale, spinach, mustard greens, etc.).

– Iodine is important for thyroid health, but it’s often overlooked by vegans. Too much iodine can be harmful, so do not exceed the RDA of 150 µg per day. You can take this mineral from lentils, soybeans, almonds, quinoas, pumpkin seeds, potatoes, figs, kidney beans, and spinach.

Beans and peas are good source of protein and minerals

If you regularly eat seaweed, you might not need iodine supplements, but because iodine levels can vary greatly in seaweed, we recommend not adding iodine to your diet.

– Zinc: tofu, chickpeas, lentils, almonds, peanuts, oats, sunflower seeds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or whole grain rye bread.

– Omega-3s: walnuts, canola oil, flaxseeds, and DHA supplements are common sources.

5. Learn to Read Labels

Develop the habit of reading food labels to check for non-vegan ingredients. Some products may appear vegan at first glance but contain animal-derived ingredients like whey, casein, or certain food additives.

6. Plan Your Meals

Planning is crucial in any diet, especially when you’re starting with veganism. Plan your meals a week in advance to ensure variety and nutritional balance. This helps in avoiding last-minute food choices that might not align with your new dietary goals.

Cooking at home can be a more effective way to control your diet and ensure that you’re eating healthily. Start by learning a few basic vegan recipes and gradually expand your repertoire. Cooking at home also helps to minimize the cost of eating vegan, which can sometimes be higher when relying on pre-packaged vegan products.

That’s it! Enjoy the process of exploring new foods and discovering new flavors. Veganism is not just a diet but a lifestyle that celebrates a compassionate, ethical, and healthy way of living. Remember, every meal is a choice and an opportunity to support your health and broader ethical goals.

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