How to Start a Vegan or Vegetarian Diet
Why do people start a vegan or vegetarian diet?
There are a lot of different reasons why people transition into a vegan or vegetarian diet. To name a few you can find people transitioning into this lifestyle because of animal care, environmental impact, healthier lifestyles, ethical issues, sometimes even because of medical issues, and other examples.
Whatever your reason is for transitioning, there are some very important aspects that you need to know to keep your health to the fullest.
What is a vegan or vegetarian diet?
As you may already know vegetarian diets are characterized by excluding meat, poultry, and fish from daily consumption. In the case of a vegan diet which is a type of vegetarian diet, dairy products, eggs, and all other animal products are also excluded.
Even though starting a vegetarian or vegan diet sounds as easy as just excluding all these products from your daily consumption it is very important to plan it carefully including enough fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts, otherwise, you could miss out on essential nutrients.
Read also: Which one is the best diet?
Types of Vegetarian diets
There are different types of vegetarian diets.
Lacto-vegetarian: this kind of diet excludes red and white meat, eggs, and foods that contain them. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter, are included.
Ovo-vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products, but allow eggs.
Lacto-Ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs.
Pescatarian diets exclude meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs, but allow fish.
Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products and all foods that contain these products.
How to start a vegan or vegetarian diet
The most common choice people decide to start with is a Lacto — Ovo vegetarian diet, including eggs and dairy products, but whichever type you choose to transition it is important that you feel comfortable and to not judge yourself if sometimes you can’t follow it perfectly.
Ideally, you could start introducing more fruits and vegetables that you enjoy, looking to knew, interesting recipies
Be sure to stock up on vegan or vegetarian staples so you always have something to eat. Try out some recipes until you find ones that you enjoy. And most importantly, remember to drink plenty of water!
There are different types of vegetarian diets.
Lacto-vegetarian: this kind of diet excludes red and white meat, eggs, and foods that contain them.
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter, are included.
Ovo-vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products, but allow eggs.
Lacto-Ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs.
Pescatarian diets exclude meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs, but allow fish.
Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products and all foods that contain these
products.
The most common choice of diet for vegetarians is a Lacto — Ovo vegetarian diet, including eggs and dairy products
daily.
Here are some recommendations that you must follow if you are having a Vegetarian Diet.
1. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Try to eat at least 5 portions of fresh, frozen, canned, dried,
or juiced fruit and vegetables a day.
2. Include Dairy or dairy alternatives such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. These are good sources of protein,
calcium, vitamin A and B12.
3. Eat beans, pulses eggs, and other sources of proteins
4. Base meals on starchy carbohydrates
5. Starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, cereals, rice, and pasta should make up just over a third of the food
you eat. Where possible, choose wholegrain varieties.
6. Limit foods high in fat, salt, and sugar
7. Foods high in salt, fat, and sugar, such as cream, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, pastries, ice cream, cakes, and puddings, should be eaten less often and in small amounts.
A well-planned, balanced vegetarian diet can be nutritionally adequate. But if you don’t plan your diet properly, you could miss out on essential nutrients
Read here: What is nutrition coaching and why do you need it?
If you are transitioning into a vegetarian diet we always advise you to attend a 1-to-1 nutrition session to deepen into these concepts and make sure you are getting all the amount of nutrients that you need.
Check out our availability for 1 to 1 nutrition sessions and get a more personalized guideline.
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