ARE VEGANS HEALTHIER HOW TO
Whether you are ready to go completely vegan, or would like to start by increasing plant-based meals in your diet, or removing meat or dairy products gradually, there are a few important aspects to consider.īelow, we have listed some particular considerations regarding how to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. The Vegan Society is an excellent source of information with lots of useful tips and advice. Vegan stack burger Making a vegan diet work for youīefore embarking on a vegan diet, it’s helpful to do your research.
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There is no reason why you shouldn’t choose to follow a vegan diet if you wish, but it’s important to discuss the matter with your diabetes team if you have any queries or concerns. Vegan diets tend to be lower in saturated fat, higher in fibre, fruit and vegetables and other protective substances like phytochemicals and antioxidants – as a result, they fit well with the current dietary guidelines for people with diabetes. Speaking to a dietitian can be helpful to make sure your diet is balanced. When you first embark on a vegan diet, you must ensure that it will provide all the key nutrients that are necessary for good health. General healthy eating advice – to choose wholegrain, low-GI carbs over refined options, to eat less salt, saturated fat and sugar and to watch your weight – still apply to people eating a vegan diet.Ī little more care and attention is needed when planning a vegan diet, particularly for children. With the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people with diabetes, keeping your weight under control and reducing blood pressure and blood cholesterol are all essential and plant-based foods can help with this. Ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat can still be added, making them less healthy. How healthy vegan diets areĮven though most of the foods in a vegan diet are naturally good for you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that all vegan diets are healthy. Some studies also show that vegans are less likely to be overweight and tend to have a lower percentage of body fat, which in turn will reduce the risk of many other diseases. Plant-based foods – which are a large part of a vegan diet – particularly fruit, vegetables, nuts, pulses and seeds, have been shown to help in the treatment of many chronic diseases and are often associated with lower levels of type 2 diabetes, less hypertension, lower cholesterol levels and reduced cancer rates. Spicy bean quesadillas Health benefits of a vegan diet Additionally, more restaurants are now offering vegan options on their menus to cater for the growing numbers. Not so long ago, you’d have to make a special trip to a health food store for ingredients such as tofu or tempeh, but now you can find most of the produce needed for a healthy vegan diet in your regular supermarket. It has also become considerably easier to ‘go vegan’ these days. However, another contributing factor which may encourage people to follow a vegan diet is that it can provide some health benefits. People choose to follow a vegan lifestyle for different reasons such as concern about animal welfare and the planet. Vegan Life Magazine report that the vegan movement is growing fastest in the younger population: almost half (42%) of the 542,000 vegans in the UK are aged between 15–34, compared with just 15% who are over 65. Vegans follow a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs and honey – as well as products like leather and any tested on animals'.
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What is veganism?Īccording to the Vegan Society, 'veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. We share the nuts and bolts of eating vegan, and explore how those living with diabetes can practise this safely and with confidence. According to Vegan Life Magazine, the number of vegans in the UK has risen by a whopping 350% over the past decade, with veganism becoming one of the fastest-growing lifestyle choices.īut is following a vegan diet healthy, and can it provide all the nutrients your body needs – especially if you're living with diabetes? Could it actually bring about health benefits?