Veganism is one of those diets now in “trend”. Veganism is a completely cruelty-free lifestyle, meaning no meats, dairy products (milk/cheese/yogurt), honey, and gelatin. Honey is a controversial topic among vegans whether it actually is vegan; honey is derived from bees and is not vegan. When people go completely cold-turkey into veganism, it can seem almost overwhelming at every meal. I truly admire people willing to change their lives, and the lives of other animals overnight; but, I think transitioning into veganism ensures its sustainability in the future. I am going to be completely honest, three weeks before Thanksgiving I had become so inspired to become vegan that I decided to begin my journey that same day. Let’s just say before I educated myself on the right way to approach veganism, I was eating exclusively Belvita Bars and Smuckers Uncrustables. I learned a lot of information in my few months of veganism, and I’d like to share some mistakes I wish I hadn’t made transitioning to veganism.
#1: Not Eating Enough on A Plant-Based Diet: Listen to Your Body
Veganism is often regarded as a “starvation diet” and I wouldn’t consider veganism EITHER of the two. Veganism is a lifestyle that incorporates lots of vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein. But, fruits and vegetables have fewer calories than meat and dairy options requiring vegans to eat more calories to maintain their weight. I would actually argue vegans eat a lot more than you would think. Frugivores, such as Freelee the Banana Girl and many other high-fruit and high-carb vegans eat almost two-thousand to five-thousand calories a day. The fruits contain glucose which is immediately absorbed into the bloodstream and is quickly burned off by the body. This requires most vegans to eat a lot. I don’t count my calories, but I’d estimate that my intake is around twenty-five hundred calories. Veganism isn’t a “starvation diet” and should never be practiced in that light! There are so many amazing healthy vegan foods from the stereotypical kale salad.
#2: Overloading on Protein Sources
One of the things I am told far too many times is that my diet is rendering me nutrient deficient. According to various sources, meat-eaters are eating almost 2x their suggested protein intake daily. Vegans can easily consume adequate amounts of protein through a balanced diet. Nuts, Legumes, Seeds, and Grains are nutritionally dense packing with lots of protein. Vegans typically need 1-1.1 grams of protein a day/kg of body weight and through a balanced diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats, this is a fairly easy feat. But, many vegans consume large amounts of Beyond Meat and Plant-based protein options, while excellent in moderation, contain large amounts of saturated fats and hurt your transition into veganism. I recommend adding back these plant-based favorites later in your journey. In these cases, protein needs are often blown out of proportion.
#3: Not Supplementing their Diets with a B-12 Vitamin!
Vitamin B-12, also known as cobalamin is a vitamin that helps maintain blood and nerve cell health. A lack of vitamin B-12 or red blood cells is called anemia. Anemia, a common blood disorder, is characterized by insufficient red blood cells carrying oxygen to the blood. B-12 is enriched in plant-based milks, soy products, fortified cereals, and nutritional yeast. These foods are rich in Vitamin B-12; but, vegans are also recommended to take a Vitamin B-12 supplement to prevent anemia and nervous system damage.
#4: Not Creating a Good Grocery-List
When someone decides to transition to veganism, it is important they have a plan. I remember the first time I walked into the Grocery Store as a vegan, I felt overwhelmed and had no idea what to buy. I had no idea about the healthy fats I would need, the grains, legumes, and fruits. My first-time walking into Whole Foods as a vegan, I purchased vegan hummus-dips and vegan cookie dough, but I was missing all the things I needed. It is important that any vegan diet has Fruits, Vegetables, Whole-Wheat Grains, Legumes, Vegan-Friendly Oils and Butters, Nuts, Dairy Substitutes, and Vegan Snacks. These categories are the framework of a solid and sustainable vegan lifestyle. If you would like to see an example, I attached the Grocery Store List I use each time I walk into Whole Foods.
Vegan Grocery List
Fruits
Bananas (2 bunches)
Purple grapes (1 bag)
2. Vegetables
Broccoli
Baby carrots (2 packages)
Celery
Cauliflower
Cucumbers (3 cucumbers)
Sweet Corn (3 cans)
Kale
Spinach (Super Greens Pack)
Lettuce (2 heads)
Garlic
3. Cooking Ingredients/Herbs
Basil
Nutritional Yeast & Lemon Juice
Pumpkin Puree (1 can)
4. Whole Wheat Grains
Bread
Bagels (blueberry!)
Banza Pasta (2 Penne & 2 Cavatappi)
5. Legumes
Chickpeas
Kidney beans
6. Vegan Substitutes
Vegan butter & cheese (Viola & Earth’s Balance)
Coconut oil/flaxseed oil
6. Nuts
Nut butters
Chia seeds
Pine nuts or Walnuts
7. Vegan Dairy Substitutes
Almond milk from Elmhurst's (No Natural Flavoring)
Vegan cream cheese
Oatly Mixed Berry Full-Fat Vegan Yogurt
8. Vegan Snacks
Vega Protein Bars (Get 2 of each 3 kinds)
Hippeas Chickpea Puffs
#5: Eating the Same Meals in Repetition
I think the best aspect of any vegan diet is variation. Variation from the nuts you can choose, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts.. Variation also comes from curiosity and trying new vegan recipes you find online, and in most cases, they taste even better than their cruel counterparts. Eating the same meals in repetition not only limits your palate but is guaranteed to entirely halt your vegan journey. When I initially transitioned into veganism without a good grocery list to make delicious recipes and a limited diet, I had no motivation to maintain this lifestyle.
I hope these were helpful to you and I hope you don’t make the same silly mistakes I made transitioning into veganism! Don’t forget to share this post with friends and family and leave any comments you may have below.
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