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There are people who at a certain moment in their life give a twist to their diet. Some do it because of a disease that leads them to change their nutritional habits, others do it because they want to improve their health, there are also those who are simply encouraged to try new things... The result is that they begin to eat differently way and on numerous occasions this way is called a vegan diet. If you are considering the possibility of starting to follow the aforementioned, it is important that before taking the step you keep in mind everything you need to know about veganism . And this essential information is what we are going to present to you now in this article.What is veganism?
It is true that there are those who confuse the vegan diet with the vegetarian one, for example, so the first thing is to clear up any doubts in this regard. For this reason, it is necessary to know that the aforementioned veganism, according to the RAE, is "the attitude consisting of rejecting food or consumption items of animal origin". And it is that, first and foremost, it is about reducing animal suffering. Therefore, we must bear in mind that it goes beyond one type of diet, since this philosophy extends to other aspects of daily life that have nothing to do with food. Hence, for example, a vegan refuses to wear clothing or accessories made with animal skins. This without forgetting that it also repudiates the use of animals in zoos or circuses. We have to establish this maxim of life that was established as such in the 1960s by Donald Watson. This was an Englishman raised on a farm who became a vegetarian and at one point he went one step further: rejecting all animal products. He and other colleagues legally registered veganism and since then the number of 'followers' around the world has been growing.Pros and cons of betting on veganism
Once you are clear about what veganism is, you have to continue discovering it through its advantages and disadvantages. Thus, first of all, we can establish that the main benefits of becoming a vegan are the following:- There is less chance of suffering from hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol problems.
- In the same way, the studies carried out determine that among vegans there are fewer cases of certain types of cancer, such as that which affects the colon. And the same happens with cardiovascular diseases.
- It is considered to help keep weight under control.
- Likewise, it has been stated that committing to veganism serves to reduce the cost of the shopping list for products that tend to fluctuate greatly in price, such as meat and fish.
- It provides the body with a large amount of fiber.
- As we have already mentioned, another great advantage is that it contributes to reducing animal suffering in many different areas.
Of course, not everything is positive. It should also be taken into account that among the main aspects against veganism are the following:
- It is necessary to increase the consumption of certain products and even take supplements to avoid calcium, vitamin B and even iron deficiencies. Hence, it is advisable to put yourself in the hands of a nutritionist to avoid suffering health problems due to the lack of those mentioned. Professional who will indicate how nutrients can be provided to the body through the intake of other foods and supplements. Among the latter, we must highlight some as interesting as Vegan Vitamins & Minerals, which we have for sale at Be Levels .
- There are certain vegan products that have quite high prices, especially the prepared ones, such as hamburgers and the like.
Staple foods for a vegan
As we have already mentioned, a person who decides to follow veganism must eliminate any type of food that has animal origin from their diet. That is, you must stop consuming meat, fish, eggs, milk, honey, shellfish, cheese... On the contrary, you should bet on introducing or encouraging the intake of products such as the following: fruits and vegetables, legumes, soybeans, cereals, dairy products of plant origin... Of course, we must not forget that vegans also choose to eat meat of plant origin, vegan cheeses and vegan fish, such as tofish . Of course, there is a product that is essential for any vegan: tofu, which is made from water, soybeans and solidifier. It is very common in Asian cuisine, it has great nutritional value, its origin is in China and it stands out because it is low in calories. Characteristics to which we must add that it can be eaten in multiple ways: in salads, in soup, in stews, stir-fried...
With all these products it is how they try to alleviate the nutrient deficiencies that they may have by not eating food from animals. Specifically, there are several nutrients that should not be neglected under any circumstances in a vegan diet , such as vitamin B12 , omega 3 or iodine, among others.