Problems With Vegan Eating Right Mentality

By Edward Mitchell


Being a vegan isn't so unusual any more. Still, once you decide to become one, you will have to prepare yourself to all kinds of questions. Every decision concerning your life is your own, and you don't have to justify such decisions to anyone, or spending time explaining the vegan eating right mentality to people around you.

If you want to simplify things, you can say that being vegan means that you don't eat animal products based food. Vegetarians, for example, often eat milk and other dairy products, and they eat eggs as well. It's a little bit easier for them, because they don't have to worry so much about some essential vitamins and minerals that are mostly contained in animal based foods.

It is really important to get some essential minerals and vitamins. B12, for example, is contained in animal products and has to be replaced with different supplements. B12 keeps your nerve and blood cells healthy, and deficiency leads to tiredness, constipation and weakness. Other symptoms include various problems with nerves or even depression.

Proteins are also quite important. Once consumed, they break into valuable amino acids, the ones your body cells need to be able grow and regenerate. When you don't eat meat, milk and eggs, you have to get proteins from other sources, for example quinoa, soy or lentils. You can calculate your protein needs using really simple formula. You need as much grams of protein as you weigh in kilograms.

Another important mineral is calcium. It is really important for your bones, among other things. It is mostly found in milk, of course, but there are some other sources you can use. For example, almonds, soy, figs or kale. Replace milk with soy milk or rice milk. It's quite easy to make your own almond milk, and it really is delicious.

Iron can be absorbed easily or not so easily, because there are different types of iron in human foods and supplements. The one found in animal products is easier to absorb, but the one found in different seeds, for example sunflower seeds, is equally valuable. It can also be found in different vegetables, mostly in those with dark green leaves. Consume it together with vitamin C to promote the absorption.

Soy is perfectly fine if you don't take over-processed soy products only. These products may contain all sorts of chemicals you don't want to have in your diet. Miso, tempek and tofu are fine, but you can make your own soy based foods as well. There are so many good cookbooks today, and combining soy flakes with fresh vegetables in your kitchen is one much better solution.

Another thing you should take into consideration is reading all product labels. You might get surprised to see how much strange ingredient you might find there. For example, gelatin based topping in fruity ice cream. Red color in sweets is made by processing dried ants. Lovely color, but really disgusting idea. Vegans are generally much happier people, if you didn't know.




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