All the important organic nutrients that are needed by humans such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals are produced by plants and micro living things. Animal products contain these nutrients too, but since most animals have also the same nutrient requirements of animals, we get the nutrients second-handed. The unique components of animal foods are really saturated fats and cholesterol which cannot be found in plants.
In switching to a vegan lifestyle, the food transformation is easy since its often much easier to prepare vegetables than the usual recipes we are used to. A vegan diet is very easy. You could eat only vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits and still meet all the body requirements for essential nutrients. However, for those people who like to cook, there are countless recipes in different books and thousand of vegan recipes available online for the cost of a small subscription fee or for free.
Most vegans are referred to some clinics for serum cholesterol reduction or for treatment of obesity. The reasons are direct: a vegan diet contains no significant amount of cholesterol and very low amount of saturated fat.
As for losing extra pounds, the vegan diet does not contain refined sugar and harmful oil. The average food recommendations are focused on fresh vegetables preferably green leafy ones, and raw in whatever you like, with calorie requirements filled by grains such as rice.
Even though there are no established and easy rules about how to switch to a vegan lifestyle, it could be very helpful to sustain a diet that resembles our common diet. Taking a vegan diet does not need to be eating different kinds of foods, but often it involve making simple replacements to foods you currently eat. Most foods that you commonly eat can be made in a vegan way very easily. As an example, you can still munch your favorite burritos, but in place of meat and cheese, you can use soy meat, legumes, and soy cheese. Mental blockage such as being used to a certain food then making a quick switch can cause some to lose their determination.
Looking for ways to eat these common intermediary foods will aid you to sustain your vegan regimen. If you like hamburgers, you can use vegetable patties and eat it with a vegetable salad. Stir fry veggies are popular nowadays. A whole pot of chili without the usual meat will surely munch your satisfaction. If you have a sweet tooth, you can bake apples stuffed with cinnamon and honey. You can also enjoy sweet fruits such as prunes, dates and pineapple. The list is long and you can use them to enjoy your breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack time. In starting your vegan lifestyle you should:
1. Cut out all animal products in your ref and your cupboard. This means, all meat, dairy, eggs and fats including butter and margarine, canned meats and ALL products that are made from animals. Just get rid of them or haul it and find someone who needs them. Just simply kiss them goodbye.
2. Find a vegan recipe book in a local health store or online catalogue. If you dont want to buy, there are also available free recipes in some websites that feature hundreds of different vegan recipes. Veganism is a trend and you can find your resources if you know how to look.
3. Devise a diet plan for your first month that will include breakfast, lunch, dinner and teat time.