Eating vegan is not that hard. Simply leave out all the animal-based consumables (meat, dairy, eggs, honey) and pile on the plant-based foods. Who doesn’t like fried potatoes, rice crackers, corn chips, oatmeal cookies, and PB&J sandwiches?
But wait, is this enough? Yes, it is if you want to eat a vegan plant-based diet. However, if you want to eat a full-spectrum and nutritionally beneficial diet, you need to eat a naturally low fat, whole food, plant based vegan diet.
Click: 6 Health-Preserving Reasons to Stop Consuming Oil (all about that low fat part)
Why? Because not all plant-based foods are wise choices. There are many vegan foods that are highly processed with chemicals, fried in cheap oils, or otherwise loaded with fat, salt, and/or sugar.
Click: Vegan Does NOT Equal Healthful (Photos)
Click: The Dangerous World of Organic Vegan Foods
In order to feel well and perform optimally, any vegan will want to adopt a low fat, whole food, plant based diet.
During the day I love to eat whole, raw fruit. It’s quick, easy, hydrating, and provides instant fuel in the form of simple carbohydrates: glucose and fructose.
Click: Fruit is NOT Your Sugar Problem
I like my fruit many ways: banana ice cream, fresh cut mixed fruit, monomeals, and smoothies.
Later in the day, ideally around 5-6 pm, I like to eat dinner. Here’s an easy formula for making a great meal:
BASE: greens like any lettuce, spinach, or a mixture of tender, leafy raw greens
MIDDLE: starches like grains, legumes, and tubers (root vegetables)
TOP: tomatoes, onions, herbs, sea salt, lemon/lime juice, sprouts, bell peppers, spices (cumin is a fave!)
The possible combination of these layers is endless!
The meal above consists of: Lundberg yellow rice (available from Thrive Market), a baked sweet potato, black beans, green onions, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and course sea salt.
Instead of basing the meal on greens, I loaded the top with cilantro. YUM! Fresh lime juice is the key ingredient in this combo.
The meal above consists of: Romaine lettuce, Perlg spinach quinoa cooked in veggie broth, black beans, tomatoes, green onions, and course sea salt.
Click: Know Your Complex, Simple, and Refined Carbs (starches vs. fruit vs. junk)
Note that neither of these meals contains any added fat: no avocado, no nuts, no seeds, and no oil dressing. If you want to add a bit of fat, a whole fat (avocado, nuts, seeds) is advisable over oil (separated plant fat). If you didn’t read it the first time above, please read the article below.
Click: 6 Health-Preserving Reasons to Stop Consuming Oil
If you want to roast your tubers and root vegetables, do so in vegetable broth instead of oil.
When buying beans and legumes, it’s best to purchase dried versions so that you can soak and sprout them. However, if you must purchase canned beans, purchase Eden brand for their BPA-free liners.
Eating in a way that fuels your needs isn’t complicated. A basic understanding of nutrition is necessary. Aim for whole, real plant based vegan foods with little to no added whole fats. You’ll feel great, look fabulous, and attract more people to this healthful & compassionate lifestyle.
Additional Resources
• Choosing the Safest Fats, Carbs, and Proteins
• Nutrition Only in Animal-Based Foods
• The Best Food Sources for All the Vitamins You Need
• The Vegan Key™ – fuel your compassion & make money being vegan
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