By Olivia Ebeling, Real Naturo writer and healthy globe-trotting adventurer. Founder of Tribe Magazine
Back in January, many of us set out to better ourselves and focus on the goals we want to achieve over the next 12 months. After weeks of festive celebrations, indulgent meals and a few too many tipples, come January we feel ready to hit the reset button and start afresh. And for a lot of people, the most popular resolutions include improving their wellness and overhauling their diet.
Those who already know a little more about nutrition and enjoy eating healthily might contemplate taking the next step by going vegan. Since 2014, UK charity Veganuary (https://veganuary.com) is there to encourage and inform the public on how following a plant-based diet can help the planet, reduce the suffering of animals and improve personal health. Challenging people to give up meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs and animal by-products such as gelatine for the first four weeks of the year, the website offers all the information, advice and recipes you need to get started.
Research has shown that health is now the second biggest motivator why more and more people are thinking about adopting a vegan lifestyle. The benefits are multiple and include lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, as well as a lower risk of obesity and other life-threatening conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, strokes and some forms of cancer. According to a review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a high intake of dairy products (with the average daily dairy consumption of Brits considered as such) increases the risk of prostate cancer, for example (1). A vegan diet, which is generally lower in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, and has a higher intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, is therefore significantly more likely to aid longevity and wellbeing. Vegans also avoid exposure to antibiotics used in modern animal farming and bacterial infections from nasties such as salmonella, e.coli and campylobacter.
However, for all its health benefits, the plant-based lifestyle has its own concerns attached to it. Some of the most common worries of those contemplating a vegan meal plan include missing out on important nutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin B12. Others might be unfamiliar with the variety of vegan products on offer and fret where to source them, or anticipate they might get bored of such a restrictive diet.
The NHS has a comprehensive section about veganism on its website (http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Vegetarianhealth/Pages/Vegetarianhealthqanda.aspx#benefits) and states that ‘with good planning and an understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegetarian and vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs to be healthy without the need for supplements’.
Furthermore, several medical studies(2) have shown that algae and chlorella are great natural substitutes for increasing vitamin B12 levels. These can easily be incorporated into your daily diet in a daily smoothie or a soup over the chillier months. The Real Naturo Naturopaths recommend an annual course of sublingual B 12 if you have any digestive or absorption issues.
Another commonly asked question is whether the lack of dairy will affect a vegan’s bone health, but, again, there is scientific proof (3) that leafy greens and beans are excellent sources of calcium, and that incorporating them into your diet means you consume all the nutrients you need. The same goes for protein: vegetables like broccoli and spinach, pulses like lentils and black beans, grains such as brown rice and quinoa and nuts like pistachios and almonds are all great providers.
As for the prejudice that a vegan diet only allows you to nibble on carrots and seeds, your mind will be blown when you discover the versatility and abundance of plant-based recipes. From African to French, Italian to Mexican cuisines, virtually all cookery styles can be adapted to avoid animal products.
For example, if you’re a hip foodie who has been lapping up the recent culinary obsession with all things pulled pork, you should try this vegan alternative:
Beet and Quinoa Burgers
Ingredients
Coriander and lemon guacamole:
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 handful of finely chopped fresh coriander
1 large tomato finely chopped
1 avocado
Instructions
For more vegan recipes check out Real Naturo recipe resources page.
References:
Safe and Effective Cleansing with Enemas Upon request, I have accumulated a few 'how…
Welcome to Autumn. Where home looks like soft woollen textures thrown over wooden surface. Smells…
https://vimeo.com/588315378 https://www.realnaturo.com/shop/access/
‘Ormus is the antenna of life’ says Dan Easton, Real Naturo's chemical engineer since 2015.…
Please send donations direct through the go fund me link below. Catch up with the mission from 2018 posts…
https://www.realnaturo.com/coronavirus-protocol/ https://www.realnaturo.com/healthy-grieving/ https://www.realnaturo.com/protocol-remove-oestrogen-excess-women/