Vegan Diet Recipes for Beginners: Easy & Healthy Vegan Weight Loss Recipes

What does it mean to be vegan? What does your diet entail and what does it mean for your body? Are you going to sacrifice nutrients in order to cut animal based products out of your diet? A vegan diet is a diet where no animal products are present. This means no meats, no eggs, and no cow’s milk. There have been numerous studies done on the harmful effects of animal based products, so eliminating these things from your diet can make drastic improvements to your health.

What are some of the side effects of eating animal products? The biggest offenders are red meats. According to studies, eating red meat has shown signs of hardening blood vessels, increasing type II diabetes, increasing the risks of Alzheimer’s disease, and even increasing the risk of colorectal cancer in certain individuals. Animal products in general increase cholesterol and blood pressure and chicken is notorious for increasing risks of breast cancer from hormones.

Is there a way to get all of the nutrients needed for healthy, active lifestyle, while still cutting animal products from your diet? The short answer? Absolutely. The most common concern for turning to a vegan diet is the loss in certain nutrients, such as protein, calcium and even sodium. The good news is that there are so many other options out there for getting the needed nutrients. Foods such as black beans, kidney beans, soy, hemp seed flour, and legumes are an excellent means for getting protein. Protein is vital to incorporate into the diet of an active individual. Without protein, carbohydrates will create a spike in your insulin levels that will quickly result in a crash. Fat, contrary to popular belief, is also crucial for an active lifestyle. It acts in much the same way as protein, slowing carbs from entering into the bloodstream and giving more consistent, prolonged energy. Almonds, sunflower seeds, and dark leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach are all high in calcium. Calcium is used for muscle contractions and a lack of calcium can result in muscle cramps. The great thing about turning to plants for nutrition is that you’ll get higher doses and a larger array of nutrients than a diet high in animal products.

The most beneficial and efficient way for receiving the nutritional benefits of these foods are through eating raw, but that can get boring. So with a little time, a little patience, and a little bit of imagination, you can whip up recipes to appeal to your pallet as well as to your health.
So let’s get to the good stuff; the recipes!