Instagram reels have made you believe that Vegan is the way to go? Take a deep, long pause and evaluate if a Vegan diet is a sustainable life choice. Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and is an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. As a result, the diet plan followed in this life choice should also include abstaining from anything that comes from an animal and only plant-based products are consumed.

Going deeper 

A vegan diet consists entirely of plant-derived food products. To qualify as a vegan-friendly food, every fruit, grain, vegetable, or nut must have grown from a tree.

All animal-derived foods are barred from this diet including meat, eggs, and dairy products.

What you can consume are fruits and vegetables, legumes such as peas, beans, and lentils, nuts and seeds, bread, rice, and pasta, vegetable oils and dairy alternatives such as soymilk, coconut milk, and almond milk.

Before making a decision, it is best to weigh all the benefits and potential drawbacks of the diet as frequent dietary changes can have a deep impact on our overall health.

Why you should make the switch

• Improved Gut Health— A vegan diet is known to be gentle on the stomach. A plant-based diet is high in fibre, a nutrient known to help with digestive issues like constipation and acidity. In addition to fibre, this diet enhances the growth of good bacteria, which reduces inflammation in the body. Reduced inflammation means reduced stomach pain, nausea, or indigestion. The benefits of a healthy gut can very well be seen as clearer and glowing skin.
• Better Weight Management— Since the vegan diet excludes all forms of meat, the body’s saturated fat content decreases significantly. Less saturated fat in the body means more energy and better weight management. Not just that, the cholesterol levels reduce too.

Both, gut health and optimum weight help reduce cholesterol and keep heart health intact, ensuring better overall functioning of the body.

Why you should reconsider making the shift

• Increased Gut Issues — There are two sides to every coin. While fibre can be beneficial to the gut, eating too much of it can cause more harm than good. Excessive fibre, if not combined with frequent water intake, can lead to severe constipation and other gut-related difficulties.
• Difficult Food Alternatives— When going vegan, it can be difficult to adjust your food choices to meet all of your bodily needs for vitamins, minerals, and proteins. When choosing food combinations, keep your current health conditions in mind, while also considering the availability of the purest form of the food. If any of them is compromised, a vegan diet could be far more detrimental to health than good.

Still undecided if Vegan is the way to go?

Here are our thoughts: If executed correctly, a vegan diet provides you with numerous health benefits. Analyze your current diet and gradually transition to a vegan diet by eliminating one food category at a time. Slow and steady changes always provide the most benefit. Begin slowly and gradually to reap the benefits of a vegan diet and notice the wonders of eating all plant-based food.