Staying Vegan on a Diet: Easier Than You May Think!
July 14, 2021
We all know that NU Food makes deliciously healthy snacks, but maybe you’re looking for a more comprehensive change to what you eat. If you’ve looked into one of the many popular diets floating around these days, then you may have encountered difficulties finding good plant-based recommendations. It can be discouraging to research a new trendy diet you’ve heard about only to figure out its foundations are built on animal products, so NU Food is here to help! In an age where a plethora of meat-alternatives are widely available, it’s never been easier to meal plan and keep it 100% cruelty-free! Read on and we’ll lay out some of the most popular diets followed today, and how with a little fine-tuning, you can make them all vegan-friendly!
There are hundreds of different fad diets out there, but three have really distinguished themselves among the health-and-wellness community: The Keto diet, Paleo diet, and Mediterranean diet. Chances are, you’ve heard about at least one of these before, which is a testament to just how trendy they can be. Many people have gotten superb results by following structured guides that tell them what, when, and even how much to eat. Unfortunately, it’s the choice of many creators of these guides to exclude plant-based alternatives when informing their followers what foods to eat. Starting with Keto, we’re going to review the traditional food sources provided for each of these diets and do a couple of changes.
The Ketogenic Diet
This brings us to yet another major factor to consider when choosing to eat vegan— vegan foods are much more environmentally friendly, as they eliminate the need for animal-based ingredients. Animal products require huge amounts of land, water, energy and food to produce. It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, while it only takes 244 gallons to produce one pound of tofu! Going vegan means that just one person can save approximately 219,000 gallons of water every year.
Nearly all meal guides found online will suggest obtaining your nutrients through fatty red meats, dairy, and eggs. Of course, this is completely unnecessary. There are plenty of plant-based fats out there that are not only easy to obtain but are also better for you! Nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, coconuts, (and their respective oils) and even dark chocolate are all viable options for the vegan, Keto planner.
The Paleolithic Diet
The Paleo diet has a different focus and follows a different approach. Rather than have a set goal, Paleo aims to simply reduce the amount of processed foods you consume. This diet restricts the foods you may eat to those that would have been eaten by Paleolithic humans. Anything processed in any way is cut out, along with cultivated foods, which includes a lot of vegan staples. Grains, legumes, potatoes, and all refined oils/sugars are off-limits, boxing out a lot of options when it comes to fats and proteins. Pressed oils like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil are still allowed, while many of the nutrients found in grains and cereals can be found in nuts and seeds. There are a few natural sweeteners, namely honey and stevia leaf. Fortunately, there are plenty of items where Paleo and vegan cross over. Peas, mushrooms, and broccoli all make for good plant(fungal)based proteins, along with nuts and seeds.
The Mediterranean Diet
Lastly, the Mediterranean diet follows in the footsteps of Paleo by adopting a looser focus. Being the youngest diet on this list, the Mediterranean diet pursues lower instances of heart attack, stroke, and gout by including food only found in the Mediterranean region. Lower rates of each of these “lifestyle” diseases have been recorded throughout Spain, France, and Italy, so it stands to reason that it may be the cuisine that contributes to their healthier population. The foundation of Mediterranean are in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and plant-based oils. Fish is typically found in the Mediterranean diet, but this can be easily swapped with seeds and nuts containing Omega-3 fatty acids.
Let’s not forget the best part of dieting— cheat day! Every good diet plan has one, and it gives you a chance to enjoy something your diet typically doesn’t allow. NU Food is happy to be your go-to snack on your next cheat day, whether you’re craving sweet or savory. Between creamy, hearty Queso and crunchy, nutty popcorn, we are sure to have it! The best part about snacking on Nu Food products on your cheat day is that our products have added Pea protein, flax oil and beneficial spices that support anti-inflammatory recovery and muscle growth. So, while they may taste like a “cheat day” treat they are an all-around healthy and beneficial treat.
