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Every year, more people begin to follow a vegan lifestyle. In a survey conducted in 2014, just 1% described themselves as being vegan. This had risen to 6% in 2020 (Source: Reportbuyer).
There are many reasons that people follow the vegan diet. These include health considerations, moral grounds, or reducing their impact on the environment.
However, their many misconceptions about the vegan diet which just aren’t true and in some circumstances can prevent people from making the change.
There Isn’t A Lot Of Choice Of Foods
This just isn’t the case. The internet is filled with fantastic vegan recipes that are just as tasty as their meat and dairy counterparts. Top health experts and chefs are encouraging people, if not to go completely vegan, then to move towards a more plant based lifestyle, so that meat is not an everyday ingredient in our diet.
There is also a great range of plant-based substitutes from companies such as No Evil Foods that can be used if you’re craving more traditional recipes. Likewise, there are a number of dairy alternatives on the market too.
You Don’t Get Enough Nutrients From A Vegan Diet
There’s no magic bullet when it comes to nutrition. You need a varied diet to get the right amount of vitamins and minerals. Just because someone doesn’t eat meat or dairy doesn’t mean that they won’t be able to find the right combination of foods to replace them.
Foods such as lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, oats, and rice contain protein. The same is true of calcium which can be found in spinach, peas, soy, flax, and almonds.
Someone who does eat meat, fish, and dairy can be missing out on key nutrition too if they have a poor diet.
Veganism Is Always Healthy
Some people follow a vegan diet for health reasons. And it is the case that many foods such as red meat and full fat dairy can be linked to a range of health conditions and cancers, so it makes sense that cutting these foods out would make you healthier.
But it still takes a good diet to be a healthy vegan. Technically, you could eat nothing but potato chips and french fries and still be vegan, but you wouldn’t be healthy.
Veganism Is Expensive
This is another misconception about the vegan diet. After all, meat and fish are usually the most expensive items in your shopping carts. Vegetables, pulses, beans and pastas aren’t that expensive, but like all things, you have to know how to plan your meals and shop intelligently. If you’re buying your food daily, then it will add up. Learn to plan in advance, shop and cook in bulk and you’ll find that you’re not spending anywhere near as much on food as you thought you would.
Takeaways
Whatever your reasons for considering changing to a vegan diet, the important thing is to be informed and educated about the foods you need to eat. Don’t assume you have limited choices or that you won’t be able to get enough of your daily food requirements. A healthy vegan diet can provide you with all of these.