Veganism has been an emerging lifestyle since circa 570—490 BCE. To this day people have questioned whether a vegan diet contains enough nutrition. Well, as it turns out, a proper Vegan diet can be very nutritious whilst providing a variety of health benefits. You see it is the abundance of foods Vegans consume that help their bodies control inflammation and lower cholesterol.

What does it mean to be Vegan?

Vegans and vegetarians are often associated with one another, but they are not the same. Vegetarians avoid eating meat whereas Vegans avoid eating all animal products, including dairy products. Similar to vegetarians, there are different types of Vegan lifestyles.

• Dietary Vegans:  avoid all animal products in their diet
• Ethical Vegans:  avoid eating animal products as well as using products that contain animal products
• Environmental Vegans:  can also classify as Ethical Vegans except that they view the use of animal products as damaging to the environment

Common Vegan Cuisine

Essentially, any food or meal prepared without the use of animal ingredients can be considered Vegan. Some common Vegan foods include hummus, rice, beans, stir-fries, tofu, tempeh, and seitan. At the same time, there are a number of Vegan alternatives available to replace milk and meat in the diet. You should know that a Vegan diet can be so satisfying and sustaining that it has led to the creation of new food groups. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine suggests that Vegans and vegetarians alike consume the following every day:

• Three or more servings of vegetables (dark yellow, dark orange, and/or dark green, leafy vegetables)
• Five or more servings of whole grains (bread, rice, or pasta)
• Two or more servings of legumes (beans, peas, or lentils)
• Three or more servings of fruit
• Two servings of fat

Becoming Vegan Reduces Inflammation

Your body naturally produces inflammation in response to bacteria, injury, irritants, and viruses. Inflammation actually fills a wounded area with blood to remove damaged tissue and repair the area. Many medical conditions trigger inflammation within your body, which makes inflammation a common symptom that should not be ignored. Studies have shown that a Vegan diet contains foods such as berries and dark green, leafy vegetables that offer anti-inflammatory benefits. So consuming many of the foods that Vegans eat can very well reduce inflammation throughout your body.

Vegans are at a low risk of Heart Disease

When compared to meat eaters, Vegans are at a substantially lower risk of heart disease. Researchers have found that the lack of meat in a Vegan diet lowers bad cholesterol and total cholesterol in your blood. Consequently, low levels of blood cholesterol protect your arteries from hardening plaques and plaque blockages that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Is being Vegan right for you?

You are probably wondering if you should, “Go Vegan,” but you must keep in mind that you are an individual with specific nutritional needs. Therefore, you should first ‘Ask a Naturopath’ if eliminating all animal products from your diet is right for you. Either way, eating more fruits and vegetables is always a good idea!