10 Mistakes to Avoid When Going Vegan

Eating vegan is supposed to be an animal-conscious and eco-friendly way to eat healthy. And when it's done right, it is! However, there are some mistakes that vegans are prone to making in their diets that can cause serious health concerns. If you are considering a vegan lifestyle or know someone who is, please be sure that you don't make these common mistakes.

Protein Deficiency

The most common question many vegans get is how they get their protein without eating meat. While meats are a great source of protein, there are many other protein-rich foods for vegans such as beans, soy, tofu, nuts and legumes. Don’t let a fear of protein deficiency keep you from trying out being a vegan.

Choosing White Flour Instead of Whole Grains

Vegans are at risk of nutrients deficiencies, especially iron.  Well guess what? Whole grain products are a great source of iron.  Most white flour products only use the middle part of the grain, endosperm, which is mainly carbs without any other nutrients. Whole grains contain all the parts of the grain, so it is packed with vitamins and minerals. 

Thinking You Don’t Have Many Options

If you think the only thing you can eat is celery, think again. Many wonderfully delicious foods are accidentally vegan, like Oreos, Original Chex Mix, and Swedish Fish!  If you are in a recipe rut, follow a few vegan blogs for awesome meal ideas. 

Too Much Soya

Meat replacements, mayonnaise replacements, anything replacements are made out of soya.  If soya id organic and non-GMO it is not a bad product, but don’t have it for every meal.  Try to switch things up every now and then. 

Vegan Doesn’t Mean Healthy

Not everything vegan is healthy. For instance, a vegan diet can lend itself to containing too much sugar or grains. Just because you’re eating vegan doesn’t mean you can stop looking at the ingredients and trying to make healthier meals.

Lack Of Whole Foods

It’s hard for some vegans to fill their diets with fresh, live and natural foods since animal byproducts can’t be consumed. If you wish to be a healthy vegan, you must supply your body with all kinds of vegetables and whole grains. Stock up on raw nuts and seeds and fresh leafy greens.

Too Few Calories

Since you’re cutting out a large chunk of food from your diet, it’s pretty common for new vegans to start off by not getting enough calories. Again, eating protein-rich food like nuts and seeds will help up your calories to a healthy level, and be sure that you are eating enough throughout the day.

Ignoring Hunger

New vegans might ignore a feeling of hunger and just write it off as being a part of adjusting to the new lifestyle. Although that may be true, ignoring hunger is not a good idea. Always listen to your body, and if you feel hungry then make a healthy snack. This will ensure that you’re getting enough nutrients.

Fatty Oils

Many vegans are still using oils with high fats. You need to look at all the fats present in your home and throw out the bad ones. Especially look for trans fats, which are the worst culprits in increasing bad cholesterol.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

While a vegan diet can compensate for nearly all of the vitamins and minerals present in a healthy diet, there is no reliable source for Vitamin B12 that is vegan-friendly. To get this important vitamin, you’ll have to be sure to take B12 supplements.

Eating Refined Grains

Too many refined grains should be replaced with whole grains. This action is necessary to improve our health and well-being. Whole grain also contains a good amount of iron, which isn’t always easy for vegans to find.

Just Eating The Same As Before

Thanks to a lot of vegan meat and cheese alternatives, it could be easy to switch over to a vegan diet by just eating vegan alternatives for the foods you normally eat. While these alternatives are a great way to get the taste of non-vegan foods, they won’t provide the same level of nutrients. You’ll need to be sure you compensate for the lower levels of minerals and vitamins.

Not Enough Water

When people forst go vegan, they might experience some constipation due to the increase in eating bulkier and harder to digest foods. To combat this, drink more water. Not only will it help with your digestion, but drinking water is one of the best things yo can do for your health.