It is a win-win situation, people that are eating predominantly meat can supplement their diets with minimal amount of animal products every once in a while. Another approach towards veganism is that people should focus on getting most of their nutrition from a plant-based diet. 

In a plant based diet, the majority of their calories are from plants like fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, healthy fats and a moderate amount of poultry and fish with a minimal amount of red meat. That’s a diet that most beginners should focus on, a step in the right direction. A healthy way to follow any diet is to adequately plan your meals beforehand.

The myth around the vegan diet

People usually think that you can’t build muscle while following a vegan diet. This couldn't be further away from the truth there are many ways by which you can plan your diet beans, legumes, lentils, peas, soy milk, nuts, tofu and seeds all of these are highly rich in protein. Moreover, there is a documentary on Netflix that follows the life of Olympic athletes that are on a strictly plant-based diet and are doing amazing in their sports.

Are taking supplements necessary?

Whether people want to accept it or not, a vegan diet should be supported with supplements like B12.

How much protein should I eat?

The ideal protein consumption should be about 0.36 grams per pound of your body weight. Although you should consult a nutritionist to get the exact number that will be suitable for your body’s needs.

Vegan Sources of Protein

Quinoa - Quinoa is a seed that consists of all 9 essential amino acids. It is a nutritious and gluten-free source of protein and carbohydrates. The overall nutrition content of Cooked quinoa is consists of 71.6% water, 21.3% carbohydrates, 4.4% protein, and 1.92% fat.

 Quinoa seeds are usually treated similar to cereals like wheat, barley, oats etc. Salads made from quinoa seeds are a great way to start your day. Links to blogs that can help you with the recipes or you can follow @Healthygirlkitchen, @plantyou and @VeganRicha on Instagram. They upload various plant-based recipes that will add spice to your diet.

Is Quinoa gluten-free?

Yes, quinoa is completely gluten-free, quinoa is actually a flowering plant. quinoa carbs - Nutritional values of Quinoa are as follows. It consists of 39 grams of carbohydrates, which is almost similar to a cup of rice.

Tofu - Tofu is a compressed soy product. It is usually high in protein but quite low in calories. There is a myth related to tofu that eating it in excess can cause hormonal imbalances, which is not true. There is plenty of research done on this and consuming anything in excess will have side effects and tofu is not an exception in that case. The nutritional contents in 100 grams of tofu are 144 calories, 17 grams protein, 3 grams carbs, fat 9 grams.

Vegan Products

Various vegan products are coming into the market to help meat eaters transition from a heavy meat diet to a vegan diet. These products include vegan milk, vegan bakery items and even vegan meat. We’ll leave a link to the ones that you might want to check out. (add links)

Vegan Cheese - Vegan cheese is a good alternative for people than traditional cheese. It is mostly made from dry fruits like almonds, cashew and macadamias. Health-conscious people are switching to vegan cheese because it contains healthy fats but no cholesterol.

Vegan Milk - There are various types of vegan milk available in the market, almond milk, soy milk, Coconut milk, Oat Milk, Rice Milk, Cashew Milk, Macadamia milk etc. Each one of them is known for its nutritional contents, although soy milk contains the most amount of protein per serving.

Vegan Protein Powder - For the people that consistently go to the gym, protein powder supplements become essential to build a great physique. When we compare Pea Protein (Plant-based protein powder) and whey, nutritionally speaking whey protein has 20-30% more BCCAs than any of the plant-based proteins. BCCAs is usually responsible for building muscle and decreasing muscle fatigue after the workout session.