Vegan Diet Menu

The vegetarian or vegan diet is the food which includes items obtained from plants such as cereals, legumes, vegetables and dairy products like milk, butter, cheese, ghee, etc. If planned properly, vegetarian diet provides proper nutrition to the body and keeps us healthy. The different types of vegetarians are those who follow fruitarianism, lacto-ovo-vegetarianism, lacto-vegetarianism and ovo-vegetarianism. However, those who follow vegetarianism strictly do not include eggs in their diet. Read more on different types of vegetarians.

Vegan Diet Menu
It is possible to nourish the body even with a completely vegan diet. A balanced vegan diet is helpful in maintaining a healthy body. Moreover, the side-effects of consuming meat and poultry products are eliminated by the intake of vegetarian food. Many Americans are now resorting to veganism, owing to the health benefits it offers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA too, has recommended the use of fruits and vegetables in the diet. The vegan food pyramid gives us an idea about which items to include in the our daily meals.

Vegan Diet with Low Carbohydrates: The following vegan diet menu plan includes information about few vegetarian recipes. Vegetarian recipes given in the following article help in having a balanced diet. For a vegan diet containing low carbohydrates, one should start the day with a whole grain meal. An orange and a bowl of oats serves the purpose in this case. To prepare the oat breakfast, the following ingredients are required: soy milk (1 cup), rolled oats (½ cup), dried raspberries (1-2 tbsp.) and walnut halves (4). Soy milk should be added to the rolled oats and kept in the microwave for 2 minutes. Once the soy milk-oats mixture cools down, chopped walnuts should be added.

To have a salad with a variety of lettuces and vegetables is a good option for lunch. In order to prepare this large salad one would require a blend of different lettuces and vegetables, low carb oil (2 tbsp.), marinated baked tofu (3½ oz.), dark chocolate with 70-90% cocoa (0.6-0.7 oz.). Vegetables to be used include tomato, avocado, carrots, celery, broccoli, etc. All the contents should be mixed in a huge bowl without cooking it.

The fruits like watermelons, peaches and papayas can be used as snack items. They not only create a feeling of fullness, but are also low in carbohydrates. Brown rice makes for a perfect dinner dish. The ingredients needed for the preparation of this dish are organic brown rice (½ cup), olive oil (1-2 tbsp) and vegetables (2-3 cups). The rice and vegetables could either be steamed in the oven or on a stove. Olive oil should be added while stirring the rice and vegetables in order to loosen the grains.

Vegan Diet for Weight Loss: The vegan diet menu plan for weight loss should restrict the usage of dairy products. Those who wish to lose weight should incorporate fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. For the breakfast, intake of oatmeal sprinkled with wheat germ is recommended. Low fat milk and a fruit like pear/apple along with the oats constitutes a healthy breakfast. The diet for lunch should include green salad (2 cups), fruit salad (1 cup), vinegar (raspberry and balsamic 1 tbsp. each) and lemon juice. Regular pasta, whole-wheat pasta, soy 'meatballs', tomato sauce, orange and broccoli form the ingredients of a weight-loss vegan diet for dinner.

Benefits of Vegetarianism
A vegan or vegetarian diet helps in maintaining the ecological balance since, it doesn't disturb the food chain. The digestion of meat takes a longer time and is subject to decaying and rotting in the intestine. It releases free radicals in our body and adds to the process of wear and tear. The human digestive system is more than double the length of the lion which delays the process of digestion. Moreover, the raw meat which lions eat, contains all the enzymes present in its natural state; thus, digesting the food becomes easier for the carnivores. The digestive system of human beings is weak in comparison to that of carnivores and thus, cannot digest meat in its natural state. Cooking the meat destroys the enzymes and requires extra efforts on the part of the human system to digest the food. It creates pressure on the digestive system and results into further complications like constipation. Thus, we can say that vegetarianism keeps us healthy and helps maintain the ecological balance.

Read more on:

• Benefits of Vegetarianism
• How Does the Digestive System Work

The vegan diet menu plans given in the above article would guide the readers about the consumption of a healthy diet. The vegan diet, if planned properly, provides nutrition to the body without causing any side-effects. Bon appétit!