Veganism is becoming increasingly popular with more people around the world, and an increasing number of us are looking for ways to reduce our meat and dairy intake. Whether it's for dietary reasons or for reducing your environmental footprint, veganism is full of benefits. It can improve your physical health and reduce the risk of serious diseases. It can also improve your hair, nails, and skin and make them stronger and more vibrant than ever before.
But switching up your whole diet isn't always easy, but we are here to help you with the transition. Here are four easy ways you can switch to a vegan lifestyle with minimum effort.
1. Start Slowly
The key to being a committed vegan is to start off slowly, don't jump in headfirst. It may seem like a great idea to throw out all meat and dairy and go full vegan from the get-go. But that makes the whole transition so much harder if you enjoy those types of foods. Instead, eliminate one animal product from your diet each month.
You should introduce vegan alternatives to meals and snacks you already enjoy. Try to crowd out unhealthy snacks with a vegan option instead, so before you eat a bag of potato chips, have a handful of nuts. Before you get a milkshake, drink a green smoothie. You won't have much room left for the unhealthy snack after you've finished, and your body will learn to prefer the vegan option.
2. Switch to Almond Milk
If you've always used dairy milk, switching to an alternative may seem like a challenge. But it's actually really easy to do and you don't even need to think about it. Instead of buying a bottle of dairy milk, just start switching to almond milk. You can also try soy, oat or coconut milk, to see if you prefer it.
You can use non-dairy milk in the same way and it's pretty delicious too! There are a lot of great dairy-free foods that use almond milk in them, everything from pizza to creative, unique, nutritious and fun treats like these dishes chosen by Deliveroo. It's an easy alternative to slip into your diet and it has a lot of scope for experimentation with other dishes. It won't be long until you prefer almond milk over dairy milk any day of the week!
3. Find Other Sources of Protein
One reason that some people worry about going vegan is the lack of protein in their diet. They seem to think that only meat can provide protein, but this is purely a myth - there are many vegan alternatives too, as explained at Veganuary.
Eating more foods like tofu and seitan, beans, nuts, seeds as well as a good portion of vegetables will provide you with all the protein you need each day. Add veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, and asparagus to your meals or even as a snack throughout the day. You can find a lot of great recipes for vegan meals which are rich in protein and taste fantastic. If you still feel like you need more, opt for a vegan protein shake after a workout to get you feeling great.
4. Eat (and Drink) More Greens
Your parents always told you to eat your greens when you were a kid, and with veganism that becomes even more important. You shouldn't be focusing on the food that you've taken out of your meals, you should be focusing on putting more veggies and greens into them.
Experiment with different combinations of veggies and try new ways to seasoning and preparing them. Invest in a blender and start making some tasty smoothies to start your day with. You can really have fun with this and they have an amazing effect on your hair and skin to get you glowing.
You'll start feeling more energetic and feel miles better both physically and mentally when you eat cleaner and cut out the bad stuff.
Turning vegan can have an amazing effect on your mental and physical health as well as the health of the planet. It doesn't have to be a difficult journey and you can take it at your own pace. Have fun with it and before long you'll forget you ever enjoyed eating meat and dairy in the first place.
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