What Is a Vegan? How Do Vegans Eat?
Veganism, or a vegan diet, is a philosophy of life in which you remove products from your life that involve using animals for their meat, milk, or skin in any way. For this reason, when it comes to a complete vegan diet, products such as meat, eggs, and milk are completely outside the sources of nutrition.
What is a Vegan Diet?
Research shows that vegans have healthier microbiomes, meaning communities of microorganisms or beneficial bacteria, than other people. According to a scientific study published in Nature magazine in 2014, vegan eating habits cause different bacteria to emerge compared to animal-based eating habits. In other words, different beneficial bacteria can form in the bodies of vegans than in those who eat meat.
One of the results of a plant-based diet can be weight loss. This is because plants are more nutritious but lower in calories than animal products.
According to another study, obese individuals who adapt to a vegan diet lose weight because it leads to a reduction in body fat, even if they consume as many calories as individuals who eat animal products.
In the diet of a fully vegan person, grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts have a much larger place than in the diet of non-vegans.
According to many studies, a vegan diet contains more fiber, antioxidants, and beneficial plant compounds. However, if the diet plan is not well-adjusted, one may have to cope with calcium, B12, and iron deficiencies.
A common concern regarding vegetarian and vegan diets is that they lack sufficient protein. However, many experts agree that a well-planned meat-free diet can provide all the nutrients you need, including protein.
What are Vegan Protein Sources?
Some plant foods contain significantly more protein than others, and both new and old research suggests that higher-protein diets can increase muscle strength, satiety, and weight loss.
In fact, almost all plant foods naturally contain protein in varying amounts. However, when we look at the highest protein-containing vegan foods, protein intake can be supported with a wide variety of high-protein sources such as soy-based foods (like Tofu), legumes, nutritional yeast, high-protein flours and grains, seeds like Chia and hemp, superfoods like Spirulina and chlorella, most nuts, and vegan protein powders made from peas and brown rice.
Why are Vegan Foods Expensive?
There are actually two main reasons for this:
The first reason is that the production of animal products is heavily subsidized/supported in many parts of the world. This allows producers to produce and sell these products at a lower cost; unfortunately, vegan producers still do not receive the same beneficial support.
The other reason stems from supply and demand. In other words, as interest, demand, and volume for vegan foods increase, production costs will decrease in parallel.
How do Vegans Eat?
Vegans can get protein from rich seeds like nuts, peanut butter, chia, hemp seeds, grains, and legumes. Non-animal products like tofu and soy milk also provide protein.
Vegans need to consider getting enough "complete protein." Therefore, it is always possible to diversify plant protein sources and benefit from plant-based protein powders. This is because a complete protein contains all the amino acids your body needs to help maintain your metabolism.
Furthermore, they can obtain vital vitamins like B12, which they cannot get from animal products, from food sources like nutritional yeast and mushrooms, or as external supplements.
Dietitian Ege Bölük
I graduated from İstinye University, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2020 and worked at a clinic of an expert doctor in the field to specialize in bariatric nutrition.
I continued my career by completing various training courses on multidisciplinary approaches to eating disorders, the use of nutritional supplements and support within the diet, psychodietetics, nutrition and physiotherapy in athletes, celiac disease, and gluten enteropathy.
After joining the Naturiga team, I am working on functional nutrition and dietary supplements with functional medicine dietitian Mr. Erdi Uğur.
