Going Vegan

At some point in our lives, the everyday redundancies of going through the motions: wake up, eat the same thing, go to work etc. People wonder why their lives begin to become so bland and boring!
This why we try new things! Change is good believe it or not and when change comes with some healthy benefits, maybe a detox for your body or even just healthier living you should consider going Vegan! 

Understanding food and our body

Just like water, we need food to live. Why? The cells in our body require certain macro nutrients in order to keep running or maintain homeostasis. Believe it or not what keeps us alive is maintaining homeostasis, what comes along with maintaining homeostasis is Krebs cycles, our metabolism,  and various systems in our body. In the human body there are eleven different systems: muscular system, respiratory system, digestive system, integumentary system (skin), skeletal system, circulatory (cardiovascular) system, excretory (urinary) system, reproductive system, nervous system, lymphatic system, and endocrine system. Everything recently mention requires energy and the only way to get that is through you're food! 

To gain this energy for our cells to live through food, the food comes with certain macro nutrients. Things like lipids, glucose, amino acids (Fat, sugar or carb, proteins) etc. If our cells stay alive, so do we!

The difference between Vegan and Vegetarian

Vegans and vegetarians often get put into the same categories. But that is farthest from the truth! Vegetarians still eat animal product and some eat eggs, meat is what they stay away from. I have heard of self claimed vegetarians eating fish. They also don't wear or use anything used on animals or made from animals. I know this can be confusing but everyone has their reasons for what they do. We are neither judge nor jury of anyone but our selves. 

Vegans on the other hand don't consume, use, wear etc. any animal product. Strictly plant based foods and products. Often times these people who claim to be either of these have the same intentions for the life of animals and that is why they are grouped together by society. At the same time, these people seem to acquiesce themselves to this, as if this way of eating is of celestial meaning. But that is not everyone. 

Did you know?

plant protein contributes to around 60-65% of the worlds diet? 

Unfortunately, North America only contributes to around 20%

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Myths

Lets put some myths to rest here. Everybody talks and everyone has an opinion. This is what I believe to be true. Here is a table full of myths and truths written by Vernon R Young and Peter L Pellett. 

Why should you vegan?

I don't really have reasons on why you should go vegan, I myself am not and I don't see any other health benefits from eating vegan unless you ate like complete crap before, then of course you are going to feel good. You may find out you have some IBS once you start vegan because meat takes longer to break down in the body. BP could drop, diabetes could be controlled easier and there is evidence of it reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Of course you will drop weight and fat dramatically because of the different processes your body has to go through to digest the food and the lack of calories(unless you follow my plan in the blog), certain acids and sodium's but also the abundance of certain acids, and proteins. I do however believe that eating a vegan diet for year every few years or so will help the body detox naturally in a more healthy manner.  

How to vegan

When it comes to going vegan there are a few things to keep in mind and whether your goal is to lose weight, build muscle or just simply live healthy. The body needs those proteins, lipids and glucose to keep running like we said. In the context of human protein nutrition, the groups that are most important are cereal grains and legumes. The table below provides you with macro nutrient count of the highest protein packed vegan foods!

As you can see from the table above nuts, cereals legumes have a decent amount of protein.

Soy is a plant based protein such as tofu, tempeh, and edamame. These are among the richest sources of protein a far as vegan diet is concerned. The protein content varies with how the soy is prepared:

• Firm tofu (soybean curds) contains about 10 g of protein per ½ cup
• Edamame beans (immature soybeans) contain 8.5 g of protein per ½ cup
• Tempeh contains about 15 g of protein per ½ cup

      

 Lentils

      

Chickpeas

Cooked chickpeas are high in protein, containing around 7g per ½ cup.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a algae that is blue or green containing around 8 g of protein per 2        tablespoons. It is also rich in nutrients, iron, B vitamins and manganese.

      

Protein-rich vegetables

Many dark-colored, leafy greens and vegetables contain protein. 

 Did you know?

a single, medium stalk of broccoli contains about 4 g of protein

kale offers 2 g of protein per cup

5 medium mushrooms offer 3 g of protein

Hemp seeds

Hemp seeds are a complete protein. offering 5 g of protein per tablespoon. Hemp seeds can be bought online like everything else.

Chia seeds

Are a good plant based protein, chia and hemp seeds are complete sources of protein that can be used to make smoothies, yogurts, and puddings.

Most Seeds are low-calorie foods that are rich in fiber and healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Chia seeds are a complete source of protein that contain 2 g of protein per tablespoon.

Add the chia and hemp seeds to a smoothie or sprinkle them on top of a plant-based yogurt.

Here are few things to keep in mind!

• The average adult female needs 2000 calories to maintain her weight and 1500 calories to lose a pound of weight per week. The average adult male is from 2500 calories to maintain and 2000 calories to lose. Keep in mind this is the Average meaning it is not gonna be the exact same for everyone and also keep in mind that certain macros have distinct calories indexes, fat has around 9 calories per gram, protein 4 and carbs 4 per gram.

You must mix everything in order to get the correct nutrition and calorie amount your body needs. Eating theses nuts, legumes and cereals independently WILL not get you the correct macro nutrient count. 

Make sure to pay attention to the macros until you are comfortable, it would be easier if you were able to count your macros until you have found your correct amount, that way you are not consuming to little or to much

Believe it or not, this is simple to do. I personally was able to find almost everything I needed in one isle at Walmart, isle 15 to be exact. Also, organic food markets are a good place as well; if you are having a hard time finding what you need you can always ask someone who works there (I did).

cited

Vernon R Young, Peter L Pellet, (Plant protein in relation to human protein) April 2, 2012( LOMA LINDA UNIV LIBRARY)