Want to Go Vegan? Here’s a Sample Weekly Meal Plan

Veganism is the practice of avoiding the consumption of animal products. It is also a philosophy that rejects the status of animals as commodities and refuses to use anything that contains animal products or involves them in any way. Vegans are those who adhere to the vegan diet or philosophy. According to research, there are numerous forms of vegetarianism. Dietary vegans, usually “strict vegetarians,” abstain from eating meat, eggs, dairy products, and other animal-derived items. 

An ethical vegan is someone who not only follows a plant-based diet but also incorporates the concept into other aspects of their lives. This viewpoint opposes using animal products or body parts like furs for any purpose and strives to prevent animal cruelty and exploitation, including human exploitation.

If you are a vegan, you’ll want to check your menu to ensure it follows two straightforward rules. First, plant-based foods are permissible, but animal-based foods, like eggs, cheese, milk, and honey, are prohibited. However, if you follow this diet, you ought to ensure that you get the necessary nutrients that one typically gets from animal products.

Healthy Eating on a Vegan Diet 

A well-balanced vegan diet will provide you with most of your nutritional needs.

• Four to five pieces of various fruits and vegetables daily are sufficient to obtain micronutrients.
• Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, or other starchy carbs make the basis for meals (choose wholegrains where possible).
• Dairy alternatives, such as soy beverages and yoghurts, are available (choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options).
• Consume some beans, lentils, and other protein-rich foods.
• Select unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in moderation.
• Drink a lot of water (the government recommends 6 to 8 cups or glasses daily).

You can receive all the nutrients your body requires careful planning and understanding of what constitutes a healthy, balanced vegan diet. If your meal plan is poorly structured, you may miss out on critical nutrients.

Though the vegan diet offers many health advantages, just because something is labelled “vegan” doesn’t imply it’s a good choice. Instead, focus on nutrient-dense whole foods like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and, of course, lots of fruits and vegetables to benefit from this eating pattern.

The HealthifyMe Note

Transitioning to a vegan diet can be a big lifestyle change. If you are trying it for the first time, you can start with a flexitarian diet by following a few meatless days and then go from there. Or you can turn vegetarian and then move on to veganism. 

The Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet

A study found that vegan diets can satisfy all a person’s nutritional needs while removing some of the hazards linked to toxic animal fats. In addition, veganism can offer various health benefits, including those listed below.

Suitable for the Heart Health

A vegan diet can help your heart in a variety of ways. The common saturated fats are in animal products like meat, cheese, and butter. Adults with a higher intake of plant-based meals and a lower intake of animal foods have a lower risk of heart disease and death, according to a large-scale 2018 study. 

A plant-based diet is beneficial to the heart. Compared to a diet that includes a lot more meat, eating essentially or exclusively fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains, and meat substitutes like soy may reduce your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. 

May Lower Cancer Risk

Research shows that plant-based foods’ components, such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fibre, are demonstrated to lower the risk of numerous types of cancer.

For example, eating 6 oz (160 g) of wholegrain foods daily can reduce your risk of colorectal cancer by 21%. In addition, they discovered that vegetarians had an 11% lower total cancer incidence than meat-eaters, and vegans had a 19% lower cancer incidence.

Aids Weight Loss

Vegans have a lower body mass index (BMI) than individuals who eat other types of diets. As per a 2017 study, vegan diets were more beneficial for weight loss.

Because many animal foods are high in fat and calories, substituting low-calorie plant-based foods can aid weight management. It’s worth noting, though, that eating a lot of processed or high-fat plant-based meals, what some call a “junk food vegan diet”, can lead to unhealthy weight gain.

Lowers the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

According to the study, people who ate a primarily plant-based diet had a 23 per cent lower risk of diabetes. Also, those who ate healthy plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, had a 30% reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

Other Benefits 

Vegans are also less prone to developing diabetes and some malignancies, including gastrointestinal tract tumours and breast, ovarian, and uterus cancer in women. Veganism may even help you live longer, particularly if you reduce your daily calorie consumption.

Those who avoid meat are less likely to gain weight or develop heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. In addition, vegans have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who consume animal products.

Possible Side Effects of a Vegan Diet

Veganism has become one of the most popular lifestyle choices in recent years. It involves eliminating all animal-derived foods and by-products from the diet, including dairy and meat.

Plant-based foods are the only source of nutrients in a vegan diet. In addition, many people have reported improving their physical and mental health by switching to a vegan diet. 

However, it is not all rainbows and sunshine after you decide to go vegan. Here are seven vegan diets’ adverse effects:

Low Energy and Weight Problems

It’s challenging to keep track of our calories when we go from an animal-based to a plant-based diet. It is because plant-based foods are lower in calories than animal-based ones.

As a result, if you continue to consume smaller portions as you did in your previous lifestyle, you will notice a significant reduction in your energy levels.

Even if you eat a plant-based diet, you must ensure that you consume a proper 2000-calorie diet. You risk not only health concerns but also abandoning your diet and reverting to old habits if you don’t get adequate nourishment.

Leaky Gut Issues

According to the data, the vegan diet eliminates all animal protein sources in favour of plant-based protein sources such as lentils. While legumes are high in protein, they also include antinutrients such as phytates and lectin, which can promote intestinal permeability and induce a “leaky gut.” Antinutrients, on the other hand, are absent from animal-based protein sources.

Hormone Disruption

Vegans also turn to soy as a source of plant protein. Soy milk and tofu, for example, are essential components of a vegan diet. However, phytoestrogens are found in soy and eating more than the recommended quantity might disrupt the body’s hormonal balance.

According to research, a hormone imbalance can result in acne outbreaks, hair loss, irregular menstrual cycles, skin pigmentation issues, and other issues. 

Lack of Iron

According to a study, iron is less in plant-based diets, but it is of the ‘low-heme’ kind, which gets poorly absorbed by the body. As a result, vegetarians and vegans are more susceptible to iron deficiency.

A deficiency of heme iron in the body can result in various symptoms, including weariness and anaemia. While iron supplements can help with the problem, there are some unfavourable side effects.

Risk of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

B12 is an essential vitamin, and its lack can result in various irreversible health problems. In addition, because vitamin B12 is predominantly abundant in animal sources, vegans are at a high risk of having a shortage of this essential mineral. As a result, if you’re following a vegan diet, you should consider taking a vitamin B12 supplement to keep your body functioning correctly.

The Risk of Developing an Eating Disorder

Orthorexia is an eating disorder in which people have an obsessive obsession with healthy eating patterns and over-restriction. Studies suggest that people who follow a strict vegan diet may see higher rates of orthorexia. Hence, most specialists who treat eating disorders like orthorexia do not recommend following a strict diet like vegetarianism or veganism.

The HealthifyMe Note

A common concern about the vegan diet is not getting enough protein. However, it is possible to get plenty of protein through nut butter, tofu, beans, lentils, and nuts. In addition, you can eat protein-rich nuts and seeds as snacks to stay satisfied in-between meals. 

One Week Sample Vegan Plan

Monday

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with fresh fruits. You can add berries or apples. 
• Lunch: Baked sweet potato with bean salad. Alternatively, you can use roasted tomatoes instead of bean salad. 
• Evening snacks: Apple and cinnamon salad
• Dinner: Chickpea curry with whole-grain roti.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Chickpea flour pancakes with a mixed fruit smoothie. 
• Lunch: Roasted cauliflower with brown rice.
• Evening snacks: Mixed berries of your choice and nuts
• Dinner: Tofu and vegetable stir fry stir fry and chapati

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Chia pudding with fresh fruit
• Lunch: Sweet potato and chickpea fried rice
• Evening snacks: Nuts with a banana smoothie
• Dinner: Salad with beans, peas, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, and onions

Thursday

• Breakfast: Banana pancakes made with oat flour
• Lunch: Lentil soup with whole-grain bread
• Evening snacks: Vegan veggie balls made from corn, potato, onion, cabbage, and carrot
• Dinner: Quinoa bowl with black beans

Friday

• Breakfast: Nut butter and banana on toast
• Lunch: Tomato and lentil soup with wild rice
• Evening snacks: Almonds, fruit salad, and carrots with hummus
• Dinner: Brussel sprouts salad

Saturday

• Breakfast: Vegan protein shake and quinoa breakfast bowl
• Lunch: Spring rolls with crispy baked tofu
• Evening snacks: Oven-dried grapes
• Dinner: Mint paratha with dal

Sunday

• Breakfast: Tofu scramble with salsa
• Lunch: Potato and cauliflower wraps with sugar-free watermelon juice 
• Evening snacks: Roasted chickpeas
• Dinner: Air-fried tofu with chapati

The HealthifyMe Note

Meal planning and prepping are essential for following a vegan lifestyle. Try to utilize your Sunday to prep for the week.Start grocery shopping, pick out the dishes you can prep early, and get the veggies portioned out ahead of time.  

Conclusion

Plant-based diets come in various flavours, but they all stress foods linked to heart health, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and healthy oils like olive oil.

Vegan diets are becoming increasingly popular. Veganism provides several health benefits, including better heart health, weight loss, and a lower risk of chronic diseases. According to a study, a vegan diet may also be good for the environment. However, vegans must plan their meals carefully to get enough essential nutrients and prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What should a vegan eat in a week?

A. You should include whole grains, proteins, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables in a healthy vegan diet. In addition, nuts, seeds, legumes, soy products, and nutritional yeast can all help boost your protein intake throughout the day. On the other hand, avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are excellent fats that are both nutritional and vegan-friendly.

Q. How do vegans lose weight fast?

A. Studies have shown vegans losing anywhere between an average of 5.6 pounds in 18 weeks and 7.5% of their body weight in 6 months. The rate at which you lose weight as a vegan is a function of various factors, including the composition of the plates, nutrients, your age, etc.

Q. How much weight can you lose in a week as a vegan?

A. If you stick to a whole food plant-based (or vegan) diet, you can lose up to 3 pounds weekly and keep them off.

Q. What do skinny vegans eat?

A. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains will make up most of your diet.

Q. What happens if you go vegan for a week?

A. The absence of processed meat, prevalent in many omnivore diets, in favour of fruit, vegetables, and nuts, may result in an energy boost for someone starting a vegan diet.

Q. Why am I gaining weight on a vegan diet?

A. Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than your body can utilise, whether they originate from carbohydrates, protein, or fat.

Q. What vegan models eat in a day?

A. A meal with a protein serving of roughly fifteen grams or more. A plate should have servings of lentils, tempeh, tofu, protein shakes, nuts such as almonds, walnuts, avocados, and fats and oils.

Q. Are vegans skinny?

A. After 18 weeks, vegetarian dieters shed more weight than non-vegetarians, according to a Harvard University study from 2016. In addition, vegan dieters shed the most significant weight, losing five pounds more than non-vegetarians and three pounds more than vegetarians.

Q. What happens to your body when you stop eating meat and dairy?

A. You can lower your risk of heart disease by eating a plant-based diet and avoiding meat and dairy products. Numerous studies show that eating a plant-based diet is good for your heart.

Q. Do vegans fart more?

A. Vegan foods contain a lot of fibre, which might increase gas or flatulence. What we consume impacts the frequency of farts. The unpleasant odour of our gas reduces when we avoid animal products. However, one’s gut health will determine the condition finally.