Being a vegan is one of the best methods to shed weight. Here is why.
A Non-dairy vegetarian food contains less fat and simple nutrients. In a vegan diet fish, eggs, meat should be avoided. Dairy products and animal source are a strict no to vegan diet. You can use plant-based milk from coconut and almond instead.
It is very important to see that you don’t miss any of the nutrients while following a strict vegan diet. In general we have veg and non veg foods. so, there is higher chance that we miss out on nutrients we get from fish and meat while following vegan diet. When you start following vegan diet, calculate the nutrients to make sure that it is a complete food.
Now, for weight loss focus on nutrient-rich foods instead of calories.
Include vegetables, whole grain, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds in your diet. Your diet should meet the daily recommendation of nutrients for your age and gender.
How to get enough calories:
Usually, 6 servings of grain, which include whole grain bread, cereal, and rice is ideal. There are plenty of choices when it comes to grains. Millets and corn are nutritious as well as have low glycemic index. Make variety of dishes with millets like pongal, idli, kichadi. It adds variety to your diet and satiates your appetite. Millets get digested faster while retaining all the goodness.
How to get protein from vegan diet:
The only protein source in a vegan diet is pulses and legumes as you can’t include dairy products to your diet. There is a short cut to dairy from vegan source which we will talk about later.
Now, for your body to get enough protein you have to include channa, moong, rajma, soy, kidney beans. There are infinity variety of beans which are rich in essential amino acids and minerals. You can make a low fat curry with legumes. Or a plain sundal garnished with coconut scrapings which can be a snack as well as a side dish to rice. You can make sprouts with pulses which are healthier and more nutritious.
What is tempeh and why it is good?
Tempeh is a great plant soruce protein. These are beans cooked and pressed into blocks and packed. The main ingredient is soy bean. Buy from the store and can cook with little fat. It is a great alternative for meat products. Tempeh also tastes like meat. Sometimes, millets, brown rice, flax and sesame seeds present in a tempeh to enhance taste.
Cattle milk meant for animal infants:
When it comes to protein we have no other go but looking upon dairy products. Milk, ghee, butter, paneer, and endless vaare in tempehrieties of cheese. I know it is difficult to believe as well as give up such tasty variety of food coming from one source. MILK! Don’t worry. It’s not that difficult if you know what to replace it with. There are three golden vegan options to keep your milk cravings in check. One is of course, soy milk. Another nutritious but a more expensive substitute is almond milk. A fast and easy to make nut milk is coconut milk. There u go. As promised 3 short cuts to deceive your taste buds with dairy-like products.
Tofu
When you talk about soy you have to talk about tofu-a substitute for dairy panneer. It’s gluten-free and low in calorie. There is no cholesterol in tofu and is rich in iron and calcium. Go for it!
You can include in your diet as
1 cup of tofu in a curry
1 fruit flavoured almond milk,
a cup of coconut milk added in a gravy is a great and tasty way to wean off from entire animal dairy products.
How to consume vegetables for weight loss:
Green leafy vegetable salad flavored with olive oil, salt, pepper and lime juice
Cauliflower in gravy
Spicy cabbage with tofu stuffed capsicum
Why you should add garlic to your dishes
Garlic boosts metabolism and helps in weight reduction. are in tempeh. Moreover, it is able to suppress the appetite.
Fruits:
fruits can be great and healthy snacks. Citrus fruits like lime, mosambi, grape fruit are beneficial in weight loss.
Herbs and spices
We live in a country where a huge number of herbs and spices are readily available. Make use of them to add flavor to the vegetarian dishes you make.
Here is the list of spices that will make you burn fat
Turmeric
Black pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Cumin
Cardamom
Ginger
Rosemary
Fenugreek
Oregano
Conclusion
There are a plenty of options and varieties to tryout in a vegan diet. Only thing is that you have to explore more to find out the best options. It will make you lose weight without any strict rules and regulations. It is a more effective weight loss method. It gives wide variety of food to choose from unlike other methods. However, you should avoid sugary drinks, soda, tea, coffee, lassi and carbonated drinks. Junk foods like french fries, canned food, etc are a big no no. Otherwise vegan diet is a sure shot method to lose weight.