January if Vegan month. I thought I would take the opportunity to learn and write about what Vegan is and the types of Vegans there are. There are two reasons someone will choose to eat Vegan. 1. Ethical reasons, they do not want to damage the earth and the animals. 2. Health reasons. I am going to focus on the health reasons, because the ethical reasons are too daunting; they are so many reasons and reasons behind those reasons.
I would like to give a bit of a history lesson about Vegetarian/Veganism to get this article started. Vegetarian eating is mentioned in the book of Daniel in the Bible. Daniel and his friends had been captured by the king of Babylon and they had been secluded in the king’s court for his pleasure. When Daniel and his friends see the rich foods that the king’s men eat, they request to the chef that they cook them vegetarian meals. The king’s chef was concerned that this would make them weak, but Daniel offers up a compromise to let them eat the vegetarian meals for a month and see what happens. What happens Daniel and his friends are stronger than the ones who were eating the king’s rich foods.
You can also trace vegetarian eating to 2000 years ago in Greece when philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras, promoted a vegetarian diet to his followers. Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) discussed vegetarian diets also. Vegan eating, where no animals or animal by products are consumed, was first discussed in Europe in 1806 by Dr. William Lamb and Percy Bysshe Shelley. The reasons they gave were ethical to protect animals from being abused. In 1944, Donald Watson called a meeting of non-dairy eating vegetarians to discuss non-dairy vegetarian diets and lifestyles and that is where it was decided to change the name of the group from non-dairy vegetarians to Vegan. Then in 2011 Forks Over Knives came out and Vegan started being considered, even more commonly, for health reasons.
The Vegan eating plan is where you only eat plants. You do not eat any of animal products at all. I am going to list what you can eat first.
Foods You Can Eat on a Vegan Diet:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Bread
- Pasta
- Rice
- Dairy alternatives
- Vegetable oils
Foods You Can Not Eat on a Vegan Diet:
- Honey
- Eggs
- Mayo
- Animal milk
- Cream
- Ice cream
- Cheese
- Fish
- Shell Fish
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Beef
- Duck
- Pork
- Lamb
- Anything that uses animals or comes from animals
Eating vegan requires you to be more informed and intentional about what you are eating.There are 5 key nutrients you will shortchange yourself of if you are not mindful while eating a Vegan diet. These nutrients are Calcium, B-12, Protein, Omega 3, and Zinc. B-12 is a nutrient that you can only get from animals or their byproducts. Byproducts are things that come from the animal such as honey, eggs, cheese, etc. B-12 is used by your body to make DNA and red blood cells. If you choose to eat vegan make sure you have a good b-12 supplement or shot so that your body will not suffer.
The Benefits of Veganism Include:
- Heart Health
- Obesity Cessation
- Lower Heart Disease and Cholesterol
- Lower blood pressure
There are 7 Types of Vegan Eating Plans:
- Junk Food Vegan: This diet lacks whole plant foods and relies heavily on mock meats, cheese alternatives, vegan desserts, and heavily processed vegan foods.
- The Thrive Diet: You only eat raw plant foods
- Raw till 4: Raw foods are consumed until 4 PM and then you can have one cooked meal at dinner.
- The Starch solution: Low fat, high carb plants eating plan.
- 80/10/10: Limits fat rich plants such as nuts, avocados, and relies on raw fruits and vegetables and soft greens.
- Raw Food Vegan: You only eat uncooked plants.
- Whole Food Vegan: You eat wide variety of whole plant foods.
If you choose to follow a Vegan eating plan I caution you to make sure you take a great B-12 supplement and a calcium supplement. There are many people I have discovered who eat vegetarian or vegan one day a week, because eating lots of plants is vital for our health and it is important to set yourself up for success with getting good nutrition. Wellness Works NW can help you discovered what diet will work best for your body.
If are interested in a talking to Karen G Clemenson about your Eating Plan or starting an Exercise Program please Contact Us at 360-447-8061.
Here are some links I would like to share with you:
- AIP is a Plant-Based Protocol by Mickey Trescott for Autoimmune Wellness
- The Forks Over Knives Diet by Forks Over Knives Staff
- Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet by Rush University System for Health Staff
- History of The Vegan Society
- Nutrition Tips by Veganuary
- Plant Based Recipes on Pickles & Honey
- Recipes on The Korean Vegan
- The Vegan Diet — A Complete Guide for Beginners by Alina Peter, MS, RD (NL) for Healthline
- Vegan Recipes on Oh She Glows
- Vegan Recipes on Sweet Potato Soul
- What Is a Vegan Diet? by WebMD for NOURISH
- Image Credit: Study: Most Meat Eaters Support Veganism, But “Practical Matters’ Keep Many From Switching by John Anderer for Study Finds; picture © Freepik – stock.adobe.com
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Jamie Holloway is a co-owner of Wellness Works NW and she is also our Research Manager and writes our Chasing Wellness with Jamie Holloway and Dear Jamie columns. Jamie is also an Independent Wellness Advocate at dōTERRA. She lives in the Portland, Oregon area. Since October 2011 she has been sharing her Journey Toward Health and Wellness with Vasculitis through her blog at JamieChasesButterflies.com. We hope you are as inspired as we are with the raw candor Jamie uses in her writing. If you would like to help support Jamie’s writing efforts please Donate now.
