7 steps to becoming vegan –

Whether for health reasons or love of animals, veganism is a movement that is growing around the world. For this reason, we spoke with experts and separated seven first steps to become a vegan in a healthy way.

1. Understand the benefits of going vegan

The first step is to understand what your motivation is. Help the environment? Empathy for animals? Healthier lifestyle? Understanding what you’re looking for will help you stay motivated and, for that, we’ll give you a little push by teaching you the benefits of veganism for the body:

When you stop consuming animal foods, your body undergoes positive changes. There is an improvement in intestinal functioning, a decrease in the risk of chronic diseases, an improvement in digestion, a decrease in bad cholesterol levels and blood sugars, a decrease in the incidence of asthma and bronchitis, in addition to mitigating and even reducing anxiety. In addition, eating free of animal derivatives promotes the reduction of swelling and body inflammation, bringing benefits to your skin and decreasing body weight.

“A vegan diet is far less inflammatory than an omnivorous diet”

“Vegan food is much less inflammatory than omnivorous food. Properly made, all nutrients (except vitamin B12) are absorbed and very well used” Comments nutritionist Mariana Verçosa.

2. Find out if you can adopt

According to Nutritionist Lilian Pierreti, for seniors over 70 years old, breastfeeding mothers, people with dietary restrictions or people with serious illnesses, adopting a diet without meat and its derivatives is not recommended.

Lilian explains that, due to the deficiency of some vitamins and minerals (such as essential calcium and iron) in the age group of 70 years or more, there are problems of osteoporosis and, therefore, for those who want to adopt the lifestyle, it is necessary to make the Calcium replacement through oral tablets.

Nutritionists Natalia Barros and Gabriela Parise, inform that according to the position of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarian and vegan diets “Are appropriate during all stages of life, including pregnancy, lactation, childhood, adolescence, adults, elderly and athletes. When well planned (providing good sources of macro and micronutrients) they are healthy, nutritionally adequate and can promote several health benefits for the prevention and treatment of some diseases. They are also more environmentally sustainable options.”

That’s why it’s always good to consult a doctor so that he can indicate whether it’s right for you to adopt a vegan diet or not.

3. Consult a nutritionist

The transition is not an easy one. Consult a nutritionist (preferably one who is more knowledgeable about this dietary pattern), in addition to facilitating the process, it can avoid adaptation problems such as low intake of micronutrients such as Vitamin A, E, D, K, complex B, among others that, when lacking in the body, cause hair loss, gum bleeding, low muscle strength, low immunity and even depression.

Hair loss, bleeding gums, low muscle strength, low immunity and even depression are consequences of a mismanaged vegan diet.

Also with the help of a professional, you will know the right way to supplement vitamin B12, an essential nutrient, but little found in plant-based foods. When he is missing in the organism, it generates symptoms of depression.

Many people, when starting a vegan diet without medical supervision, may make the mistake of replacing animal foods with excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates, and many industrialized products that often have an inadequate nutritional composition, such as excess fat, salt, just because they have it on the “vegan” label. This can bring diverse health risks and weight gain.

4. Take a battery of exams

It’s important to get tests like a complete blood count, iron, ferritin, vitamin D and B12 before starting a vegan diet to make sure you’re consuming them correctly so you don’t have any health issues in the transition. It is recommended that exams be done every six months. (And this isn’t just for those who follow a plant-based diet, see? It’s important for omnivores to follow the same precautions.)

5. Be willing to change

Veganism goes far beyond food, it is a philosophy and a lifestyle that aims to exclude any and all cruelty and animal exploitation in any area. And, for that to happen, it is necessary to create the habit of reading labels to make sure that no component in that food (or product) is of animal origin. Be willing to spend a few more minutes in the kitchen, as the basis of a vegan diet consists of fruits, vegetables and oilseeds, which require more time to cook. And, of course, experimenting with new flavors, because, although there are several substitutions for animal foods (some that even imitate the taste of the original), the taste will never be the same.

6. Demystify Veganism

There are discussions about the accessibility of a vegan diet and the construction of the idea that it is more expensive, but experts do not completely agree with this: “it depends, the dietary variation is much greater. Having greater variability, this also encompasses the financial. You can’t say it’s more expensive, but you can’t say it’s cheaper either. This varies from the reality of each individual, for some it is triple the value as they have a preference for certain vegetables and vegetables. For others, it is 3x cheaper”, mentions Mariana Verçosa. After all, the classic rice + beans combo is vegan.

Do your own shopping at fairs or grocery stores, cook your own meal and think about real food without complications. For nutritionists Natalia Barros and Gabriela Parise, vegan food based on food and non-food products (such as butter, cheese, vegan frozen foods) in addition to being sustainable, is also more viable.

Nowadays, there are several pages on Instagram promoting accessible veganism, such as @veganoperiferico, a page founded by two brothers who give tips on meals, how to find vegan products far from the big cities and keep this lifestyle simple, and @mussinha_carol, that teaches practical and easy recipes.

7. Take it easy on yourself

Change won’t come overnight, it’s a process. Start slowly, adopting the Meatless Monday project, testing new flavors, recipes and vegan substitutions for dishes that are of animal origin, inform yourself and follow pages of vegan content for inspiration.

Look for plant-based and vegetarian restaurants to discover the diversity of vegan cuisine, as many people still believe that a plant-based diet consists only of salad and this can expand your horizons.

And don’t forget: change is done one step at a time.