How To Stay Full On A Vegan Diet?
A vegan diet is much more than what you can see on the surface. There are many nutrients that vegans should be mindful of, and one major component of a healthy vegan diet is fiber.
Getting enough dietary fiber can support weight loss, lower cholesterol levels, prevent digestive disorders, and help control blood sugar levels. So let’s take a closer look at how you can get more fiber into your vegan diet to stay full and promote health.
What Is Fiber?
Fiber is everything that isn’t digested by our digestive enzymes; it provides no nutritional value but helps promote regularity and prevents constipation by bulking up stools, so they pass through easier. Sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Fiber-Rich Foods for Vegans
There are two types of fiber – soluble (which dissolves in water) and insoluble (which doesn’t). Both types benefit the body by promoting health, but different foods contain either class.
The following foods are good sources of fiber:
• Artichokes – 3 g per 1 medium cooked artichoke
• Pears – 4 grams per small pear with skin
• Grapes – 1.5 grams per cup of grapes
• Blackberries – 8 grams per cup
• Oatmeal – 5g in 3/4 cup cooked oats (not instant) or 2 Tbsp. of bran cereal
• All-Bran cereal – 10 grams per 1 cup serving
• Lentils – 15 grams per cup cooked and 50% daily value in a 3/4 cup serving
• Sweet potatoes – 4.8 g in a medium baked potato with skin and 8.5 g in 1/2 cup mashed
Fiber is often added to processed foods, so reading labels can help you find foods high in the thread without searching by food group. Vegans need to maintain good intakes of both fiber types because they promote health and prevent chronic diseases. Eating more plant-based protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and lower-fat dairy will help you get enough dietary fiber.
• Source of complete protein – eat only if made with organic soy (which is more similar has the similar amino acid profile to animal foods).
• Source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.
• Source of calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin K2, B vitamins, and other nutrients lacking in the vegan diet.
• May contain high levels of glyphosate (toxic pesticide used on both conventional animal feed & non-organic soy).
• Processed ingredients.
• Contains toxic preservatives linked to increased risk for cancer & heart disease.
• High in processed carbohydrates, including sugars and unhealthy refined starches that can spike blood sugar levels, promote fat storage & weight gain.
• Can’t help you lose weight or boost metabolism.
• Two-thirds of America’s soy is genetically engineered (GE) to tolerate being heavily sprayed with glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller. In 2013, more than 90% of U.S.-grown soy was GE – not so for non-GMO verified products & organic soy foods like tofu, tempeh, or edamame (almost always GMO-free).
How to stay on a plant-based diet:
I’ve been eating a plant-based diet for about three years now and what I can tell you is that my lifestyle is such that it’s an integral part of me.
I feel the same way today as when I made this choice back then: no regrets, just happiness, and satisfaction in my decision. My diet changed gradually from one where I was already avoiding most animal products to a vegan regimen over time. Today it’s a lifestyle choice I do not want to miss out on. Although there are hiccups or hiccups, this is my decision, and for me, it’s the right thing.
I’ve had ups and downs over these years, but my permanent change was always due to knowledge that has become common sense. My primary motivation is to justify no longer an animal product-based diet based on today’s facts, especially climate protection.
It would also be hypocritical of me; animals are part of our world; they deserve respect and care similar to us humans. If you have never seen how animals are killed for meat or even if you know it but still consume, please watch Earthlings; it’s unbearable. The more you know about it, the more this film should affect you and your choices.