Plant-Based Diet versus Veganism - Change My Eating Habits

Plant-Based Diet versus Veganism


There has been confusion between vegan and plant-based dieters. This article is intended to break the difference, highlight similarities and benefits of embracing the two lifestyles.

The plant-based diet is not just including plant-based foods like legumes, fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, and seeds, but also the avoidance of any animal-based foods such as meat, dairy, fish, gelatin, eggs, and other by-products derived from animals from the diet.

This elimination of animal products brings confusion making many think that those who live on plant-based foods are vegan.

If you’ve just switched to the lifestyle and are still getting used to it, then it can be challenging. Most people become vegans because they want to live a more positive lifestyle and make better choices when it comes to the environment, animals and their health.

Differences between plant-based diets and veganism

Veganism is more than just a diet but is a devotion to a lifestyle that may include diets, ethics, and politics.

Vegans do not only eliminate animal-based products from their diets as plant-based dieters do, but also non-edible products from their lives, such as no fur, leather, wool, and also insect silk such as honey or wax.

Plant-based dieters only consume whole plant foods that are not processed and not just foods that are said to be vegan, for example, french fries are a vegan food yet not fit for plant-based dieters because they are not on their original form.

Plant-based diets deal exclusively on foods a dieter eats and not what he or she wears.

But for the vegan dieter, its so much more. This means absolutely no fur, leather, wool, silk or anything else that comes from animals. The same goes for pearls, feathers, ivory, shells and so on. There are brands that offer 100% vegan-friendly clothes, shoes, and accessories which you can get in the mall or even online. These are usually made from plant fiber like cotton, hemp, and bamboo.

Reasons Plant-Based and Vegan Diets are Trending

A whole plant-based diet is a diet where you eat the foods that come from the plant. In such a diet, animal-based foods are eliminated.

Consuming a diet of which consists of plant-based whole foods can offer you the best possible and natural way to shed some pounds.

They help you feel full

Struggling with the battles of classic restrictive diets may leave you deficient in some nutrients. Following a plant-based diet can become a great approach, if you are trying to lose weight. One of the major benefits of such diet is satiety. Plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and herbs have a high water and fiber content which may help you feel full for longer time.

Source of fewer calories

These food sources are generally lower in calories when compared to meat or animal products. One pound of vegetable can provide you 100 calories while a pound of cheese or meat can offer you more (2000-4000) calories. Therefore, by eating whole foods you will get fewer calories and you will feel full quicker. Both these benefits are helpful for weight loss.

Nutritional benefits

Another benefit of these food sources is to provide important nutrients to your body. Many such foods are densely packed with nutrients including vitamins and minerals important for overall health. Moreover, fats present in these foods are often in the form of “good” fats and fatty acids. While, on the other hand, animal-based foods can be sources of saturated fats which are less ideal to make even the best weight loss program successful.

Scientists have shown that animal-based products lead to inflammatory responses to our body and the inflammation is directly connected to cardiovascular disorders such as cancer, also GI problems, and others. It has also been determined most animal-based products are highly acidic which may lead to leaching of calcium from your bones.

The vegan diet adds value in weight loss where it can help reduce obesity rates and lower rates of lifestyle diseases that are caused by poor diet and excessive weight.

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