This is a Sponsored guest post by Michelle Hannan

Veganism is a practice in which one just does not eat or consume any animal related product. It has been introduced to our society since forever, but recently people are turning into this practice for the sake of animal rights mostly.

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Being a vegan can make people go WAO and make them ask so many questions, one is the most famous one, how do you live with such limited options? Well, there is so much more on a vegan food diet plan than a carrot or a potato. Veganism is now spreading, but people are still scared of this question I talked about previously. It is time for people to know that, what options are there when they are on a vegan diet.

You may be a vegan for any reason, ethical, religious, environmental or health. Here is your ultimate guide to a vegan diet.

LIST OF FOOD YOU CAN HAVE
There is a variety of food you can consume, and with a little creativity, you can make a new dish to yourself for almost after every other day.

• LEGUMES
Peas, lentils, and beans are a fantastic source of nutrients. Some beans give you the same nutrients as of beef.

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• NUTS
Nuts are an excellent source of selenium, fiber, zinc, magnesium, iron and vitamin E. It helps you keep your skin glow and hair grow.

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• TOFU, TEMPEH, AND SEITAN
When on a vegan diet, people may lack in protein intake, but if tofu, tempeh, and seitan is included in your meal, you have nothing to worry about. Take a look at this vegan protein sources chart!

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• SEEDS
We often find ourselves gulping these omega three fatty acids our doctors recommend while being unaware we can have them through chia, flaxseeds, and hemp.

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• SPROUTED AND FERMENTED PLANT FOODS
Sprout and ferment plant foods helps us in the absorption of minerals. Tempeh, natto, sauerkraut, pickles, Ezekiel bread, and kombucha contain vitamin K2 and probiotics are a good example.

• WHOLE GRAINS AND CEREALS
Complex carbs, fiber, iron, B-vitamins and several minerals can be obtained from whole grains and cereals.

• ALGAE
Algae are the excellent source of iodine while Spirulina and chlorella can provide you with your protein requirement.

• CALCIUM-FORTIFIED PLANT MILK AND YOGURTS
For fulfilling your dairy needs, vegan goes for calcium-fortified plant milk and yogurts. It also helps with obtaining vitamin B12 and D.

• FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
This food type is common for anyone who does or doesn’t believe in veganism. A variety of vegetables and fruits makes us healthy and our meals delicious.

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HEALTH BENEFITS
There are several health benefits for all the vegans out there. Some are listed below.
• Morning stiffness, pain, and joint swelling are very common among this generation. The main reason for such conditions are our lack of vegan addition in our diet. Veganism reduces the symptoms of arthritis.
• In the recent past, if anyone would have mentioned Alzheimer to you, you would not have known what disease is it. But with the grown awareness we understand what it is, and now we know the preventions too. Veganism can help reduce the risk of developing this disease in you.
• Cancer is a deadly disease, if caught in early stages there is a chance you can get cured but if found in the final stages than there is no mercy for you. Vegans have a 15% less chance of cancer diagnoses than the rest of the world.
• People who have diabetes and they use milk plant instead of meat reduces their risk of poor kidney function.
• Studies show that vegans have a 75% less chance of developing high blood pressure problems and 42% less chance of dying with the cause of heart disease.
• Vegan diets have proven to lower the rate of blood sugar in many patients and not just that, cholesterol levels can be decreased through this diet plan too.
• Reducing high blood pressure, blood sugar level and cholesterol, reduces the chance of heart attacks up to 46%.

SUPPLEMENT
People may argue that being just on the food mentioned above can deprive you of many nutrients that you must have, but there are alternatives for everything. There are many forms in which protein can be consumed. Being a vegan doesn’t mean everything you eat is boring. It’s just that a lot of the everyday food items that people eat, they can’t due to being a vegan. Many people forget about the idea of protein powders being a good supplement to being able to consume your daily protein intake. If this is something you want to explore, you could look into something like a Guide to the best vegan protein powders so you can become more knowledgeable into how this may be a way of you getting the right nutrition.

Many vegans suffer from malnutrition for not having the required intake of protein and other nutrition you get from meaty stuff. In such case, there are a few supplements you can try to overcome the deficiency.
• Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 in cyanocobalamin form is the most studied and taken by people lacking in vitamin B12. Supplementation of this vitamin typically takes the form of b12 injections. B12 supplements can also be used to boost the energy levels of people on calorie-restrictive diets such as the HCG diet for instance.
• Vitamin D: Deficiency of vitamin D is very common in these cold areas. Go for D2 or vegan D3 to meet your needs.
• EPA and DHA: Algae oil is the best source for EPA and DHA.
• Iron: Use iron supplements only when you are documented to be deficient. Unnecessary intake can prevent nutrients from absorption.
• Iodine: The best way to meet this deficiency is to add ½ teaspoon salt in your diet.
• Calcium: When taking iron or zinc supplements, avoid taking calcium as it reduces the absorption. Take 500mg or less calcium for best absorption.
• Zinc: There are a number of great zinc supplements that can be taken, but never at the same time as calcium supplements.

Gone are the days when vegans could limit themselves to few things! Now, with the variety of food to be eaten, there are so many eateries that just serve vegan food. India is one of those places where their maximum citizens are vegan. Most of the restaurants abroad that sell vegan food are Indian. With proper knowledge and adequate intake, you can live a healthier life with a vegan diet than any other.

Author bio:
Michelle Hannan is a nutritionist, and she’s on a mission to give you all the information you need to lose weight successfully. She also blogs regularly at hcgdietinfo