The Vegan Diet

The vegan diet often confused with the Vegetarian diet but both of them quite different from each other. Turning a vegan has to do more with animal rights , environmental issues rather than the health prospect. Being vegan is more of a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than a diet. A vegan does not eat anything that is of animal origin. Vegans will not use animal based products for clothing, or any other purpose.

This diet comprises of food that completely of plant origin, it does not include eggs, diary or even honey. The advantages of vegan are more likely to have a positive effect over animals and environment. While the health benefits include reducing the  risk of developing cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, and a number of other illnesses and conditions. Studies have also revealed that vegan diet can reduce the incidence of Prostate cancer and other urological conditions might even be reversed to an extent. Since these diets are low in saturated fat they also minimize or completely eliminate the genetic propensity of people to type 2 Diabetes and cardio-vascular disease.

Some difficulties faced during vegan diet, Vitamin B12 is one nutrient whose source are mostly and only of animal origin, vegan are prone to B12 deficiency, manifesting as loss of appetite and loss of weight. To some extent even iron deficiency can be seen in vegan as animal food contains non-haeme iron which is not easily absorbable while the animal foods have haeme iron which is easily absorbed. Adding other sources of proteins like lentils, soybeans and quinoa, to balance the need of protein is very essential. Reading the food labels is must for all the vegans!

It is a diet followed for spiritual calmness and as a step towards a peace loving world, while maintaining a health!!

-- Koya Satyasri