Whether for personal health or for harmony with all living creatures, the benefits of a vegan diet are starting to sweep across the world. When done right, a plant-powered diet can bring a ton of health and wellbeing benefits including; cutting down your waistline, improving your blood sugar, reducing the risk of heart disease, and of course – giving you scores more energy to play with. It’s super important that newbies learn how to start a vegan diet right in order to find better ways into balance and to ensure they are filling up with alternatives that can fall under the header of missing nutrients of a vegan diet. These top tips will help you to embrace your plant-based party without the risk…

Load Up on Fresh Veg

The number one rule of any diet in the modern world seems to be; ensure your daily intake is all centered around the star of the show – the vegetable. For a healthy diet, we are supposed to have at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day and for vegans its extra important to embrace all that veg. Vegetables are an essential source of your daily intake because they are loaded with vitamins and minerals, they are high in fiber, and they keep your calorie count ticking.

Seek Alternative Sources of Calcium

Calcium is the food source that is good for your bones and builds strong teeth, it is often found in dairy. As a vegan diet cuts out all dairy, its time to shop around and find a different source. Fortunately, there are tons of amazing tasting foods that are coated in calcium. Tahini, collard greens, kale, broccoli, almonds – all these foods are full of calcium and will contribute to strong bones and teeth without compromising your compassion.

Drum Up Extra Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a must for any healthy balanced diet to bring out the best in you. While fish and fortified dairy seem to be where non-vegans get their kicks, for vegans its time to turn to the fresh orange juice and dairy substitutes like almond milk. In the summer months, being vegan is a great excuse to get outside more as the sunlight is sure to rain down those much-needed vitamin D rich rays for your skin to soak right up.

Hurrah for Whole Grains

If you want to load up on extra iron and Vitamin D its time to cut out the white bread, rice and pasta and make way for whole grains. Whole grain pasta, bread and rice bring a bounty of benefits to your vegan diet, ensuring that you feel fuller faster and that the fiber you are putting in your body is helping every nook and cranny.

Say Oh Yeah to Omega-3

Omega 3’s are your hearts favorite friend and are most often found in fish. As a vegan diet steers clear of all animal products, salmon is sure to be off the menu. Instead, look for vegan-friendly foods that are enriched with omega’3’s. Often found in walnuts, flaxseed, soy-based foods like tofu, and rapeseed oil, it’s a good idea to weave these into your diet plan so you get the benefits of a strong beating heart.

Steer Clear of Processed

Jut because its vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy – the vegan market is saturated with junk food too. Processed foods in the vegan world can contain gluts of margarine and palm oil and other such saturated fats. Of course, it's fine to binge out on some vegan junk food once in a while but you should still treat it as such – junk food. It’s worth considering swapping out margarine for olive oil and seeking alternative snacks that make use of healthy wholesome ingredients.

Are you a new vegan or an old hand? What tips or challenges do you have to share when it comes to answering the question of how to start a vegan diet?