Veganuary Guide

#Veganuary is gaining popularity!

If you haven’t joined in yet, don’t worry – there’s still time to discover the steps you can take to embrace a plant-based lifestyle.

Exploring a vegan lifestyle can seem like a lot, but fear not! We’ve got you covered with exclusive insights from vegan Biogen ambassador, Erin Katherine, and her Ultimate Veganuary Guide for Plant-Based Living.

Whether you’re figuring out your plant-based menu, sidestepping common pitfalls, discovering savvy dining-out strategies, or maintaining your well-being, we’ve got the inside scoop for you.

Contents

  1. Steps to Veganuary & What to Eat
  2. Mistakes to Avoid
  3. Eating Out & Staying Healthy
  4. Essential Nutrients & Supplementation
  5. Example Day of Eating
  6. Final Tips

1 – Steps to Veganuary & What to Eat

Navigating Your Vegan Journey

Embarking on Veganuary is exciting and, at times, challenging. Let’s break down some key tips to getting started:

Shift your focus: Instead of dwelling on restrictions, get excited about the abundance of plant-based options.
Make a list: Identify your favourite dishes, even the non-vegan ones.
Veganise your favourites: Explore ways to make your beloved dishes vegan-friendly.
Open your mind: Embrace new flavours and textures; it’s a journey of culinary discovery.
Follow vegan foodies: Draw inspiration from the vibrant world of vegan recipes and ideas shared online and on social media.
Try new things: Venture into uncharted culinary territory and don’t be afraid to experiment.
Have a buddy: Share the experience with a friend or partner for added motivation and support.

Vegan Staples You Can Enjoy

Wondering what you can eat on a vegan diet? Erin’s list of vegan staples will inspire your plant-based journey:

Bread & pizza bases Almost all basic cereals (read the labels) Jams
Wraps, rotis, parathas Rice cakes Hummus
Grains Checkers Crackers Instant coffee & tea
Specific brands of cookies & rusks Peanut butter and nut butters Woolworths Vegan Hot Chocolate
Various packet sauces & soups Margarine (Sunflower, D’lite, Stork, Flora Vegan) Nestle Vegan Cappuccino

2 – Mistakes to Avoid

Veganuary Guide to Embracing Imperfection

In the world of Veganuary, there’s no need to fear mistakes; they’re part of the learning process. Erin’s advice:

DO:

Embrace whole-foods: Prioritise whole foods for their nutritional richness.
Cook your meals: Enjoy the process of creating your own delicious, plant-based meals.
Plan ahead: Minimise poor food choices by planning your meals and shopping in advance.
Eat enough: Avoid the misconception of eating less for weight loss; nourish your body adequately.
Be persistent: Give new tastes and dishes more than one chance before making a final judgement.

DON’T:

Try to eat less for weight loss: A wonderful side effect of a whole food vegan diet is weight loss, but eating less may leave you hungry, tired, and more likely to binge.
Give up after a week: The first week is the hardest and it’s not enough time to start feeling the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Be scared of volume: Eating whole foods may require more volume, but it’s essential for optimal nutrition.

Veganuary Guide

3 – Eating Out & Staying Healthy

Savouring Every Bite

Dining out as a vegan doesn’t mean compromising on flavour. Here are some tips to enhance your dining experience:

Confidence is key: Stand proud in your choice and confidently make decisions that align with your values.
Read between the lines: Explore non-vegan menu items that you can modify to suit your preferences.
Sides menu magic: Craft a satisfying meal from the sides menu for a delightful dining experience.
Plan and prepare: Search menus in advance or call the restaurant to ensure vegan-friendly options.
Choose vegan restaurants: Take charge of choosing restaurants that cater to vegan preferences.
Choose inclusive cuisines: Opt for cuisines with inherent vegan and vegetarian options for diverse and flavourful choices.
Home nutrition: Maintain a healthy balance by prioritising nutrition at home, allowing occasional indulgences when dining out.

4- Essential Nutrients & Supplementation

Nutritional Concerns

Worried about essential nutrients on a vegan diet? Let’s address the three common concerns:

Contrary to common misconceptions, you don’t need to stress about protein on a plant-based diet. With proper planning and a diverse selection of foods, it’s entirely possible to meet your protein requirements and thrive on a vegan lifestyle.

To help meet your protein needs on a vegan diet, include a mix of plant-based sources such as beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and protein-rich veggies. Add legumes and whole grains to meals, snack on nuts and seeds, and, if needed, consider fortified foods or Biogen Plant Based Protein.

Protein, like all nutrients, is most effectively absorbed in its whole food form. If you follow a whole food plant-based diet, incorporating a protein supplement is generally unnecessary, even for athletes.

However, in certain situations, such as for individuals with high activity levels or those who are always on the go, opting for a protein supplement derived from whole food sources, like pea, brown rice, or soy, can offer a convenient and viable choice to ensure you meet your nutritional needs.

Turning to another prevalent consideration, calcium is a common concern for those adopting a whole food plant-based diet. It’s important to note that you can obtain sufficient calcium without the need for supplementation by incorporating certain plant foods into your diet.

Good sources of calcium include leafy green vegetables like kale and collard greens, fortified plant milks, tofu, and almonds. By including these foods in your meals, you can support your calcium needs and maintain a well-rounded, plant-based diet.

What Should I Supplement?

For overall health, Erin recommends Vitamin B12 supplementation, crucial for both vegans and meat eaters due to widespread deficiency caused by depleted soil and farming practices. Reliable sources like factory-farmed meat and store-bought vegetables may lack sufficient B12.Solutions include growing your own produce, consuming fortified foods, or taking B12 supplements.

Erin recommends opting for a daily (10 micrograms) or weekly (2000 micrograms) supplement, as research suggests smaller doses may suffice. Monthly injections are an alternative. B12 supplements are affordable and easily accessible. A well-balanced whole food plant-based diet provides all essential nutrients, including iron, vitamin A, and B vitamins, for optimal health.

5 – Example Day of Eating – Erin’s Culinary Inspiration

A Glimpse into Erin’s Daily Vegan Diet

Curious about a day in the life of a seasoned vegan? Here’s an example of what Erin enjoys in a day:

  • Breakfast: Fresh fruit, vegan soy yoghurt, homemade granola, almond milk, and a mix of nuts and seeds.
  • Snack: A small salad and hummus whole wheat wrap with Fry’s vegan chicken strips.
  • Lunch: Roast potatoes, pumpkin, green beans, lentils, vegan gravy, carrots, and homemade sprouts.
  • Dinner: Vegan chilli, chutney and banana, broccoli and avocado on a bed of baby spinach.
Veganuary Guide

6 – Final Tips

Taking Action

Move Your Body: Incorporate physical activity into your routine.Stay Hydrated: Aim for at least 3 litres of water daily.

Eat the Rainbow: Embrace variety by consuming a diverse range of plant foods.

Fibre Focus: Prioritise high-fibre options for optimal digestive health.

Conclusion

These guidelines will help prepare you to start a rewarding Veganuary journey! View it as a chance to explore a realm of tasty, cruelty-free choices that positively impact your health, animals, and the environment.

As a newcomer, understand that transitioning to a fully plant-based lifestyle doesn’t have to happen overnight. Begin by incorporating more whole plant-based foods and reducing heavily processed items – it’s a fantastic starting point. It’s not an all-or-nothing situation, and every small change you make contributes to a positive difference.