A vegan diet aims to eliminate any type or form of animal products from the diet for health, ethical and environmental reasons.
The Vegan Society defines “Veganism as a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude as far as possible and is practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
The Vegan Diet consists of a plant based diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs, and spices while excluding any kind of animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Instead of consuming animal products, vegan diet offers substitutes to it, such as soya milk instead of dairy milk, tofu instead of paneer, and so on.
Vegan diet may result in deficiencies of micronutrients, especially vitamin B12. Therefore, incorporating appropriate plant foods in the right quantities is important, and one might require supplementation of vitamin B12 on a vegan diet. Check with your dietitian to get the right meal plan for you.
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