Vegans choose to follow a vegan diet that avoids eating all animal products for a combination of reasons, which typically include aiming for better health, increased weight loss, protection against chronic disease, or environmental and ethical concerns.
In contrast, the average American eats more than 220 pounds of meat and poultry each year. In addition, the average adult living in the U.S. also consumes well over 600 pounds of milk, cheese and other dairy products annually.
Following a vegan diet is one way to avoid the issues that can arise from conventional meat and dairy.
Wondering what to eat on a vegan diet, if a vegan diet healthy and what the benefits are? Keep reading this comprehensive guide to the vegan diet for beginners for everything you need to know.
What is a vegan diet?
Vegans are vegetarians that take things one step further, avoiding all animal products — including eggs, dairy and honey — in their diets.
Many vegans make a commitment to eat more plant foods, especially fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. In addition to eating no animal products, most also work on limiting ultra-processed foods, such as refined carbs, sugar-sweetened beverages and convenience meals.
There are several variations and definitions when talking about vegetarianism. Here are the most common:
- Vegan: Abstains from all animal products, including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy and honey.
- Vegetarian: Follows a plant-based diet, which may includes eggs and/or dairy.
- Raw vegan: Consists of raw foods (usually all vegan) that have not been heated over 46º C or 115º F. When you decide to go on a raw vegan diet, you’re only allowed to eat limited foods, which can make it hard to stick with long term.
The green Mediterranean diet is typically a vegan diet as well, while a pescatarian diet involves following an eating pattern rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, beans, eggs, dairy and fish but excludes meat and poultry — not quite vegan or vegetarian but a meatless-diet.
If you aren’t ready to go vegan or vegetarian full time, you can try diets such as the pegan diet and climatarian diet as well. While these diets are not vegan, they do encourage reducing consumption of meat and animal products while eating a vegan diet some of the time.
Common foods
Fruits and vegetables are generally considered staple ingredients in a typical vegan meal.
A healthy vegan breakfast, for instance, might consist of oatmeal, fruit, nuts, coconut milk and seeds. For lunch, it might be rice and beans with a salad.
Throughout the day, vegans might snack on nuts, raw veggies and hummus, and more fruit. For dinner, foods like tofu, beans, grains or sweet potatoes are common.
Depending on the exact type of plant-based diet someone follows, some of the ingredients on a vegan diet list may include:
- Fruits: apples, oranges, pears, pineapples, bananas, peaches
- Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, squash, potatoes, zucchini, eggplant
- Nuts and nut butters: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios
- Seeds: chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds
- Protein foods: tofu, tempeh, natto, nutritional yeast
- Legumes: beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas
- Whole grains: oats, barley, buckwheat, quinoa, couscous
- Healthy fats: olives, avocados, unrefined vegetable oils
- Plant-based milks: almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk
- Herbs and spices: black pepper, cumin, turmeric, ginger, garlic powder
Note that if you’re a raw vegan, some of these foods are further limited. Foods that are allowed in limited quantities on a raw vegan diet include those that have not been heated over 115º F.
Foods to avoid
Vegans avoid meat, fish, eggs and dairy. They also do not consume honey or any products made with any sort of animal-derived ingredients, like gelatin.
Despite excluding meat, dairy, eggs and fish, not all vegan diets are identical — as you can avoid animal foods and still consume many unhealthy ingredients like white bread, refined oils and lots of sugar. However, a healthy vegan diet should be composed largely of unprocessed whole foods.
Foods that are restricted on a vegan diet include:
- Meat: beef, pork bison, lamb
- Poultry: chicken, turkey, duck, goose
- Seafood: tuna, salmon, anchovies, mackerel
- Dairy products: milk, yogurt, cheese, butter
- Eggs
- Honey
- Animal-based ingredients: lard, gelatin, casein, carmine
Health benefits
1. Can help with weight loss
Many people switch to a vegan diet plan for weight loss. This is because switching up your diet to include more plant-based foods and fewer processed foods can be an effective strategy to decrease caloric intake.
In fact, cross-sectional studies of vegetarians and vegans have shown that vegans, in particular, tend to have lower body weights.
Not only are plant-based foods generally lower in calories to support vegan weight loss, but they are also typically loaded with fiber. Fiber is a nutrient that moves through the body slowly undigested, keeping you feeling full to help quickly ramp up weight loss.
2. Improved gut health
The “good bacteria” that make up someone’s healthy microbiome need fiber from plant foods, along with probiotics, to flourish. Consuming a plant-based diet can make it easier to get enough prebiotics and probiotics to maintain a healthy gut environment.
Studies have revealed the roles that microbes in the gut play in numerous aspects of health, from burning calories to keeping us mentally sharp.
A 2014 report published in the journal Nutrients states that the gut profile of vegans seemingly is unique because it has fewer pathobionts that can cause issues and greater number of gut-protective species. The vegan gut profile also appears to have lower levels of inflammation, “linking the vegan gut microbiota with protective health effects.”
What’s more, a 2019 study found improvements in gut health from following even a short-term vegan diet. According to Diabetologia, the study found that the vegan diet plan improved gut microbes related to several markers of health, including body composition and blood sugar control.
3. Higher intake of antioxidants and enzymes
A healthy vegan diet often contains a variety of fruits and vegetables, often in raw form. This can provide many protective antioxidants and enzymes that fight free radical damage to protect against disease.
Studies show that antioxidants can reduce inflammation and aid in the prevention of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Antioxidants may also alleviate symptoms of autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel syndrome and lupus.
4. Protection against metabolic syndrome
When done the right way, a healthy vegan diet plan can help keep you protected from metabolic syndrome risk factors, including high blood pressure, diabetes and insulin resistance.
However, it’s important to note that not every vegan diet will have this benefit. The quality of carbs in someone’s diet and overall nutrient intake are strong determining factors.
Consuming more whole foods and minimally processed ingredients as part of a vegan diet can help lower inflammation, balance hormone levels and promote better blood sugar control. This could protect against metabolism syndrome and may decrease the risk of conditions like heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
5. Less impact on the environment
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture, forestry and other land use accounts for a large portion of global greenhouse gas emissions each year, mostly due to the cultivation of crops and livestock along with deforestation, a term that refers to clearing forests to have more land for livestock to live.
This does not even include the carbon dioxide that ecosystems remove from the atmosphere each year in other ways related to the livestock industry, such as through processing and transporting of animal products, or from the impact that deforestation has on dead organic matter and soils.
Neither does it reflect the serious issues of toxic waste runoff from factory farms, causing chemicals and pollution to make their way into the water supply. Moreover, concerns like hormones and antibiotics used in the livestock and dairy industries can impact the ecosystem as well.
There are multiple environmental benefits to consuming fewer factory-farmed animal products and purchasing more sustainable products instead. For some people, they’re motivated enough to cut out animal products from their diets all together for these reasons, and a vegan diet is definitely a more sustainable diet plan for the environment.
6. Helps keep blood sugar in check
A vegan diet helps keep blood sugar in check by promoting better insulin sensitivity and glycemic control. Plant-based diets are typically high in fiber and low in saturated fats, which can improve insulin function and reduce blood sugar spikes.
A study comparing vegan and omnivore diets in twins found that participants following a vegan diet had about a 20% decrease in fasting insulin levels after just eight weeks.
7. Supports heart health
Vegan diets support heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol levels and reducing cardiovascular risk factors. Research has shown that following a vegan diet for just eight weeks can significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels compared to an omnivore diet.
A Stanford University study found that participants on a vegan diet had LDL cholesterol levels that were an average of 13.9 points lower than those on an omnivore diet.
8. May help lower cancer risk
Observational research has revealed that a vegan diet may be able to reduce the risk of cancer by up to 15 percent.
While more research is needed to understand this relation further, plant-based diets may help lower cancer risk due to their high content of antioxidants, fiber and phytochemicals. These components have been associated with reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, which are linked to cancer development.
9. Can help ease arthritis symptoms
A vegan diet can help ease arthritis symptoms by reducing inflammation in the body. Plant-based diets are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which may help alleviate joint pain and stiffness associated with arthritis.
10. Protects kidney function
A vegan diet may protect kidney function by reducing the intake of animal proteins and saturated fats, which can be taxing on the kidneys. Plant-based diets are typically lower in protein and higher in beneficial compounds that support kidney health.
11. May help protect against Alzheimer’s
Some evidence has suggested that a vegan diet may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Plant-based diets are rich in antioxidants and nutrients that support brain health, potentially reducing the risk of cognitive decline.
12. Helps combat inflammation
Vegan diets help combat inflammation through their high content of anti-inflammatory compounds found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. A study comparing vegan and omnivore diets found that participants following a vegan diet had lower levels of inflammatory markers.
Plan guidelines
Following a balanced vegan diet doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are a few simple steps that you should focus on, which are the cornerstones of health no matter what your preferences are:
- Increase your consumption of whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
- Eat fewer junk and high-calorie, low-nutrition foods. In other words, cut the majority of ultra-processed, packaged foods (even vegan kinds) from your diet.
- Vary the types of plant-based protein foods in your diet if you do eat animal foods. With industrial production of meat and hyper-processed foods, the opportunities to eat non-plant foods have become overwhelming. This makes overeating meat, cheese and animal fats easier than ever before, so try to consciously include more plant-based proteins (like legumes) into your diet regularly.
- Practice mindful eating by practicing portion control, eating the amount your body truly needs to stay energized and avoiding eating for comfort reasons. Mindful eating can help you make sure you don’t consistently overeat, whether it’s vegan food or not.
- Experiment with new vegan recipes to enhance the quality and diversity of your diet by incorporating new ingredients into your meal plan. Check out these easy vegan diet recipes to get started.
Risks
When carefully planned and executed, a vegan diet can be healthy for most people. However, it’s not always a good idea for everyone.
Studies have shown that vegans might be at a higher risk of some nutritional deficiencies and malnutrition, especially those consuming processed diets or struggling with other health conditions that may interfere with normal nutrient absorption.
In particular, vegans need to monitor intake of protein, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, vitamin D, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids carefully, as well as be careful not to overconsume processed vegan diet foods, such as textured vegetable protein. Taking a multivitamin may be a good option to help round out your diet and protect against nutritional deficiencies.
Keep in mind that certain foods like legumes or grains may also contain compounds called antinutrients, which can bind to minerals in the body and block their absorption. Soaking, sprouting and cooking grains and legumes can help reduce the content of antinutrients to maximize nutrient absorption.
Finally, it’s also important to note that not all vegan diet foods are healthy. In fact, many junk foods are technically considered “vegan” but are pumped full of added sugar, preservatives, artificial flavors and trans fats, all of which should be avoided on a healthy diet, vegan or not.
Precautions
At the end of the day, all of us are different. It’s important to pay attention to how your diet affects you and make changes based on what works best for you and your body.
Despite the many potential vegan diet benefits, it may not be a good fit for everyone, as it requires careful planning and preparation to ensure that you are meeting your nutritional needs. Supplementation may also be necessary to prevent nutritional deficiencies, as certain vitamins and minerals are found primarily in meat and animal-derived ingredients.
Some variations of other popular eating plans may also be more difficult to follow when combined with a vegan diet. For example, a vegan bodybuilding diet may require modifications to meet nutritional needs and promote muscle growth.
Similarly, a vegan keto diet can be more challenging, as many high-fat foods are not vegan-friendly.
Symptoms like low energy levels, weakness, hair loss and fatigue may all be associated with nutritional deficiencies. If you experience these or any other side effects after switching to a vegan diet, consult with a doctor or registered dietitian to verify that your nutritional needs are being met.
Frequently asked questions
Can I only eat raw food as a vegan?
No, you don’t have to eat only raw food as a vegan. A vegan diet can include both raw and cooked foods.
While some people follow a raw vegan diet, which emphasizes unprocessed, uncooked plant-based foods, others enjoy a mix of cooked meals like soups, grains and baked dishes, which are also vegan-friendly.
Many nutrients are more available after cooking, so including both raw and cooked foods may support a balanced diet.
What foods are included in the vegan diet? What are the key foods in a vegan diet?
A vegan diet includes plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and plant-based alternatives to dairy and meat. Key foods in a vegan diet often include:
- Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas) for protein and fiber
- Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats) for complex carbs and nutrients
- Nuts and seeds (chia, flax, walnuts) for healthy fats and protein
- Fruits and vegetables for vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
- Leafy greens for calcium and iron
- Plant-based milk (almond, soy, oat) for calcium and vitamin D
What are the five most important rules of a vegan diet?
- Eat a variety of foods to ensure balanced nutrient intake.
- Focus on whole foods over processed vegan foods for better nutrition.
- Get enough protein by incorporating a range of legumes, grains and nuts.
- Ensure sources of vitamin B12. (Supplements are typically needed.)
- Balance omega-3 and omega-6 intake by including foods like flaxseeds and walnuts.
Is veganism a healthy diet?
Yes, veganism can be very healthy if well-planned. A balanced vegan diet can provide all essential nutrients, help lower cholesterol levels, and possibly reduce risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
However, key nutrients like vitamin B12, iron and omega-3s need special attention, often through fortified foods or supplements, to avoid deficiencies.
Will switching to a vegan diet help me lose weight?
Many people do lose weight on a vegan diet because plant-based foods tend to be lower in calories and higher in fiber than animal products, helping with satiety. However, weight loss depends on the quality of foods chosen and portion sizes, so eating mostly whole foods and avoiding highly processed vegan junk foods will be most effective.
What is the best milk substitute?
Milk alternatives such as soy, almond, oat and coconut milk are popular, though they may vary in protein and nutrient content. Fortified plant-based milks can provide vitamin D, calcium and B12, making them useful choices for a vegan diet.
Is eating a lot of soy bad for you?
Moderate soy intake, such as one to two servings per day, is generally safe and provides beneficial nutrients like protein, fiber and phytoestrogens, which may support heart health and hormone balance. Research does not support concerns about hormonal effects from typical soy intake.
However, if you have thyroid issues or consume large amounts of soy, you may want to monitor your intake and consult with a healthcare provider.
How can I replace eggs in recipes?
Some of the best vegan egg substitutes include:
- Flaxseed meal or chia seeds: Mix 1 tablespoon of ground seeds with 3 tablespoons of water for each egg.
- Applesauce or mashed banana: Use 1/4 cup as a substitute in baked goods.
- Silken tofu: Use 1/4 cup to replace eggs in recipes like scrambles or quiches.
- Aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas): 3 tablespoons can replace one egg in recipes requiring beaten eggs.
How can I make sure I get enough protein?
Include a variety of protein-rich plant foods, such as lentils, chickpeas, beans, quinoa, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts and seeds. Combining different plant proteins throughout the day (e.g., beans and rice) ensures all essential amino acids are met.
How can I make sure I get enough calcium?
Include calcium-rich foods like fortified plant milks, tofu, almonds, chia seeds and leafy greens (e.g., kale, bok choy). Calcium-fortified foods and supplements can also help meet recommended intake.
Should I take a vitamin B12 supplement?
Yes, most vegans should take a vitamin B12 supplement, as this nutrient is primarily found in animal products and is essential for nerve function and blood health. Fortified foods can help, but a supplement is often recommended to meet daily requirements.
Final thoughts
- What is a vegan diet? A vegan diet is one that excludes all animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy and honey.
- Benefits of a vegan diet can include improved weight management and heart health, reduced risk for metabolic syndrome, high antioxidant intake, and improved gut health.
- On the other hand, vegan diets may be linked to an increased risk of nutritional deficiencies. Many plant-based foods also contain antinutrients, which can interfere with micronutrient absorption.
- Make sure to listen to your body and follow a balanced, well-rounded diet with mostly whole, unprocessed foods, no matter if you decide to follow a vegan diet or not.
