Following a vegan diet can be very healthy if you limit processed foods. This is why when creating the meals on the EvolveYou app, most of the meals are made from wholesome ingredients. Studies on vegan diets have shown that vegans have a lower mortality rate than others. A big reason for this is due to the fact that vegans and vegetarian meals tend to consist of more fruits, vegetables and antioxidants. A big component to eating healthy on a vegan diet is knowing where your nutrients are coming from as well as knowing what nutrients are not as prevalent in a vegan diet. This can be managed by consuming a variety of foods.

Here is an example of a day of eating vegan from the EvolveYou App.

Breakfast: Kale Smoothie
Ingredients:
Kale
Almond butter
Hemp seeds
Soy milk
Water
Frozen bananas
Method:

1) Add all of the ingredients to a blender except the hemp seeds and blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
2) Pour into an ice cold glass, top with the hemp seeds, stir and enjoy.

Lunch: Baked Tofu Sandwich

Ingredients:
Lettuce
Baked tofu
Whole Grain bread
Sundried tomatoes
Hummus Spread
Hemp Seeds

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 200'C, slice the tofu and place onto a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until crispy.
2) Take the bread sliced and spread the hummus equally on both slices.
3) Layer on the lettuce, sundried tomatoes and baked tofu, top with the hemp seeds, cut in two and serve.

Snack: Popcorn

Ingredients:
Popcorn kernels
Nutritional yeast
Walnuts
Olive oil

Method:
1) To a large pan over medium heat, pour in the olive oil and heat for 1-2 minutes.
2) Add in the popcorn kernels and cover the pot with a large lid for 60 seconds.
3)Once the kernels have popped, add to a bowl and top with the nutritional yeast and walnuts.

Post Workout: Vegan Protein Shake

Ingredients:
Vegan protein powder
Water
Rice cake
Almond butter

Method:
1) Take the rice cake and spread over the almond butter.
2) Add the protein powder to a shaker with 200mls of water, mix until well combined and serve with the rice cake.

Dinner: Guacamole Stuffed Sweet Potato

Ingredients:
Guacamole
Sweet potato
Baked beans
Tempeh

Method:
1) Bake sweet potato until soft at 40 approximately 30 minutes.
2) Once ready, cut the sweet potato open.
3) Stuff sweet potato with crumbled tempeh, guacamole and black beans.


The above meals show variety and include all food groups. This helps avoid any deficiencies you may encounter. Vegan diets can typically be abundant in fibre which helps with the health of your digestive tract. For this reason, many can experience a change in their health when following a vegan diet. Any diet, even a vegan diet, can be made unhealthy. The key to being healthy on a vegan diet is to ensure you are eating a variety of foods and always incorporate your fruits and vegetables. For example, Oreos are considered vegan but eating them everyday is not very good for your health. There are many other reasons people choose a vegan diet including sustainability and moral reasons. A vegan diet can be very healthy when executed correctly. Be sure to identify any nutrient deficiencies and choose a variety of foods to fit in your diet. Regardless of whether you are ready or not to commit to a vegan diet, choosing some vegan meals can be beneficial to your health as well!