Benefits Of A Vegan Healthy Balanced Diet:

There are excellent health benefits for people who commit to vegan eating habits, with a plant based diet being one that more and more people are willing to try for a healthy balanced diet.

While no diet can guarantee that it will improve all health problems, a vegan diet can certainly get you started on the road to a healthier life. A lot of people who choose to try this eating plan are noticing that they have less allergy problems, and there have also been reports from people who have noted that this diet has seemed to decrease flare-ups of arthritis and heartburn.

Many health problems can be attributed to a diet which contains a lot of animal fat, but on a vegan diet, cholesterol counts can be expected to decrease with vegans generally having healthier and stronger hearts and better blood circulation. High blood pressure problems can also be improved by following a vegan diet.

Other benefits of a healthy diet which will be gained while following a vegan diet is a decrease in the risk of contracting cancers which is directly credited to the choice of food products that are used on this diet. A healthy balanced diet without animal fats can boost your natural immune system and thereby restore energy levels.

A healthy balanced diet is an intake of a variety of different foods to benefit your health and is important for your body to function properly and also for the prevention of diseases.

For a healthy balanced diet, you should eat very little processed foods which are laden with additives, salts and sugars, and instead, choose foods which are as natural as possible and contain nourishing vitamins and minerals.

Starchy foods - Starchy foods are needed because they contain carbohydrate which provides us with energy.

Examples of starchy foods for a healthy balanced diet are: wholemeal bread, potatoes, cereals, brown rice, brown pasta and couscous. Always try to eat wholemeal foods where you can as these foods help to protect us from heart disease and stroke. Some starchy foods contain protein, minerals, vitamins and fibre. Fibre is good for our bodies because it helps our digestive system and helps to prevent bowel disorders such as constipation.

Fruits and vegetables provide the body with vitamins, minerals, fibre and carbohydrates.

Various studies have shown that a high intake of fruit and vegetables result in a reduced risk of heart disease and some cancers and are vital for a healthy balanced diet.

Protein foods - Nuts, pulses, seeds, beans and soya products are all good sources of protein.

Protein is needed for the body to grow and for the repair of bodily tissues. Protein rich foods also contain minerals such as iron, magnesium and zinc which are all needed in a healthy balanced diet.

We need iron because it is an essential part of haemoglobin which forms red blood cells which carries oxygen around the body.

Zinc is needed for the body to make insulin - the hormone which regulates glucose blood levels - which eliminates harmful toxins and maintain a healthy immune system. Magnesium is required by every cell in the body. It helps to create good muscle tone and moves toxic material along.

Magnesium works with calcium to build bones. It also helps to prevent constipation, regulates the heart and converts food into energy.

Calcium rich foods - Calcium is the major mineral essential for healthy bones and teeth and builds the hard structure that makes bones and teeth strong.

It also helps muscle and nerve function and blood clotting. Calcium is so important that if we do not have enough of it in our bodies, it will be taken from the bones which can weaken them and cause osteoporosis.

Calcium can be found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, edible seaweeds, watercress, parsley, almonds, brazils, wholemeal bread, dried figs and tofu.

Fats - Saturated fats need to be minimised. These types of fats are generally solid at room temperature and are usually from animal sources. It is the white fat you see on red meat and underneath poultry skin. It is also found in lard, butter, hard margarine, cheese, whole milk and anything that contains these ingredients, such as chocolate, biscuits, pies, pastries and cakes.

Saturated fat is associated with increased blood cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease.

Unsaturated fats are known to actually reduce cholesterol levels:

Unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature and generally comes from vegetable sources. These are a healthier alternative to saturated fats and can be found in oils such as sesame, sunflower, soya and olive.

Sugar - Foods with a high sugar content in them need to be avoided as they will have very little nutritional content, are high in calories and add to tooth decay. Fruit contains natural sugars and are less likely to cause tooth decay as the natural sugar is contained within the structure of the fruit.

Salt - Salt contains sodium and too much sodium in your diet can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure which in turn increases the risk of stroke and heart disease. Try to limit your intake of salt to 6g per day.

Tips for Meals With A Healthy Balanced Diet:

Aim for at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day (combined that is - and not five portions of fruit and five portions of vegetables) and choose a variety of different colours. I get my fruit, vegetables and herbs delivered to me from an organic supplier. It saves me the trouble of having to carry everything home from the supermarket, plus they just taste so much better.

Add more vegetables and pulses to dishes such as stir fries, casseroles and stews.

Include colourful salads in your meals and snack on dried fruits and beans such as edamame beans (young soya beans).

One of the best ways to incorporate fruit and vegetables into the diet is to juice them. Juicing raw foods such as fruit and vegetables means you can benefit from the unique vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and enzymes that they provide. Shop bought fruit juice is no substitute for making your own fresh fruit and vegetable juices.

Remember that the vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables can be lost due to excess cooking. Some vitamins are water-soluble, others are lost when cooked at very high temperature such as by pressure steaming. And they may disappear altogether if food is kept warm for too long.

To maximise the goodness and taste of your fruit and veggies, cook them for a short a time as possible. Store and cook for a short a time as possible too and serve them up as late as you can.

Use the smallest amount of water you can when cooking, and try to steam rather than boil. When stir frying, use less oil than you think you need as this helps to seal in the vitamins and minerals.

Starchy foods:

Starchy foods should make up about a third of your total diet. Always use wholegrain and wholemeal foods where possible. Wholegrain rice is more nutritious when it is steamed or boiled rather than stir fried. Choose wholewheat pasta and wholegrain breads.

Other bread choices for a healthy balanced diet include sun-dried tomato and olive breads, wholemeal pitta breads, tortillas and bagels.

Potatoes and yams - Try to leave the skins on potatoes and yams as the skin contains fibre. If you do peel the skins then try not to peel them too deeply because you will lose some of the nutrients.

Baked and boiled potatoes and yams are the healthiest options. If you fry them, remember that the larger the pieces, the less fat they absorb, and they also absorb less fat if you fry them at a high enough temperature (155-225°C; 310-435°F).

If you make chips, remember that straight chips absorb less fat than crinkle-cut. Pre-blanch chips in a steamer, always drain well and change the oil regularly otherwise it will affect the flavour of the food cooked in it. For a healthier option than frying, cook chips by steaming, brushing with oil and oven baking.

When baking products, try to use wholemeal flour.

Protein foods:

Pulses (the edible seeds of legumes, such as lentils, peas and chickpeas), nuts and soya products are all good sources of protein.

Use seeds as salad toppings and add pulses to your salads and stews. These protein rich foods also make ideal snacks. Add tofu to your diet by having it scrambled for your breakfast or marinating it and having in a salad or served with fresh veggies.

Using fats:

Try to cut down on the amount of fat you use in recipes, especially saturated and trans fats and try to replace saturated fats with unsaturated. This is because, while saturated and trans fats may raise the level of cholesterol in the blood, unsaturated fat actually lowers it.

Replace saturated fats with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats and oils where you can.

For thickening curries, use pureed potatoes or wholewheat flour mixed into a paste with some cold water. Replace creamed coconut with coconut milk for those creamier recipes. Grill, steam, stir fry or bake rather than frying with added fat and when you do fry, use the healthy fats.

For salad dressings, use 3 parts lemon juice or wine vinegar to 1 part olive oil.

Salt:

A high intake of salt can lead to high blood pressure which increases the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Reduce your salt intake by replacing it with alternative flavours such as herbs and spices, lemons and limes, vinegars and tomato pastes.

Sugar

Sugar supplies energy but no nutrients, so try to limit your intake and instead, use fruit juices, dried fruit or lower sugar alternatives.

Achieving a healthy balanced diet really isn't rocket science. We just need to eat a variety of healthy whole foods and cut down or eliminate over processed foods. Cooking from scratch may seem time consuming but think of all the time and effort you will have to put in to get your health back on track. The benefits of a healthy diet speak for themselves!!

I would rather spend a bit more money buying good quality foods than buy loads of clothes that I'd probably never wear anyway.

If you use the vegan food pyramid as a guide to how many portions of these foods you should be eating a day, not only will you benefit your health, the brilliant side effect will probably mean you feel less hungry too.

And remember it isn't just vegans who think a vegan diet is absolutely fine. A vegan diet is endorsed by the World Health Organisation, the American Medical Association, the British Medical Association, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association.

Start a healthy balanced diet as soon as you can and you will feel better, look better and the ageing process shouldn't be as difficult as your body would have benefited from nutritious foods which have provided you with all the good stuff!

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