Even though there are a lot of low-carb diets out there, all claiming that they are the best way to lose weight, the truth is that they can do more harm than good in the long run. In fact, according to Medical News Today, researchers have discovered that following a low-carb diet comes with serious risks. They concluded that not getting enough carbohydrates into your diet is linked to an increased risk of dying prematurely. Yikes!
Your Body Needs Carbs!
Here’s the thing: your body needs carbs. They are a necessary part of your diet because they provide your body with the energy that it needs to thrive. Drastically limiting or eliminating carbs, therefore, is a bad idea.
The key is to focus on getting the right kinds of carbohydrates into your diet. Carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, etc. are definitely an integral component to a healthy, wholesome, and complete diet that will give your body the variety of nutrients that it needs. These foods contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and fiber. So, if you aren’t eating carbs, you are missing out on a lot!
To illustrate what we mean, here are some of the high-carb foods that are definitely worth incorporating into your diet because they provide a host of benefits:
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Blueberries
- Sweet potatoes
- Oranges
- Apples
- Grapefruit
- Bananas
- Beets
- Buckwheat
- Kidney beans
- Chickpeas
As you can see, a lot of the foods that contain beneficial carbs are those that are found in the vegan diet. So, by following the vegan diet, you can get the carbs that you need. But, because those same foods are low in calories and fat, you can enjoy your carbs and lose weight at the same time, especially if you are leading an active lifestyle, controlling your portions, and avoiding unhealthy, processed, and artificial foods.
Plus, because these foods are also high in fiber, they will fill you up sooner and keep you feeling full for longer, making it easier to control your calorie intake to lose weight!
Transition Slowly If You Think It Can Increase Your Odds of Success
This is a very drastic change to the way in which you eat, and therefore you want to be sure that you take it on slowly and be ready to invest in your new lifestyle. You are going to cut out a lot of foods, but the positive impact is going to be felt and well worth it. Plus, even though you will be cutting out certain foods from your diet completely (namely, any products that come from animals, like meat, dairy, and eggs), you will now have the opportunity to incorporate new foods into your daily meal plans, and those foods will be tasty, versatile, and nutritious.
Vegans don’t often change their way of eating solely for weight loss, but they may enjoy this as a result of their new eating plan. So if you are trying to lose weight or simply want to try out a vegan diet, it can be helpful to know exactly how it works and therefore get the best results.
What you must recognize if you are trying to lose weight on a vegan diet is that you aren’t just cutting out meat alone, and many people don’t realize that. Sure, you are going to cut out meat, but that doesn’t mean you are eating junk food, either. You are also cutting out any foods that have animal byproducts in them, and that covers a lot.
A true vegan is not going to eat dairy products, including eggs. They are not going to eat most processed foods, which are bad for them and offer ingredients that they can’t eat. They can eat carbs but have to focus on the right ones. So if you are doing this as a method of losing weight, be sure that you are ready to embrace these changes.
Out with the Wrong Things, In with the Right
So many people end up with the ability to lose weight on a vegan diet because they get rid of the processed and junk foods. You are going to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, which are great. You can get protein out of some of these and may turn to soybeans or tofu for supplemental protein sources.
You can and should enjoy carbs, but they come to you in a different form than the usual. You will be eating a lot more potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, legumes, and seeds. This goes to show that you can and should enjoy carbs even as a vegan, but it’s just a matter of enjoying the right types.
If You Can Make This Switch, You Will Enjoy a Good, Healthy Diet!
Even if you aren’t making the switch to lose weight on a vegan diet, you are going to enjoy better health. You are more focused on eating whole foods—that is to say, those that come from the earth and are healthy and nutritious in nature. This will help you to fuel your body properly and give it what it needs.
You will lose weight since you are eating fewer calories, but more substantial ones. You will have to make some dramatic switches in your eating plan, but they will be well worth it. You can enjoy the right foods and improve your health in this way, so if you are ready to make the change, vegan eating can be very rewarding, indeed.
