Going and staying vegan

Why most succeed but some struggle

Learn how to make your vegan journey a success

Going vegan is the best thing you can do for yourself, animals and the planet but while being vegan makes most of us feel great, some experience issues that make them reconsider their decision. Find out what are the common stumbling blocks, how to avoid them and how to make veganism work for you in the best possible way.

The vegan journey is different for everyone, including how fast and how much you change your lifestyle, what your living situation is and if you have any health issues. No two people will share the exact same experience.

Like everyone, vegans should know a few basics about a balanced diet – even if you don’t want to, the investigative questions from those around you will probably force you to do that. As soon as you start finding answers, more questions pop up and so the cycle continues and before you know it, you’ll end up with new knowledge on protein, vitamin B12 and whether plants have feelings. And that’s great because you should know a thing or two about nutrition – after all, knowing what you feed your body is important for your health but you don’t have to become a nutrition expert!

Some people who go vegan, are amazed by how great they feel and never look back, others may have a bumpier start – or they start well but things go pear-shaped somewhere down the road. Let’s look at the most common mistakes people make that might undermine their vegan lifestyle.

COMMON MISTAKES

Quick transition

Many of us make the decision to go vegan overnight and while the enthusiasm is commendable, it may be a shock for the body – depending on what your diet was like before. Your digestive system needs a little time to adapt and your gut bacteria may undergo a complete makeover.

There are trillions of bacteria in your intestine and their composition depends on the food you eat. If your pre-vegan diet was full of meat, eggs, fried foods and sweets, your gut bacteria will have to change a lot on your new vegan diet. If, on the other hand, you didn’t eat many animal products before and had lots of plant foods in your diet, the change won’t be quite so dramatic for you.

If you suddenly start eating only plant foods after years of a meat-heavy diet, you simply don’t have enough of the good bacteria in your gut to help you handle all the plant starches and fibre. That may result in digestive problems, bloating and discomfort. At this stage, some people give up because they don’t feel that good. However, if you give your body a few weeks, the good bacteria will multiply and re-establish a new balance in your digestive system so not only will you feel good, but you’ll also have plenty of energy! The plant-munching bacteria are incredibly beneficial not just for your digestive system but they also produce health-promoting compounds that support your immune system, heart health and even your brain! On the other hand, the harmful gut bacteria, that thrive on an unhealthy meaty and processed food diet, are linked to many illnesses including cancer.

So, it works better for most people to transition to veganism gradually because it gives your body time to keep up with the changes and avoid digestive upheavals.

Not enough food

Animal products have no fibre and tend to be energy-dense – a small amount packs a lot of calories. On the other hand, many plant wholefoods are rich in fibre, which is important for our health but provides no calories. In short, on a vegan diet, you need to eat more food to get the same amount of energy – but that’s not a bad thing! Who wouldn’t want to eat more?

When people who are used to eating small portions of animal products go vegan and eat equally small portions of plant-based foods, they may suddenly find themselves hungry or tired. The solution is easy – eat bigger portions of food and don’t be afraid to snack! You can also try an app tracking your energy intake to make sure you eat enough.

Unbalanced diet

Another common problem is that when you change your diet but are not sure what to eat as a new vegan, you may end up eating lots of side dishes and your diet may be unbalanced. A diet of bread, potatoes and rice is not a healthy vegan diet.

You’ll find guidance on what to eat daily below but for a full month of vegan coaching, try our free 30 Day Vegan plan. It’s not difficult to have a balanced vegan diet, you’ll just have to remember a few simple rules.

New food combinations

We are all different and have our own quirks in terms of food sensitivities or combinations that suit our digestive system. If you suddenly introduce a range of foods you have never eaten before, your body may be overwhelmed but that doesn’t mean that veganism isn’t for you. Some people may not be able to digest one particular variety of beans but that doesn’t mean all beans are bad. Or you may not get along with a ready-made vegan product, or you may combine foods in a way that makes your tummy feel uncomfortable. Give yourself time and introduce new foods one at a time – that way, you’ll be able to work out exactly what suits you. Of course, most people find they are fine with most foods.

Cravings and food addictions

It’s common to have cravings when you change your diet. In fact, it would be weird not to have them! Craving something you used to eat a lot or as a special treat for many years is completely normal and while for some people these cravings may last a few weeks, for others it may be months or even longer. It doesn’t mean your body is ‘telling you’ to eat that food, it’s simply a matter of habit, familiarity and emotional connection to that particular food or meal. We’re also hardwired to like certain taste combinations such as salty and fatty foods or sugary ones. This preference is linked to our evolution when we needed every calorie we could get our hands on – that’s simply not the case now as many people have the opposite problem and eat too many calories. The longer you’re vegan, the more your taste will change, you’ll find new favourites and eventually the old cravings will stop.

Even stronger than cravings are food addictions. These exist for several foods and one of the best documented ones is cheese addiction. What makes cheese so addictive is the extremely high concentration of the milk protein casein that, when digested, results in casomorphins. And casomorphins are opioids, belonging to the same chemical family as morphine and opium, inducing euphoric feelings and lowering pain. Casomorphins are addictive in the true sense of the word and if you suddenly stop eating cheese, you might experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and strong cravings. There’s no remedy for this other than going ‘cold turkey’ – cut cheese out of your diet, wait and one day you’ll realise the cravings are no longer there. In the meantime, you can replace the strong taste of cheese with roasted nuts and olives or other savoury nibbles that are not linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers as cheese and other dairy products are.

Some people think that cravings mean the body is ‘asking’ for some nutrients and while this may be true if you’re undernourished in some way, the truth is usually much simpler. Cravings can and do change and are certainly not a reason to give up veganism!

HOW TO BE A HEALTHY VEGAN?

Below you’ll find general guidelines for a vegan diet that will support your health and make you feel good. Adapt it according to your preferences and you can’t go wrong!

Remember to go slowly if you’re transitioning, eat enough and not rely too much on ready-made and junk foods. Keep in mind that we’re all different so don’t expect to like every single vegan food – find your favourites and combinations that work for you.

Balanced vegan diet

A healthy vegan diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain foods, pulses, nuts and seeds. We need to keep an eye on a few key nutrients, but this applies to everyone, regardless of diet. Sugary foods, white flour and processed foods should be limited to a minimum.

Every day, you should eat:

• Five to eight servings of fruit and vegetables – so a portion or two with every meal and snack. These can be fresh, frozen, steamed, cooked, blended in smoothies or dried (the unsweetened kind).
• Three to four servings of cereals and grains – either a portion with every main meal or include them as snacks. Healthy choices include brown rice, wholemeal bread, wholewheat pasta, oats and quinoa.
• Two to three servings of pulses – most people have them for lunch and dinner but it’s up to you! Pulses include peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, soya and products made from these (tofu, tempeh, edamame, hummus, falafel, beanburgers).
• A small handful or two tablespoons of nuts and seeds – on their own or added to meals. Nut butters count too! This category also includes valuable sources of the essential omega-3 fats with ground flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds and walnuts being the best ones.
• Small amounts of vegetable oil – virgin olive oil is best used cold, while rapeseed oil is best for cooking and also contains omega-3 fats.

When it comes to mock meat products, they can be a good source of protein but some products are high in salt and fat – check the nutritional values on each to make informed choices. As a general healthy rule, it’s best to have these a few times a week at most but not daily.

Check out our Balanced Vegan page for a colourful overview of a healthy vegan diet or see A-Z of Nutrients for detailed information about all macro- and micronutrients and their best sources.

Supplements

There’s only a couple of supplements you should take and they are vitamin B12 and vitamin D – the only vitamins not produced by plants.

Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and plays a central role in the production of red blood cells and DNA. B12 is produced by bacteria that live in the soil. Traditionally, like other animals, we would have got enough B12 by eating foods from the ground. However, because food production is so sanitised, we now need a supplement and so do farmed animals – meat, eggs and dairy are not natural sources of this vitamin because farmed animals are also given B12 supplements.

We recommend a B12 supplement providing 50 micrograms daily or 2,000 micrograms a week. You can also top up your intake with B12-fortified foods (eg fortified plant milk, breakfast cereal and low-sodium yeast extract).

Vitamin D is needed for healthy bones, teeth and muscles, as well as for many other essential functions. It is produced in the body by the action of sunlight on the skin. In winter in the UK, even when it is sunny, the sunlight isn’t strong enough for this process to occur and a supplement is therefore recommended for everyone, regardless of diet and lifestyle, from October to March.

Vitamin D can be obtained from fortified foods but the safest option is to take a supplement. Ten micrograms (400 IU) daily is a sufficient dose during winter. If you tend to cover up or spend most of the time indoors, you might need to take a vitamin D supplement all year round. Vitamin D2 is always vegan whereas D3 is usually of animal origin (derived from sheep’s wool) but can also be obtained from algae or mushrooms.

OTHER ISSUES THAT MIGHT GET IN THE WAY

Some people start their vegan journey with the best intentions and great dedication but at some point, they change their mind. It’s often to do with life’s problems getting in the way rather than a problem with their vegan diet.

Health problems

We’ve seen some people with pre-existing health issues go vegan, then blame veganism for a variety of problems and publicly announce they can’t be vegan anymore because of their health. It doesn’t mean these people meant to harm veganism or that this lifestyle isn’t for everyone. It simply shows that once you start closely watching your health, you may start noticing things that have been there for some time. This often goes hand in hand with peer pressure or family and even health professionals blaming health issues on veganism.

If you go vegan and start experiencing health problems, you should certainly investigate their cause but bear in mind that while you may need to tweak your diet, you shouldn’t have to ditch veganism. Many health professionals are only too keen to convince you that your vegan diet is the root cause of everything that may be wrong with your health but that only shows their lack of nutrition education. Unfortunately, despite an estimated 80 per cent of conditions people go to a GP with being linked to diet and lifestyle, most doctors receive little, if any nutritional training. There isn’t anything about a balanced vegan diet that would harm your health. After all, a number of major health organisations support veganism as a healthy lifestyle suitable for people of all ages.

On the other hand, meat-centred diets are certainly bad for you and harm your health in many ways. See why meat consumption leads to a number of serious health issues.

Stress

Chronic stress can wreak total havoc on your physical and mental health even if you have the best diet. Sometimes, we find ourselves in a difficult situation that may bring on stress-related issues. These range from frequent headaches and indigestion to insomnia and high blood pressure. It’s important to use stress-management techniques and be honest with yourself before blaming it on veganism. If you’re under a lot of stress and start eating animal products, your issues will likely only get worse and you may experience constipation as a bonus. Be kind to yourself.

Social pressure

Being vegan can be lonely if your friends and family aren’t supportive. You may have great resolve but if your veganism brings on uncomfortable confrontations, it might make you doubt your choices. It should be the other way round – your veganism should make those around you question their choices! But some of us may feel self-conscious and may be willing to let veganism slip if it creates too much drama or conflict.

Before you consider that as an option, try finding new vegan friends – local vegan cafés, festivals or charity events may be a good place to start. There are huge numbers of national and local vegan groups on social media too, many of which arrange social events. In fact, one of main ways vegans meet other vegans is via social media – search for “vegan” with the name of your town/city eg “Bristol Vegans” and see what comes up. Vegan festivals in your area are also a great way to meet people and you might even consider volunteering at these events to become a part of the local vegan community. You wouldn’t believe how much better a vegan friend can make you feel!

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF VEGAN DIETS?

When you go vegan, maintain a healthy diet, don’t smoke and are moderately physically active, you will certainly experience some health benefits.

Short-term health benefits

Eating a 100 per cent plant-based diet means eating plenty of fibre that will improve your digestion, make your bowel movements more regular and easier to pass. Fibre also feeds the good gut bacteria that produce health-beneficial compounds that can improve the health of your gut wall to make it more resilient, support your immune system and make you feel less tired. You’ll have more energy! This is also to do with the fact that plant foods are easier to digest than animal products.

Bacteria don’t live just in your gut but also in your mouth and those that thrive on meat residues might give you bad breath. On the other hand, eating only plants usually results in better breath.

Going vegan may also help clear up your skin – many people find that cutting out dairy and excessive sugar makes their skin look healthier and they have less acne.

And a balanced vegan diet can be the best performance enhancer for athletes! Many professional athletes have gone vegan because the diet helps to fuel their performance with more energy, is easier to digest and supports a faster recovery. Read all about vegan sports nutrition here.

Long-term health benefits

There are many long-term benefits of a healthy vegan diet and there may be even more than those listed below because science is only just discovering all the effects that foods have on our health. For detailed information and references for the facts below, please see our Vegan for Health guide.
Diabetes (type 2) is a major killer in the UK, but vegans have up to a 50 per cent lower risk of developing it and a low-fat vegan diet can also reverse type 2 diabetes.

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, narrowing of arteries and heart disease are considerably less common among vegans compared to meat-eaters and even vegetarians. Not only can a healthy vegan diet help prevent these conditions, but it can also reverse them.

Cancer is a major threat to our health, but a vegan diet can significantly reduce the risk. Research shows that vegans have a 16 to 19 per cent lower risk of all cancers compared to meat-eaters. When it comes to colon cancer, vegans are at an even lower risk because they don’t consume any processed meat which is a known carcinogen.

A balanced vegan diet helps you to maintain a healthy weight. Studies show that among all different diets, it’s only vegans who consistently fall into the healthy weight range.

And you may also age better on a vegan diet! Studies show that vegans are healthier compared to the rest of the population well into advanced age and are less likely to die prematurely. This also applies to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease – a wholesome vegan diet can lower your risk.

IS VEGANISM FOR EVERYONE?

Yes, it is! People of all ages and walks of life thrive on a vegan diet. Even if you have food intolerances or allergies, you can find a way.

Healthy vegan foods are always available and affordable – you can get pulses, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, and fruit and vegetables everywhere. The fancier stuff, such as vegan alternatives to animal products, cakes and other treats, may be more difficult to get from in-person shopping, depending where you live, and also more expensive but they are not essential to a healthy diet. Also, you can get pretty much all of them online! Either way, too much of processed food may be unhealthy whether it’s vegan or not.

Eating out is easy in the UK – especially if you live in a town or city with national restaurant chains as they mostly have a substantial number of vegan options.

Anyone can go vegan and thrive, even if you stumble a few times. Don’t give up and you’ll reap the benefits! We offer plenty of free resources to help you go and stay vegan – and enjoy every meal.