How a vegan diet could look like …
Being or not being vegan is a personal choice. Of course there is much to talk about “plant based” diets but their advantages or disadvantages aren’t the main topic here. I don’t want to suggest that you should switch to a vegan diet but if you already did I hope you will find here a helpful blueprint for your daily menu. This article is for vegans, for “part-time” vegans and why not for people who want or have to adopt a plant based diet (even for a few days or weeks) from various reasons (religious, medical or why not… just curiosity).
Replacing meat, fish, eggs, and milk products with plant based counterparts while keeping about the same amount of nutrients “on the table” can be challenging even for experienced nutritionists. Well it is not impossible but we have to give more attention to the way we vary and combine the food in order to get all the nutrients our body needs.
Vegans should carefully plan their protein intake (especially essential amino acids). For example an omelette or a portion of lean meat are sources of complete proteins which have all the essential amino acids. Our body needs the essential amino acids as it can’t “produce” them by itself. So when you replace animal proteins with plant based proteins you have to vary and combine the sources in order to have all the essential amino acids. This was just an example but in other words you have to focus more on what you eat once you have established what you restrict.
I want to show you here a sample vegan menu for a day with three main meals and two snacks (classic configuration) like I presented in the “Balanced Diet” article. Again you have three energy “trims”.
I tried to combine different protein sources, I tries to avoid simple sugars options and processed food as much as I could. My advice is to pay attention to processed products especially “healthy bars” with the “Vegan” badge on the package and focus on simple, raw, natural products…
Focus on :
Legumes like lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas…
Wholemeal unprocessed cereals like brown rice, oatmeal
Fruits and Veggies…Seasonal and local as much as you can and afford
Nuts and seeds… every day (but with moderation:) )
Cold pressed oils
Target - 1500 kcal (lose weight)
Breakfast - Oatmeal porridge with cinnamon and dried cranberries / Quantities per serving: bio quinoa drink 200 ml, oatmeal 30 g, cinnamon powder 3 g, dried cranberries 10 g
Snack 1 - raw cocoa beans 10 g, apricots 200 g
Lunch - Risotto with green peas, mushrooms, green pepper and celery / Quantities per serving: champignon mushrooms 150 g, boiled brown rice 200 g, green pepper 50 g, boiled green peas 200 g, olive oil 10 ml, boiled celery 80 g
Snack 2 - raw almonds 30 g
Dinner - Grilled zucchini with mashed lentils and pumpkin seeds / Quantities per serving: boiled lentils 180 g, garlic 20 g, zucchini 200 g, pumpkin seeds 5 g, olive oil 10 ml
Energy - Calories 1481 kcal,
Proteins 57 g, Fats 50 g, Carbohydrates 213 g, Fibers 53 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
Target - 2000 kcal (lose weight or maintain)
Breakfast - Oatmeal porridge with cinnamon and dried cranberries / Quantities per serving: bio quinoa drink 200 ml, oatmeal 30 g, cinnamon powder 3 g, dried cranberries 30, raw cashew 25 g
Snack 1 - raw cocoa beans 10 g, apricots 250 g, cherries 200 g
Lunch - Risotto with green peas, mushrooms, green pepper and celery / Quantities per serving: champignon mushrooms 150 g, boiled brown rice 250 g, green pepper 50 g, boiled green peas 250 g, olive oil 10 ml, boiled celery 80 g
Snack 2 - raw almonds 30 g
Dinner - Grilled zucchini with mashed lentils and pumpkin seeds / Quantities per serving: boiled lentils 250 g, garlic 20 g, zucchini 200 g, pumpkin seeds 5 g, olive oil 10 ml
Energy - Calories 1988 kcal,
Proteins 75 g, Fats 63 g, Carbohydrates 298 g, Fibers 71 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
Target - 3000 kcal (high energy demand)
Breakfast - Oatmeal porridge with cinnamon and dried cranberries / Quantities per serving: bio quinoa drink 300 ml, oatmeal 60 g, cinnamon powder 3 g, dried cranberries 40, raw cashew 35 g
Snack 1 - raw cocoa beans 10 g, apricots 350 g, almonds 35 g
Lunch - Risotto with green peas, mushrooms, green pepper and celery / Quantities per serving: champignon mushrooms 150 g, boiled brown rice 350 g, green pepper 150 g, boiled green peas 350 g, olive oil 15 ml, boiled celery 200 g
Snack 2 - Eggplant salad with baked green peppers / Quantities per serving: baked eggplants 300 g, green peppers 150 g, olive oil 15 ml, lemon juice 15 ml
Dinner - Baked potatoes with mashed lentils and pumpkin seeds / Quantities per serving: boiled lentils 350 g, garlic 20 g, potatoes 150 g, pumpkin seeds 5 g, olive oil 10 ml
Energy - Calories 3000 kcal,
Proteins 105 g, Fats 96 g, Carbohydrates 452 g, Fibers 108 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
