Thumpy Rose Why is it worthwhile to know about different types of food tribes ? Is each food tribe at odds? How is a guide to veganism different? How to transition to vegetarianism? And, what is plant-based food? Do they all teach how to change your relationship with food? Which food tribe has more fandom? Get the answers here.
Diet food tribe turf war
It all started with the movements of diverse eating lifestyles. Now people are raving about what diet they should adopt. Health enthusiast and dietary fads are hopping on different diet bandwagons, some with overhyped guides on how to transition to vegetarianism or guide to veganism. Ideally, what they want is how to change your relationship with food. Some even get involved in a turf war with their friends and co-workers. All are trying to prove that their food tribe is the best.
“A healthy outside starts from the inside.”
Robert Urich
You may have heard vegans claiming that veganism is the most ideal of all. Why? Because it favors animals’ lives and they shouldn’t suffer. While plant-based enthusiasts love to fill their plate with solely plant protein. Does insights on how to transition to vegetarianism break the mold? Vegetarians balance their diet between plant-based and animal products like eggs and dairy. Are they all guilty of how to change your relationship with food?
So, which one is right?
Related: Choose A Food Lifestyle NOT the DIET
Well, to tell you the truth, it is entirely your choice of preference. What we want you to know is that there are benefits as well as some potential drawbacks to each diet. But, don’t worry. With the right planning and expert guidelines, you can tackle these drawbacks too.
However, in the end, it is only you who has to decide. You should opt out of particular eating practices. You should know what is right to take or to quit.
So, let’s get this straight.
Let’s dig a little deeper about each food tribe.
Basic guide to veganism
Eat beans, not beings.
Veganism, in simpler words, is completely abstaining from eating animal products. Vegans are not shy about following this political movement. This movement emphasizes animal rights and welfare. A vegan diet exempts all sorts of meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, milk, honey, and cheese. Vegans strictly practice a meat-free diet. While excluding all animal byproducts too. This is how veganism is different from other food tribes.
People do not necessarily adopt this eating practice for the sake of their health. However, they practice a vegan diet for moral concerns about harming animals. According to their philosophy, it is not ethical to eat animals, a fundamental guide to veganism. In fact, using anything like cosmetics or skincare products derived from animal testing is also unethical. This is another point signaling guide to veganism.
Moreover, a guide to veganism diet includes fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It further includes vegetable oils, whole-grain products, bread, rice, and pasta. Vegans can choose soymilk, almond milk, or coconut milk as dairy alternatives.
Vegan diet food list:
Spoiler Alert:
Being concerned about the animal environment and climate change is a good thing. However, vegans need to take extra care when it comes to getting all the nutrition they need. Animal products are a great source of proteins, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12. Avoiding them means developing several nutritional deficiencies, especially during pregnancy. Therefore, the intake of supplements and fortified foods is a must to achieve a balanced diet.
Another drawback is that this restricted diet is not practical and sustainable for everyone. It could interfere with people’s current situation of health and lifestyle. It can even affect medicines or drug interactions. Contrary to other diets, this is also a guide to veganism.
So, plan ahead. Discuss your eating patterns with your physician before you turn vegan.
How to transition to vegetarianism
Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.
Albert Einstein
Vegetarianism also embraces plant-based foods and rules out meat, poultry, and fish. However, there’s an exception. Vegetarians also consume animal products such as eggs, dairy, milk, honey, and cheese. Roughly, this is how to transition to vegetarianism.
This diet practice yields plenty of health benefits. This is why many are rooting for vegetarianism. Some studies have claimed that up to 18% of the global population are vegetarians. Some people adopt this food tribe for personal health reasons. While some are for religious or ethical reasons.
A vegetarian diet includes vegetables and fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes, grains, and pulses. Eggs and some dairy foods are also part of this diet. So, vegetarians are not quite missing out on proteins and calcium like vegans. This diet helps you increase your consumption of essential nutrients. Nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, fiber, and magnesium. Studies have shown that practicing vegetarianism can promote weight loss and reduce the risk of cancer. Also, it can stabilize blood sugar and control diabetes, and promote heart health.
You can personalize a vegetarian diet. If you are a lacto-ovo-vegetarian, you exclude meat, poultry, and fish. But you consume eggs and dairy. Then, Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy but no eggs. Conversely, ovo-vegetarian consume eggs but not dairy. Pescatarian vegetarians leave meat and poultry out. But they do eat fish as well as dairy and eggs. Lastly, flexitarians occasionally eat meat, poultry, and fish. Which one do you prefer?
Vegetarian diet food list:
Spoiler Alert:
Just like vegans are at risk of developing certain nutritional deficiencies, so are vegetarians. You should counterbalance these deficiencies. Increase the intake of important nutrients from other sources. Take multivitamins. Eat a diverse variety of vegetables, fruits, protein sources, and fortified foods. These foods include cereals, tofu, soy yogurt, pulses, and beans. This will help you get an appropriate nutritional diet and offer how to transition to vegetarianism.
If vegetarianism is your type, try our amazing vegetarian stews and dishes. They are sure to bring a new life to your food. Note, there are no egg protein found in our stews; we name it vegetarian because it is easily understood by most Africans as opposed to plant-based or veganism.
What is plant-based food?
Eat Plants, Be Kind.
A plant-based diet includes all the foods that are primarily derived from plants. This eating pattern heavily counts on vegetables and fruits. Plus, nuts and seeds, whole grains, beans, and vegetable oils to boot. Unlike vegans, people usually follow this diet for health reasons. Ethical purposes aren’t the main cause. Curious about what a plant-based food lifestyle entails? Subscribe to our monthly insights and peep instagram to see what I eat live😊.
This diet is low-fat and rich in fiber. Several scientific studies have proven tons of health benefits of practicing this vegetable-based diet. For instance, plant protein can help prevent type 2 diabetes and control cholesterol. Further, it can mitigate the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, protect against various cancers, and improve athletic performance.
Plant-based diet food list:
Difference between plant-based and vegetarian food tribe:
People often confuse a plant-based diet with a vegetarian. Is plant-based vegetarian? Actually no, there are some key differences but both teach how to change your relationship with food.
Where vegetarians reduce the majority of animal products, a plant-based diet doesn’t. In fact, it allows almost all animal products, but only in small portions. The plant-based diet gives you a free hand. You can find your happy medium. You can decide whether or not you want to eat certain animal-derived products. This is mainly for health purposes. So, you can maintain a well-adjusted diet.
However, the main focus of a plant-based diet is to fill your plate with mostly plant-based foods. Remember, it also means little to no ingredients coming from animals. For instance, this deliciously light Butternut Squash Soup has only plant-based ingredients with oat milk as the dairy substitute. Similarly, vegans cut animal products out altogether. Whereas a plant-based diet doesn’t. So, the answer to ‘is plant-based food vegan’, is negative.
Another difference is many plant-based diet devotees focus on a ‘whole foods, plant-based diet. That means they would also avoid processed grains, oils, and several processed vegan or vegetarian foods. Such foods include bacon, cheese, and hot dogs. These items wouldn’t fit on a whole-food diet.
So, you know now how plant-based varies from each food tribe. What have you learned about how to change your relationship with food?
Can vegans eat plant-based meat?
Plant-based meats are the new and better substitutes for animal meats. They are also notoriously named fake or mock meats. Vegans can eat processed and industrially manufactured plant-based meats. This way, they can enjoy the pleasures of meat as well as health benefits. These alternative meats are prepared using plant origins. To name a few plant origins, wheat, soy, legumes, pulses, beans, seitan, jackfruit, potatoes, etc.
However, studies have claimed that fake meats do lack vitamin B12. They also lack other essential nutrients like zinc and protein. More so, plant-based meats contain 18% more sodium than beef. Scroll down for more parallel insights on How to change your relationship with food.
Problems with plant-based food tribe
We see the plant/diet community is beefing but at least you know what is plant-based food. The main problem is vitamin B12. Plants cannot provide this nutrient, which is immensely important for our health. Moreover, getting enough iron, calcium, and protein from plants is also no picnic. You need to take supplements and fortified foods to meet your nutritional needs. Prior, they do not teach this much depth or how to change your relationship with food so kuddos to each food tribe.
At this point do you think they are at odds? Or, are they passionately trying to teach how to change your relationship with food? We discussed more below:
First comes the problem of perishability. Since fresh produce can perish relatively fast, you need to buy only as much as you need. Then, frozen and processed plant-based foods come with preservatives, processed oils, and artificial ingredients. This means a lack of nutrients. Also, faux meats are often high in sodium, which is unhealthy. So, watch out for these ingredients before you buy. Look for packages packed with beans, legumes, hemp, and quinoa. They are great sources of pure plant protein.
Lastly, you must consult and plan your meals with your physician before leaping over a plant-based diet.
At-a-glance comparison of plant-based vs vegan vs vegetarian food tribe
The bottom line about food tribe
All in all, do plan all your eating patterns carefully before making a decision especially with such basic guide to veganism and how to transition to vegetarianism that we’ve provided. Make sure you are getting enough essential nutrients to give yourself a well-rounded diet.
After all, the foods we choose to eat do matter.
Now you know distinct difference of each food tribe or feel encouraged about how to change your relationship with food. Tell us which diet you practice or are curious about. And, why do you favor that food tribe?
We are excited to hear from you!
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
