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Veganism is the new buzzword. Call it a smart move to in order to reap the benefits of plant-based diets, a conscious choice to mitigate the health concerns caused due to animal proteins or taking a stand against animal cruelty veganism has got you all covered. As in the year 2022, the buss for plant-based meat continues to grow, we are lucky that in this new age era we have a plethora of options for scrumptious vegan food that not only satisfies you hunger pangs but also goes a long way in providing you all the essential nutrients for the proper growth and development of your body.

Decoding the Vegan Diet with detailed diversification of delicious ingredients for you to relish on.

Image: Vegan Platter (Tastes as delicious as it looks! )

Here is a list of 10 scrumptious Vegan foods that you can incorporate in your diet for higher intake of plant-based proteins for a variety of reasons.

1) Legumes and Lentils

Legumes provide 18 grams of protein per cup while lentils are also one of the trusted source of proteins. They can be cooked in a wide variety of dishes which can be incorporated in your meal in the form of hearty soups, fresh and soulful salads and dals which are infused with rich spice. Lentils are said to provide half the recommended daily fiber intake solely by consuming a single cup per say. Furthermore, lentils facilitate in feeding the good bacteria in the guts thereby maintaining a healthy digestive system. Daily consumption of lentils and legumes are said to reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart related problems that are growing replete in the modern times. Adding a bowl of legumes to your daily diet is an easy method to keep such lifestyle issues at bay.

 Image: Wide Variety of legumes to choose from (I can go on and on but its best if you start with your favorite one!)

2) Nuts and seeds

In the modern-day times, we are caught up in the hustle bustle of life that it is easier for us to gravitate towards an unhealthy quick snack in order to save the laborious effort of cooking a healthy meal. Well, not anymore, luckily not all fulfilling quick snacks haveto be loaded with unhealthy calories. Savoring our evenings with a delectable bowl of nuts or seeds can be an easy and quick snack for out busy lifestyle. Seeds such as flaxseed, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp and sesame seeds require a minor heating and some spices based on personal preferences. Flaxseed can be effortlessly prepared as they must be soaked in water overnight and can be directly consumed the very next day. Nuts are convenient to carry and make up for a handy snack without much storage requirements.

Image: Nuts and Seeds (our grandmother’s most recommended snack)

3) Fruits and vegetables

A diet having enough vegetables and fruits can aid in lowering the blood pressure levels thereby keeping lifestyle ailments such as stroke, cancer and digestive problems at bay. This also helps in keeping our appetite in check. Eating start-free vegetables such as apples, pears and green leafy vegetables can be beneficial for those trying to lose weight and maintaining a healthy blood sugar level.

There is a plethora of fruits and vegetables available in the market. There are nine different families of fruits and vegetables, and this ensures us with a wide variety of recipes. In the process also ensure that you include as many color groups.

Image: Fruits for your fruitful life!

4) Tofu, tempeh and edamame

Tofu, tempeh and edamame are protein rich products of soyabeans. The three food products are enriched with complete proteins and are full of fiber, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.

Soyabeans when taken in any form has numerous provide numerous nutritional benefits to the body. Apart from being rich in proteins, they are low in carbohydrates and have a low glycemic index which will help keeping wild swings in blood sugar level at bay. Soyabeans contain a lot of water and is a blessing the ones who are conscious of their regular calorie intake. The internet and our grandmother’s cookbooks have a plethora of exciting Tofu, tempeh and edamame for us to relish out foodie desires.

Image: Tofu that will taste like whatever you choose to marinate it with.

5) Alternatives of Dairy

One cup of whole milk consists of 150 calories which includes 8 grams of protein, 8 grams of fat and other nutrients and minerals such as calcium and potassium. This milk is also a rich source of Vitamin D. Like animal based-milk, plant-based milks are also great source of nutrients and is fortified with calcium and Vitamin D. Some healthy alternatives to animal’s milk include almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk, oat milk, hemp milk, flax milk, cashew milk and tiger nut milk. 

With the wide options of alternatives of dairy that is available, it is convenient for everybody to go vegan. A benefit of choosing such vegan dairy alternatives over the regular animal based dairy products is that it aids in avoiding the symptoms of lactose intolerance. It is easy to replicate cheese with plant-based versions of dairy derivatives such as soft cheese, hard cheese and nutritional yeast.

Countless options of dairy-free ice creams are available on the market. Companies usually go with nut-based milk such as coconuts, almonds or cashews to meet the recipe requirements. Dairy-free and fruit-based sorbets are also great options for going vegan. Blending frozen vegetables with significant amounts of plant-based milk is one of the elemental recipes of making vegan easy dessert at home.

Image: Plant based milk for the dairy queen!

6) Vegetable oils

Its easy to bake dairy-free by using fruit purees, veggies, dairy free yogurts, nutt butter and coconut butter in place of regular oils. This method is super simple and will give the same texture as it would have been in the case of normal oil or butter.

Best substitutes for animal-based oil can be nut butters, vegetable oils, shea-butter, silken tofu and aquafaba.

Image: Shea Butter for your sparkling self

Apart from the ones mentioned, there is a wide variety of vegan snacks that can be made at home using the basic ingredients that have been mentioned earlier. There is no hard and fast rule to cooking, whatever works best in your favour (and your taste buds permit!) experiment your mind and let us know about your kitchen experiments. Also remember not forget your guilty pleasure loaded cheat meals. It’s the right time to try out vegan junk food in moderation, especially if that’s what works best for you stay on track with being vegan! Happy eating!