PLENTY OF FORCES want you to go vegan.
There’s the whole “plant-based” movement, which argues that avoiding all animal-based products can improve your fitness.
There’s the massive plant-based product manufacturing engine, which is not longer cranking out just “beef” patties, but also “chicken,” “pork,” and “seafood.” And then there’s the wild world of wellness influencers, who love to make all kinds of claims about the benefits of going meat-free.
Look, just because it seems like everyone else is going vegan doesn’t mean going vegan is right for you.
And also, going vegan might be right for you—but you have to know how to do it properly. It “requires careful planning and nutritional variety to ensure it is healthy and balanced,” says Sapna Peruvemba, R.D.N. founder of Health by Sapna, LLC.
Ahead, these two dietitians share what you need to know if you’re considering taking the vegan plunge.
What is the vegan diet?
A vegan diet means following an eating pattern that abstains from consuming any animal products. A vegan diet is stricter than a vegetarian diet that only excludes animal flesh such as meat, poultry, or seafood.
It may be helpful to frame a vegan diet in terms of what you can eat rather than what you avoid. “Instead of animal products, vegans eat a wide variety of plants including fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, soy-based foods like tofu, grains, nuts, and seeds,” says Amy Shapiro, M.S., R.D., of Real Nutrition.
“Vegans avoid all foods that come from an animal, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, lard, and honey,” says Stephanie Wells, M.S., R.D., of Thyme to Go Vegan Nutrition Services. “This includes foods produced using animal-based ingredients like gelatin or cane sugar filtered through animal bone char, which is common in the United States.”
That said, “not all vegan diets are created equal and depend on the foods that make up the diet,” says Shapiro. To further complicate matters, there are raw vegan diets (a nutrition plan centered on uncooked foods), whole-food vegan diets, and processed vegan diets (built around processed foods, including mock animal products, and vegan desserts that can be high in added sugar, sodium, and artificial additives).
A whole-food vegan diet, says Shapiro, may yield the most health benefits since it ensures well-rounded macro- and micronutrient intakes.
What are the benefits and risks of the vegan diet?
For one thing, the health benefits of vegan diets depend on the overall quality of a person’s diet.
“Becoming vegan doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll eat healthier,” says Wells. Many ultra-processed foods like French fries, soda, and candy are vegan, and the selection of foods like non-dairy ice creams and vegan “chicken” tenders are increasing with the popularity of plant-based diets. “While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying foods like these on occasion, you’ll likely see the most benefit by basing your diet on less processed plant foods like beans, tofu, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds,” Wells says.
With that being said, you can reap ample health perks from adhering to a vegan (or mostly vegan) diet. “The health benefits of a vegan diet include lower risks for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and some cancers,” says Wells, adding that this is likely due to the fact that vegan diets are rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants. Citing the EAT-Lancet Commission and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Wells says that vegan diets are also beneficial for the environment since the production of plant-based foods requires less land and water and has lower greenhouse gas emissions than animal agriculture.
Shapiro says that a whole-food-based, vegan diet ensures a higher consumption of fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants. This in turn reduces the risks of chronic diseases, such as ischemic heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancers, and obesity.
But there are risks.
Without careful planning, you might be low or miss out entirely on some essential nutrients. Because there are certain micronutrients that come from animal sources or are in higher concentration in animal products, says Shapiro, “risks of the vegan diet include potential deficiencies in vitamin B12, vitamin D, iodine, zinc, calcium, potassium, and selenium.”
Bottom line: “A well-planned, balanced vegan diet can meet the nutrient needs of people in any life stage, including athletes, but poorly planned vegan diets can lead to deficiencies in key nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids,” says Wells.
What to Know When Starting a Vegan Diet
With any eating pattern, it’s important to prioritize balanced, nutritious meals, says Wells. “Before making the transition to a vegan diet, plan out some meals that you think you’ll enjoy so you have a game plan going in.”
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She suggests incorporating the following four components in every meal: a protein source, a grain or starchy vegetable, fruit and/or vegetables, and healthy fat. “This will provide a balance of nutrients, optimize nutrient absorption, and make your meals filling and satisfying.”
B12 is a key nutrient for vegans as it is “naturally lacking in vegan diets,” says Wells. To prevent a deficiency and serious neurological issues, Wells says it’s important to get enough vitamin B12 by taking a supplement, eating fortified foods like some nutritional yeast and non-dairy milk, or a combination of both.
Calcium shortage is another one of the most common deficiencies in people following the vegan diet, says Shapiro. “Plant-based food sources rich in calcium include but are not limited to tofu, turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, and fortified plant-based milk.”
Another thing to keep in mind is that you may need to eat a larger volume of food than you did when eating animal products.
“A meal rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains will be lower in calories than a meat- and cheese-based meal of the same size, so don’t be surprised if you need to eat bigger portions,” Wells says.
In particular, Shapiro emphasizes the importance of getting enough protein. “It could be a little challenging at first due to the prevalence of animal products as the [most] common protein sources,” says Shaprio, adding that there are plenty of plant-based products rich in protein, including soybean products (tofu, edamame, tempeh), seitan, lentils, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds. “Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, etc. are rich in antioxidants that could help lower bad LDL and increase good HDL cholesterol levels,” says Shapiro.
Wells cautions men not to be afraid of eating more soy-based foods like tofu, tempeh, edamame, or soy milk. “A myth I hear all the time is that the phytoestrogens in soy reduce testosterone levels, but fortunately this isn’t true,” she says. “In fact, the authors of a 2021 review paper concluded that soy foods and soy protein have no impact on male reproductive hormones.”
What does a vegan meal plan look like?
Both Shapiro and Wells provided sample meal plans you could test-drive if going vegan. Online resources like The Beet, Veganuary, and PETA also provide a bounty of free recipes.
If you’re into cookbooks, try The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn or The Vegan Starter Kit: Everything You Need to Know About Plant-Based Eating by Neal D. Barnard, MD, FACC. Here’s an example of a whole-food style vegan meal plan:
Breakfast: Overnight oats with unsweetened almond milk, mixed berries, and nut butter
Lunch: Miso tofu bowl, with salad greens, edamame, and extra virgin olive oil and rice vinegar dressing
Dinner: Lentil stew with a side of roasted veggies
Snacks: Unsalted mixed nuts with choice of fruit; Hummus with veggie sticks
3 Tips for Going Vegan for the First Time
Ready to take the plunge? Here are some ways to make going vegan a little easier.
Do your homework
Researching your plant-based M.O. will pay off in the long-haul. “Before you toss out the steaks and cheese, get the basics down,” stresses Peruvemba. “Learn what nutrients you need, stock up on pantry staples like beans and grains, and arm yourself with killer recipes. That way, you’re not just winging it—you’re building a solid foundation.”
Start slow
Going vegan overnight to walking into the gym for the first time and picking up the 100-pound dumbbells. “You’re setting yourself up for burnout,” she says. She advises starting by adding a few meatless meals each week.
“Once that’s a breeze, move on to replacing cheese, eggs, and the rest. By taking it step by step, you’ll make the transition feel effortless, not overwhelming,” she says.
Don’t just remove, replace
Focusing on replacing ingredients verses removing certain items from your diet.
“Animal products provide key nutrients, so cutting them out without proper replacements can lead to deficiencies,” she says. “Be sure to replace them with a plant-based food that is nutritionally similar. If you’re ditching beef, swap it for something like tofu or lentils—they’ve got the iron, B vitamins, and protein to keep you running smoothly.”
