These essential tips to start eating a plant-based diet will get you excited and enthusiastic about becoming vegan and preparing healthy, delicious vegan meals.
Want to feel healthier, happier, sharper, and more energetic?
Going vegan is the way.
The book of Genesis says, “And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” Moving to a biblically-based diet by becoming vegan can seem daunting at first. But in reality, a vegan diet absent of animal products, eggs, and dairy is not at all limiting. Once you change your thinking about what a “diet” can be and understand how a vegan lifestyle is truly better for your health, you won’t want to turn back.
The Standard American Diet—or what we call the SAD diet—is full of processed and unwholesome foods. With the Hallelujah Diet, you’ll eliminate SAD foods and start eating only plant-based foods, and soon you’ll feel the difference that starting a vegan diet full of fruits and vegetables and other healthy plant-based foods can have on your health, immunity, energy levels, mental cognition, and mood.
The Hallelujah Diet consists of a four-step method designed to transform the way you eat and even think about “diet.” It consists of exchanging your diet for an all plant-based one—ideally 85% raw and 15% cooked, replacing toxic foods full of additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients with a healthy plant-based diet, juicing with the Hallelujah Diet’s BarleyMax and vegetable juice, and adding supplements to attend to any nutritional deficiencies.
As far as what to eat, it can be tempting to shop for products labeled as vegan or vegan-friendly instead of feeling confused as to how to start, but it’s really so much easier than you think to prepare satisfying, delicious vegan meals. Here are some tips for how to start eating a plant-based diet to make yourself feel great, glow with health, and heal many of your body’s weaknesses and ailments quickly, naturally, and permanently.
Make fruits and vegetables the star of the show.
Think of showcasing one vegetable as your “main course” of a meal. Look for vegan recipes centered around veggies, like cauliflower steaks, stuffed squash, and eggplant fritters. Complete vegan meals with a big, healthy salad full of raw vegetables. For dessert, fruit is always a superb selection for a sweet treat. Nutrition nugget: Dark, leafy greens are a great source of calcium, and dried fruits contain lots of iron.
Use nuts and seeds in creative ways.
Nuts, seeds, and nut butters make great afternoon snacks, but they can also add variety to any meal. Sprinkle roughly chopped walnuts or almonds on almost anything for extra texture and taste. Blend almonds or almond butter into a smoothie. Mix chia seeds into your oatmeal for breakfast. Get creative! Nutrition nugget: Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3s, and there’s loads of zinc in pine nuts, cashews, and almonds.
Think whole.
Organic whole grains, not processed ones, are key to a plant-based diet. Things like wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt, or rye can make a great base for a dish, and help you feel full, too. Nutrition nugget: Whole grains fight against heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
Lean into legumes.
You don’t need animal products, eggs, and dairy to include protein in your diet. Legumes are packed with protein. Kidney beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, navy beans, fava beans, black beans, pinto beans, soy beans, black-eyed peas, mung beans, adzuki beans, chickpeas, lentils… there’s so much diversity and flavor in the world of legumes. Legumes are more or less free of saturated fat, low in fat altogether, and entirely cholesterol-free, while still offering toothsome satisfaction and making meals more satisfying. Nutrition nugget: Don’t forget that peanuts are legumes, too, so when you’re snacking on peanuts or peanut butter, you’re getting a solid dose of proteins, “good fats,” and fiber.
Find healthy fats.
Unsaturated fats don’t have to come from meat or dairy. There are plenty of high-quality, omega-3 rich foods in the plant world. Nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, and even dark chocolate, in moderation, can all be good sources of healthy fats, while making your meals that much more delicious. Nutrition nugget: Avocados, in addition to being about 80% fat, also contain a lot of fiber, so they’re really an ideal choice for a vegan diet.
Spice things up!
Herbs and spices will add complexity, extra pizzazz, or a savory umami flavor so you will feel completely satiated by every meal and won’t miss a thing from the animal-based diet habits you’ve outgrown. Nutrition nugget: Some spices have even proven to have health benefits. For example, cinnamon can help manage blood sugar levels, turmeric combats inflammation, garlic boosts cardiovascular health, and, perhaps surprisingly, cayenne pepper can help with ulcers.
A whole body approach, consisting of starting a vegan diet, with the addition of the Hallelujah Diet’s Get Started Kit, will detox your system, supercharge your cells, fortify your immune system, keep blood sugar levels steady, and even help with weight loss. The Get Started Kit is a perfect complement for anyone who has decided to make the healthy choice to convert to a vegan lifestyle. Containing BarleyMax to offer prime nutritional supplements and Fiber Cleanse for thorough detoxification, it’s the Hallelujah Diet’s best introductory addition to a plant-based diet. After three months with the Get Started Kit, you can continue your journey towards holistic health with The Hallelujah Diet Maintenance Kit.
Transitioning to a vegan diet is a change that requires dedication, but these tips will help make the switch to the diet God intended much easier and more sustainable. Above all, staying open-minded when trying new foods and believing that you’ve made a better lifestyle choice for yourself and for the world will help you stay committed and positive.
