How to switch to a vegan diet without harming the body and giving up delicious food

American scientist and physiologist L. Cordain believes that a diet without meat is completely unsuitable for losing weight. He gives a number of reasons, having learned about which, you should seriously think about whether it is worth subjecting your body to such changes.

Here are a few of them:

In order for the metabolic rate to be constant and not slow down, a person needs to receive proteins of animal origin. If this does not happen, even with the most low-calorie diets, losing weight will be quite difficult.
A diet of meat-free dishes includes in the daily menu the consumption of nuts and dried fruits, which in combination with cereals or potatoes can lead to rapid weight gain rather than weight loss.
Many people with a lack of animal protein feel constant hunger. Therefore, they do not understand what and how much they eat, and they successfully gain two or even three extra kilograms in a short period of time.
A meat-free diet can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels. This leads to an increase in appetite, and it will be quite difficult to maintain such a diet for several weeks.
In addition, certain types of grains, such as barley and wheat, can intensify allergic reactions. In this case, weakness, fatigue, swelling, increased blood sugar levels, as well as constant weight gain are observed.

L. Cordain cites many disadvantages of meat-free diets, but we focused only on the most important of them for human health. And yet, if they haven’t stopped you, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the recommendations on how to properly lose weight without meat diets.

By the way, it should be noted that most nutritionists welcome vegetarian food systems for weight loss. By following them, you can effectively reduce weight and improve your well-being.

Pea happiness

Do you think you won’t be satisfied with salad? Add chickpeas and avocado to make it a great hearty meatless meal. Fry 400 g of canned chickpeas, seasoned with turmeric. Cut the flesh of 2 avocados into cubes, pour in lemon juice or lime juice. Cut a fresh cucumber into strips, cut 400 g of cherry tomatoes in half, tear lettuce leaves with your hands, cut 300 g of tofu cheese into cubes, fry. Place all ingredients in a bowl on lettuce leaves, salt and pepper to taste, season with low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt. If you are considering a diet menu, this salad should definitely be on it.

How to build your diet?

Think of veganism not just as giving up certain foods, but as a new type of diet. After eliminating meat and dairy products, you need to add alternative sources of nutrients to the menu. And get tested annually to monitor their levels.

When creating a new menu, it is important not to forget:

about proteins that are necessary for the formation of cells and tissues. You can replace animal protein with vegetable protein using tofu, green soybeans, lentils, dried peas, beans, buckwheat, almonds, walnuts, cashews, sesame seeds and flax;
about Omega-3 fats , important for maintaining the functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular and endocrine systems. They are found in flax seeds, walnuts, soybeans;
about vitamin B12 , which increases performance, and vitamin D , which strengthens the immune system. Drinks made from soy, almonds and rice are enriched with these substances;
about calcium, iron and zinc . These elements can be found in tofu, beans, almonds, sesame seeds, black molasses, broccoli, cabbage, red lentils, cereals, prunes, raisins, apricots, wheat germ, soy drinks, almonds and rice.

“On the Cronometer website you can enter the name of the product and find out what substances it contains. This will help you create a balanced diet. I eat all kinds of seeds, vegetables, grains, beans. At the same time, I love vegan sausages, fast food, and pizza. For beginner vegans who feel like they are in for a bland and tasteless meal, I advise you to try vegan sausage or frankfurters. It's really something that can surprise you."
Anya Sakharova

Cheese Crescent

Cheese is an incredible ingredient for nutritious meat-free meals. Especially if you make flatbreads out of it and don’t skimp on the greens. Knead elastic dough from 650 g flour, 250 ml kefir, 1 tsp. sugar, ½ tsp. soda and a pinch of salt. Cover it with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grate 300 g of suluguni, chop a bunch of cilantro and green onions. Roll out 6 round cakes from the dough, put cheese and herbs on half of each, seal the edges and roll out thin cakes again. Fry them until golden brown and serve immediately. This dish will always help out if you need to whip up something hearty and tasty.

What can you cook for lunch without meat?

A full lunch is no less healthy a meal than breakfast. Delicious soups, seafood and original dressings will help diversify the boring menu. We suggest preparing the following meatless dishes:

Cheese soup

Photo source: iamcook.ru

A hearty soup with a creamy taste is a delicacy that you will want to serve even on a holiday table. It is prepared very simply from available ingredients:

processed cheese (can be replaced with hard cheese) - 180 g;
medium-sized potatoes - 3–4 pcs.;
onion - 1 pc.;
carrots - 50 g;
garlic - several cloves;
boiling water - 1 liter;
spices, butter and herbs - to taste.

The calorie content of the dish is extremely high, so the dose of cheese can be reduced significantly. However, it is this that gives the dish its unique taste.

Photo source: sovkusom.ru

Prepare your entire grocery list and get started:

The dish is served not only in the form of the usual soup, but also as cream soup. Depending on the serving method, vegetables are cut smaller or larger. To prepare regular soup, cut the onion into small cubes.
Heat the butter in a saucepan and lightly fry the onion and garlic.
Cut the carrots into medium cubes and also fry for a few minutes.
Cut the potatoes into the same size pieces. Add to the saucepan and stir all the contents.
Prepare boiling water. Pour it over the vegetables and cook for about 15 minutes with ground pepper, bay leaf, but without salt.
When the vegetables become soft, add the cheese, stirring the soup well. Season with salt and taste. Once the cheese is completely melted, you can serve.

This first course, like cream soup, is served with freshly prepared croutons and herbs. You can also garnish the plate with fried onions.

Pumpkin with bread in the oven

Photo source: iamcook.ru

Dishes in the oven are a real godsend for busy housewives, because you don’t need to take part in the cooking process at all.

Not everyone loves pumpkin, but many will enjoy this dish. Prepare:

pumpkin - 150 g;
favorite bread - 150 g;
small onion - 1 pc.;
garlic - 1 clove;
any herbs (Provencal herbs are best) - to taste;
pumpkin or sunflower seeds - 1 tbsp. l.;
vegetable oil and salt - to taste;
balsamic vinegar and lemon juice - as needed.

Photo source: iamcook.ru

The beauty of the recipe is that it can be modified to suit any taste. However, first try our recipe. Do it like this:

Cut the onion into thin half rings, and the bread and pumpkin into cubes. The size of the chopped pumpkin should be slightly smaller so that the bread does not dry out during baking.
Season the prepared onions with a little balsamic vinegar, and pour the pumpkin and bread cubes with oil and lemon juice. Add salt and herbs.
The dish can be baked either in pots or in a mold. Grease the dish with oil and place the squeezed garlic on the bottom. Place all prepared ingredients into the mold and mix well.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the dish for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with seeds and keep in the oven for a couple more minutes.

Despite the simplicity of the dish, the result is a delicious second course that captivates with its aroma.

Pasta according to Italian recipe

Photo source: iamcook.ru

We advise you to remember this recipe, born in Italy, even in case of fasting. Be surprised how delicious pasta can be made from simple and cheap ingredients. Namely:

pasta - 200 g;
cherry tomatoes (it is advisable not to replace regular ones) - 500 g;
beans - 200 g;
garlic - several cloves;
oil, salt and pepper.

Photo source: the-challenger.ru

To prepare the dish in the shortest possible time, use canned beans. Purchase the entire list of products and cook according to the instructions:

Cook pasta as directed on package.
At this time, take care of the rest of the products: crush or coarsely chop the garlic, fry in a frying pan in a small amount of oil, cut the tomatoes into two parts and add to the garlic. Keep on fire for no more than two minutes: the cherry tomatoes should not turn into tomato sauce.
Add beans (canned or pre-cooked), salt and pepper to your liking. Fry for a minute. If the pasta is not ready by this time, remove from heat.
Mix pasta with prepared vegetables. Add some pasta water if needed. Warm up together a little, stirring.

It is recommended to serve the pasta immediately, garnished with chopped parsley.

Buckwheat with vegetables

Photo source: iamcook.ru

This recipe is varied: vegetables can be used both fresh and frozen, replacing one with another according to the season. In any case, the porridge will turn out incredibly tasty and satisfying.

As already indicated, feel free to replace the proposed set of vegetables with your favorite products if desired. According to our recipe, buckwheat is prepared from:

buckwheat - 170 g;
onion and zucchini - 1 pc.;
cauliflower - a dozen small inflorescences;
tomatoes - 3 pcs.;
garlic and spices - to taste.

Photo source: iamcook.ru

Diversify your daily menu by preparing porridge as follows:

Rinse the cereal and cook it as directed on the package. Usually it is buckwheat and water 1:2. Let the water boil, cover the pan with a lid and leave over medium heat.
Fry all vegetables over high heat to preserve their beneficial properties. Chop the garlic and onion finely. Fry a little.
Add diced zucchini and cabbage to the onions. Fry briefly so that the cabbage does not have time to soften.
Cut the tomato into fairly large cubes. Add to vegetables and cook for a couple of minutes.
Pour the prepared porridge over the vegetables, salt and season all the ingredients. Stir.

With such dishes, even fast days can become incredibly tasty.

Vegetarian cutlet

Vegetable cutlets can give a head start to meat cutlets. The main thing is to approach their preparation creatively. Cut 10 peeled potatoes into several pieces and boil in salted water. At this time, chop 300 g of champignons and sauté with onions until golden brown. Mash the finished potatoes with a potato masher, add 100 ml of milk, 3-4 tbsp. l. flour and beat with a mixer into a dough. Divide it into 6-8 flatbreads, put mushrooms and onions on each and form cutlets. All that remains is to fry them properly in a hot frying pan with oil. This hearty dish for vegetarians will interest even those who only accept meat cutlets.

Broccoli for everyone

A bowl of thick, creamy broccoli soup will conquer any hunger. Divide the head of broccoli into florets and place in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. We fry carrots and onions in a saucepan. Sprinkle it with 4 tbsp. l. flour, pour in a glass of milk and cream, then 4 glasses of vegetable broth. Season the mixture with a pinch of nutmeg and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Add broccoli and cook the soup for another 15 minutes. At the end, pour in 250 g of grated cheese, beat with a blender and keep on low heat for a couple of minutes. The best addition to this dish is crispy garlic croutons. Even if someone in your family doesn't like broccoli, this soup will be a hit with them.

How to diversify the menu to make it delicious?

Veganism is not about bland food and giving up all your favorite dishes. You can make various interesting and tasty recipes from plant products. For example, prepare vegetable or mushroom soups, replace minced meat in your favorite Bolognese pasta with soy, and when preparing baked goods, give up cow’s milk in favor of rice or coconut milk.

Vegan recipes can be found on the portals Vege.one, Vegetarian or in Jamie Oliver's books “Jamie's Choice. No meat”, Katerina Sushko “No fish, no meat”.

“There are a lot of materials about how someone ate plants for a month and this is what happened (nothing). But I liked this friendly article because it is about how a nutritionist tried eating only vegan food for a week. Ideal to show or tell to parents. Moreover, there are pictures inside with beautiful and varied dishes.”
Anya Sakharova

Mushroom paste

Pasta is a product created as if specifically for hearty vegetarian dishes. Nests in creamy mushroom sauce confirm this perfectly. Soak 70 g of dried mushrooms in boiled water for an hour. While they are soaking, fry 2 tbsp. l. flour in 50 g butter until creamy. Pour in 300 ml of heated cream, salt and pepper to taste, mix well and remove from heat. Brown the swollen mushrooms with onions in oil and combine with the creamy mixture. Place the nested pasta in a heat-resistant form in one layer, pour in the sauce and bake for 30 minutes at 160°C. This delicious dish will give you a pleasant and long-lasting feeling of fullness.

Where to buy vegan products?

A basic menu can be compiled in any supermarket near your home - vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, and cereals are available almost everywhere. Products to diversify your diet are a little more difficult to find.

If you live in Moscow or St. Petersburg, then the nearest vegan stores and catering establishments can be found in the Vegan Guide. There are no such guides for residents of the regions yet, but a search engine for the request “buy vegan products in...” will probably return a couple of suitable places.

You can also use delivery from online stores, for example, Happy Vegan Shop, Vega Woogie, Soyka, 24veg, 4fresh.

“I rarely shop in vegan stores; more often I find everything I need in regular supermarkets and markets.”
Anya Sakharova

Creamy lasagna

Who said lasagna can't be satisfying without meat? Knead 4 tbsp in a mortar. l. pine nuts with 2 cloves of garlic, gradually mixing in 2 bunches of chopped basil and 250 g of ricotta. You can replace it with cream cheese. Whisk another 250 g of ricotta with 100 ml of cream. Place 500 g of lasagna sheets in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Line a baking dish with some of them and grease with nut-basil paste. Coat the second layer of lasagna with cream cheese mixture. Repeat the layers twice, sprinkle with grated cheese and place in an oven preheated to 200°C for 15 minutes. If you're tired of regular casseroles, this dish will add fresh color to your menu.

pumpkin sun

Recipes for hearty vegetarian dishes are also presented with baked goods. Such as a galette with onions, pumpkin and potatoes according to the recipe of our author Elena. This rainbow pie will satisfy and lift the spirits of the whole family.

What hearty meat-free dishes do you know? What unusual things do you please your vegetarian friends and capricious home gourmets? Share your proven recipes with the readers of the “Eat at Home!” club.