Once of the easiest ways to do this is to make home-cooked meals which will mean you can ensure all of the necessary nutrients are included. A common mistake of switching to a vegan diet is to stop forward planning and relying on ready meals – these don’t provide your body with everything it needs, resulting in your health suffering. Pre-prepared vegan and vegetarian meals simply don’t provide your body with what it needs. For example, you need to ensure you’re getting plenty of iron to avoid becoming anaemic as well as ensuring you get plenty of vitamin B12 and calcium, which you can get from sources such as fortified tofu and dried fruits.
Another mistake besides lacking in nutrients is avoiding making an effort to eat regularly – for many, this results in dramatic weight loss. Once people become vegan, they find the sudden limited choice overwhelming and choosing varied and healthy meals becomes a chore. By simply planning your meals in advance, you can ensure you eat regularly and provide your body with nutritious meals that are rich in fruit, vegetables and protein.
Try to read vegan cookbooks or trawl the internet for recipe ideas to help make this planning a little easier, and provide a little more variety with ideas you may not have thought of. Similarly, attending vegan food festivals or joining a cooking class can really spark your creativity and help you to develop a strong repertoire of healthy meals. Once you have a better understanding of the various food replacements on offer to you, you’ll find managing your diet far easier.