My First Day As A Vegan: An Emotional Journey

The first day of a vegan diet can be exciting, but it may also be challenging for some. People may experience an energy boost from increased fruit, vegetable, and nut consumption, which provide a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. However, there may be a shift in bowel function, with some experiencing more regular bowel movements and others facing issues like bloating and loose stools due to the higher fibre content. It is important to plan meals and snacks to maintain consistent energy levels and ensure a balanced intake of essential nutrients.

Energy boost from removing processed meats

The first thing people often notice when starting a vegan diet is an energy boost that comes with the removal of processed meats. This is replaced with fruits, vegetables, and nuts, which boost vitamin, mineral, and fibre levels.

Vitamin and Mineral Boost

Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are packed with vitamins and minerals, which can give you a natural energy boost. For example, nuts are a great source of healthy fats, which can provide a slow release of energy throughout the day.

Planning Meals

Planning meals in advance can also help to sustain consistent energy levels. Thinking ahead about what you will eat means you are more likely to eat nutritious food and less likely to reach for convenience foods, which can cause energy spikes and crashes throughout the day.

Removing Processed Meats

Processed meats are often high in salt, sugar, additives, and preservatives, which can be detrimental to your health. They can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, which can leave you feeling tired and sluggish.

Healthier Alternatives

By removing processed meats from your diet, you are more likely to reach for healthier alternatives, such as plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, and tofu. These foods are lower in calories and still provide you with the protein you need to keep your energy levels up.

Long-Term Benefits

After a few months of eating a vegan diet, your body will be functioning as it is supposed to. You will feel healthier and will have more consistent energy levels, without the crashes caused by processed meats.

Improved bowel function

What to Expect

On the first day of a vegan diet, you may experience a boost in energy levels due to the removal of processed meat from your diet. This is replaced with fruits, vegetables, and nuts, which boost your vitamin, mineral, and fibre levels. However, the change in diet may also cause an increase in bloating, wind, and loose motions. This is due to the higher fibre content of a vegan diet and the simultaneous increase in carbohydrates that ferment in the gut.

Long-Term Effects

Over time, a vegan diet may lead to a shift in bowel function towards a more regular and healthy pattern. This is because the vegan diet is rich in fibre, which is essential for digestive wellness. As a result, bowel movements become more regular, and the diversity of bacteria in the colon may increase, which can be beneficial for the whole system.

Tips for Improvement

To improve bowel function, it is important to eat plenty of fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It is also crucial to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, as adequate fluid intake is necessary to enhance the positive effects of dietary fibres on stool frequency regulation. In addition, regular exercise can help improve bowel function.

Potential Drawbacks

While a vegan diet can improve bowel function for some people, it is important to note that it may not be suitable for everyone. For example, those who follow a vegan diet may be at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which can cause symptoms such as breathlessness, exhaustion, poor memory, and tingling in the hands and feet. It is important to monitor vitamin B12 levels and consider taking supplements if necessary.

Comparison to Other Diets

When compared to other diets, such as the Standard American Diet, a vegan diet typically contains more fibre, which can help improve bowel function. However, it is important to note that a vegan diet that is high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates may not provide the same benefits and can potentially lead to irritable bowel syndrome. Therefore, it is crucial to adopt a well-planned and balanced vegan diet to optimise bowel function.

Clearer skin

How a Vegan Diet Can Help

A vegan diet can help with acne, psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and atopic dermatitis. This is because a vegan diet is devoid of animal-based products and, when well-balanced, is high in low-glycemic-load foods like fruits and vegetables. These foods have an anti-inflammatory effect and can help prevent and reduce acne lesions.

It can take between three to six months for a vegan diet to help acne to clear up. This is because the increase in fruit and vegetable consumption and the reduction in processed food can help to reduce inflammation in the body.

In addition to a vegan diet, other dietary changes can help with inflammatory skin conditions. For example, acne can be improved by avoiding dairy and foods with a high glycemic index. For psoriasis, it is recommended to avoid alcohol, gluten, and nightshades, and to add fish oil/omega-3, vegetables, and vitamin D.

It is important to note that a vegan diet may not provide all the nutrients needed to support skin health. In particular, vitamin B12 and vitamin D are commonly lacking in vegan diets. Therefore, it may be necessary to take supplements or eat fortified foods to ensure adequate intake of these nutrients.

Less bloating

Bloating is a common side effect of switching to a vegan diet, but there are many ways to reduce it.

Water

Drinking a glass of water with every fibre-heavy meal can help move fibre through your digestive tract, making it more easily digestible and causing less bloat. It is recommended to drink 2-3 litres of water per day, but be sure to spread it out, as drinking too much water with your meals can impair digestion.

Cooking

Opting for cooked veggies over raw can also help with bloating. While some vegetables, like celery, carrots, cucumber and bell pepper, are typically fine to eat raw, it is recommended to cook cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale and collards. Cooking these vegetables can kill the goitrogens they contain, which have been found to suppress thyroid gland function and even create an enlarged thyroid.

Probiotics and digestive enzymes

Taking a daily probiotic supplement that contains acidophilus and Bifidus strains of bacteria can help combat gas, bloating and irregularity. Taking a vegan digestive enzyme supplement can also help with bloating, as they help you digest your food more easily and break it down more quickly.

Food choices

Some foods are more likely to cause bloating than others. It is recommended to stick to lower-sugar and high-water content fruits, such as berries, oranges, cantaloupe and watermelon. Garlic and onions can also cause digestive distress and wreak havoc on a sensitive tummy, so it may be better to opt for herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Beans can also be difficult to digest, so it is recommended to start with smaller servings of smaller legumes like red split lentils or split peas.

Meal timing and size

It is recommended to eat a smaller breakfast and a larger dinner, as eating a large breakfast can cause bloating throughout the day. Eating smaller meals in general can also help with bloating.

Heightened taste buds

Transitioning to a vegan diet can be a challenging but rewarding experience, and one of the most surprising changes you may notice is the transformation of your taste buds. Within a few weeks of adopting a plant-based diet, you may find that your taste preferences and sensitivity to certain flavours begin to shift.

The Science Behind Taste Bud Changes

Science confirms that your taste buds do undergo changes in response to dietary adjustments. For example, if you start a low-sugar or low-salt diet, foods containing refined sugar or high amounts of sodium will soon taste too sweet or salty. Similarly, a diet low in fat can alter your fat cravings. This adjustment period may be why diets are often hardest at the beginning, as your taste buds need time to adapt to the new flavours and textures of plant-based foods.

Taste Sensitivity

After a few weeks of eating vegan, you may notice that you no longer crave salad dressings or added flavourings on your vegetables. The subtle flavours of plain vegetables become more appealing, and you may even start to crave healthy foods like roasted veggies and chickpeas. The longer you stick with a plant-based diet, the more your taste buds will learn to appreciate and enjoy these new flavours.

Cravings

In addition to heightened taste sensitivity, you may also experience a reduction in cravings, especially for sweets. California-based content director Alexandria Abramian, who recently switched to a vegan diet, reported, "My whole sense of taste is heightened, and food brings me so much pleasure. And, my hard-to-tame sweet tooth has pretty much disappeared."

Perceived Taste of Meat

Not only do plant-based diets alter the taste of vegan foods, but they can also change the way meat tastes to you. Some people who have adopted a vegan diet report that meat now tastes sour or bitter, a whole new flavour profile from what they remember. This change in taste perception may be due to the removal of meat's high sodium and saturated fat content from your diet, allowing your taste buds to reset and become more sensitive to these strong flavours.

Frequently asked questions