Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
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Veganism is on the rise and this January many people will challenge themselves to ‘Veganuary’, a month-long campaign aimed at encouraging people to try out a vegan diet. A vegan diet contains only plant-based food and drink options and this can offer benefits for the environment, animal welfare and health.
The health benefits of a vegan diet depend on what food and drinks you choose. People who follow a vegan diet generally consume more fruit, veg and fibre, and less saturated fat than non-vegans, and this can have a positive impact on heart health.
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Tips for healthy eating as a vegan:
- Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day – keep it varied and colourful.
- Base your meals on starchy carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta and rice, and choose wholegrain versions to increase your fibre intake.
- Include dairy-free alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts and choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options where possible.
- Eat protein-rich foods such as beans, pulses, tofu, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
- Ensure you include some unsaturated oils and spreads in your diet. Rapeseed and flaxseed oils contain omega-3 fats, which can be beneficial for heart health.
Top yourself up!
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- To make sure your body isn’t missing out on essential nutrients, a vegan diet needs to be well-planned, and you might need to top up on some vitamins.
- At this time of the year, when sunlight exposure is limited, everyone in the UK should consider taking a vitamin D supplement. This is especially important if you’re cutting out animal products.
- You’ll also need to supplement on vitamin B12 as you can’t get this from plant-based foods. Check food labels for the word ‘fortified’- most vegan spreads, breakfast cereals and soya products have vitamin D, calcium and B12 added to them.
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The vegan diet isn’t the be all and end all to good health but taking a leaf out of the vegan way could set you off in the right direction when it comes to heart health. Why not give Veganuary a go? You could start with just one vegan meal a day, or one vegan day a week, and see how you like it!
To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website:
https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/
Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:
https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/
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