Being a vegan is a major decision that more and more people are making and committing to these days. People do it for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from health to ethical ones. Though it is a challenging diet to follow, so far there are many scientific studies revealing its many benefits for health and longevity.

This, however, doesn't mean the vegan diet is the best diet out there. Do your research and make sure you feed your body whole, healthy ingredients instead of foods coming from a factory. More about that later. Let me first briefly explain why we became 99% plant-based munchers. Who knows our story might inspire you to do the same ;)

Why We Decided To Go Vegan?

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Until September 2017 we still ate animal products in 2 to 3 meals a week and felt great. It's what they call the flexitarian diet. Though I often even excluded these meals from my diet for my once meat-loving hubby, vegan was just one step too far.

After seeing so many scientific studies and the two documentaries “What The Health” and “Earthlings'” my hubby and I decided to go vegan for 99 percent of our time. Sometimes we still make an exception for Cambodian wild honey, homemade yogurt, and eggs from the chickens that freely roam our garden.

A healthier way of living has made it possible for my hubby to control multiple sclerosis through the power of living a healthy active lifestyle. Amazing, right? We haven’t felt better in our entire lives and no issues for my hubby whatsoever.

Though my hubby is doing super well and almost never cheating our plant-based rules, the other day he ordered a dish with meat and said that he should have ordered the veggie option as it tasted better.... he has come from such a long way... but as you see it's just a matter of perception and habits. Once you get used to the delicious flavor of whole foods they will never fail to amaze you again!

Going vegan, however, is not always the healthier option since there are still a number of mistakes and misconceptions that vegans are likely to come across.

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I’m not asking you to become a vegan, that’s a decision we all have to make for ourselves, but if you still eat meat at least drastically reduce your intake and up the quality of your sources to avoids hormones, antibiotics and other nasty chemicals. And of course.... next to cruelty-free food, exercise and no processed foods are super important too.

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Here Is A List Of The 5 Most Common Vegan Mistakes

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1. Falling short of the vitamin B12

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Most of the vitamin b12 we get comes from animal products. It is not uncommon for vegans and vegetarians to struggle with b12 deficiencies. Since b12 is involved in bodily processes such as maintaining healthy blood cells and regulating DNA replication, it is essential we make sure our body doesn't fall short of this important nutrient.

Avoid this vegan mistake by eating vegan food sources containing vitamin B12 or taking high-quality nutritional supplements if needed.

2. Not consuming enough calories

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This was a mistake I made when I switched to eating mostly vegan foods. Apparently, I am not the only one.

Generally speaking, those who eat a mainly plant-based diet eat fewer calories than those who still eat meat, fish, and dairy. While this is going to help you lose weight, such prolonged deficit in calorie intake can sap all your energy. Also, when you don't feed your body enough nutrients nutrient deficiencies may occur and metabolic issues can arise.

3. Not drinking enough water

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We are big bags of water and need to make sure we keep our body well hydrated to maintain all our vital functions. Especially vegans need to drink plenty of water as they eat more dietary fiber. Adding more water to a diet rich in fibers is essential to prevent digestive issues such as constipation and bloating.

4. Not eating enough whole foods

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While vegan diets encourage people to eat fresh, whole foods at all times, some vegans don’t really eat enough whole foods. In the recent years veganism has become a hype and with so many people making the switch, vegan, processed convenient foods are flooding the market.

More often than not, their nutritional value is lacking and they often contain preservatives, colorants, and other nasty ingredients you want to avoid.

Though you can eat these vegan processed foods on occasion, make sure that you keep an emphasis on eating whole and natural foods.

5. Assuming that being vegan automatically makes them healthy

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The vegan diet has a lot of benefits when done correctly. A lot of people, however, fall into the trap of thinking that they are already healthy because they are vegan. Big mistake. Some of the unhealthiest people I know, feasting on cookies, ice cream, tv-dinners, are vegans.

There are more factors involved in maintaining good health and staying away from illness and disease than simply turning to the vegan diet. Being a vegan alone is not enough to ensure this. Knowing your food options (no processed crap), as well as getting enough exercise and managing your stress, are all important factors for maintaining good health.

As said earlier, don’t fall for the vegan processed foods. Every day new artificially produced or highly processed vegan foods enter the fast-growing market. Say no thanks to pre-made veggie burgers, fake meats, vegan ice cream, vegan cookies, soymilk or other vegan convenience foods. Say YES to fresh whole foods instead.

IT LOOKS GOOD AND TASTES GREAT!!!! EMBRACE THE WHOLE FOODS!

Veganism can be one of the best diets out there as long as you do it right. Correct these vegan mistakes and others that may not be covered by this article (and are very welcome in the comment section below). Just like we transformed our lives for the better it can make yours so much healthier and happier too.

And let's not forget we are not doing this only for ourselves but mother earth will also thank you for showing some respect!

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Thanks for reading! Until next time.

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