How To Do The dash diet for vegans?
The dash diet for vegans is perfectly suitable because it encourages the consumption of plants above all and in sufficient quantities. At the same time it promotes a low consumption of saturated and even polyunsaturated fats such as meats, cold cuts, etc.
WHY is it good to combine Vegan with a DASH diet?
- Weight loss
The dash diet was originally created to control high blood pressure, and then gradually became one of the most popular diets for weight loss. So by combining the two diets we will obtain a healthy diet that helps to get rid of the most common cause of hypertension which is obesity or overweight, then control hypertension and improve heart health.
- Improving cardiovascular health
The dash diet does not prohibit any food, but it does prohibit the poor quality of certain processed foods full of additives. Thus it encourages the consumption of lean meat and far from the saturated fat that can affect our heart. In parallel the vegan diet prohibits everything that is of animal origin. Eat only vegetable food. So there is much less fat and therefore a better cardiovascular health.
- Encourages the consumption of veggies & fruits
In fact, the vegan diet is a comfort to the DASH diet. The latter recommends eating at least 4 to 6 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. By being vegan, we are obliged to consume a sufficient quantity of fruits and vegetables. They are super beneficial for cardiovascular health, firstly because they contain good amounts of potassium and secondly because they are very good for the liver cause of their diuretic qualities which allow the elimination of excess fluids in the body, thus lowering blood pressure.
- Importance of dietary fiber in heart health !
Thus, the dietary fiber contained in fruits and veggies (soluble fiber) contributes in an excellent way to lower cholesterol levels in the blood,
How to do the DASH diet for Vegans to avoid health risks?
Certainly combining the dash diet for vegans seems like a very good idea and has benefits for cardiovascular health and weight loss but it still carries health risks
However, there may be some disadvantages, such as the risk of a deficit or deficiency in high quality proteins (which can only be obtained from animal sources), vitamin B12 or iron. This means that meat and animal foods must be compensated by other foods rich in iron and vitamin B12.
You should eat daily : the Top protein-rich vegan foods suitable for the DASH diet!
- Vegan eggs: Choose organic eggs. You can get 20g of high quality protein from: the substitute of 2 average vegan eggs, which is the equivalent of 400g of meat or offal, and 130g of dry ham.
- 3/4 of soy milk,
- Spirulina: it is too rich in good quality protein such as meat! only 30g of organic powder (in pharmacies) of spirulina, which means 2 tablespoons will offer you 20g of protein!
Indeed spirulina is an excellent source of vegan proteins that you can consume during your dash vegan diet.
- 100g of red lentils + 100g of red beans, that is to say 200g of dried vegetables will offer you 20g of proteins too.
- 180 of tofu
Since we are on a DASH diet which is a healthy diet, I can’t recommend pistachios, cashew nuts, and peanuts, they are very rich in protein but they are salty (rich in sodium).
But it is good to eat them in limited quantities because they have the same amount of monounsaturated fat which is a good fat, with the polyunsaturated (which is indicated in limited quantities in the dash diet) but still hypercaloric.
Also, You must avoid the following foods :
- Processed foods and convenience foods
- Refined grains
- Sweetened products
- Salt and salty products: canned goods, deli meats, cheese, smoked products, etc.
- Red meat
- Fried and breaded foods
- Butter
- Alcohol ( limited quantity )
- Sodas
- Industrial preparations: cookies, cakes, pastries, etc.
So the question is to avoid everything that is prepared or refined even though the product is vegan, and to replace animal protein by plant based high quality protein like it’s mentioned above. but the principle of the dash diet is harder, it is to eat even healthier than vegan!
What not to eat during the DASH diet vegan meal plan?
- Meat and derivatives.
Lean meat is not prohibited on the free DASH diet, but it should not be included on the vegan diet. Therefore, if you are on the vegan-dash diet, you should not eat any type of meat or its derivatives.
- Milk of animal origin / Whole milk
in the dash diet, whole milk is forbidden, it is better to consume skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, in parallel the vegan diet does not allow milk of animal origin, so during the vegan dash diet, you can consume milk of vegetable origin like almond milk, soy milk which is rich in proteins.
- Fish and shellfish
Fish in limited quantities is not forbidden in the dash diet, but it is forbidden in the vegan diet.
- Eggs
Fortunately, there are already vegan egg substitutes, with the same taste of eggs. Vegan eggs are rich in protein and have 0 cholesterol. Which is the big advantage.
- Added sugar, sweets
Must be avoided in any healthy and balanced diet, no nutritional value, on the contrary, a little pleasure with great regret 5 minutes after having taken them.
- Sodium
We should always be careful with the amount of salt, which we consume according to the dash diet recommendations. Fortunately and thanks to the vegan diet, we eat a lot of vegetables and fruits rich in potassium, which gives balance to our body. This is another reason why the vegan dash diet is a good combination.
- Alcohol
Alcohol in general is vegan, but beware of some alcohol containing gelatin, egg substitute, or fish or honey
The vegan alcohols are : Liquors, whiskey, rum.
However 2 glasses maximum for men, and only one glass for women and they should be taken right after meals (on a full stomach) as a healthier way.
How to not lose weight on a dash diet for vegans?
If you don’t want to lose weight anymore :
- Eat potatoes!
I’m not telling you to eat only potatoes, but that your plate should still include starchy foods because they are essential for weight gain or to keep your current weight especially since the dash for vegans diet are two restrictive diets that aim to lose weight.
I chose the potato because it contains potassium (good for high blood pressure), rich in vitamin B and magnesium (magnesium is the sleep nutrient that reduces stress and helps you sleep). This composition helps you gain weight while maintaining your health. Boil them in water or in the oven, but not fried!
How many potatoes per day to gain or keep your weight on the dash for vegans diet?
2 medium potatoes per day if there are no starchy foods (I’m going to name the starchy foods right now). If there are other starchy foods at the same meal, one medium-sized potato is enough, but preferably do not mix two starchy foods at the same meal: one potato in the morning, another starchy food (80 to 100g depending on the person) at the other meal.
- Eat Wild rice
It also helps to gain or keep the same weight you have now. Like the potato. It’s low in calories but high in good nutrients. Low in calories does not mean that it will not help you keep your current weight or even gain weight. It’s very healthy
- Oatmeal
Always include it in breakfast, put it in almond milk.
- Vegan Wholemeal bread
If your plate is 100% green vegetables. That is to say it is very low in calories. For that you have to eat this dish with 40g or two slices of vegan wholemeal bread. To not lose weight again.
DASH Vs Vegan diet ?
If you want to choose one of the two, I would say dash diet. which has been elected as the number 1 diet for 6 years in a row. it is too similar to the mediterranean diet, these two diets do not bring any prohibitions, but ensure a better quality of food.
The vegan diet seems to be a very effective way to lose weight and preserve the health of the heart and arteries, but it is too restrictive, the body and some hormones still need high quality proteins that are difficult to obtain with plant foods. Besides vitamin B12 and iron.
So a sensitive subject on a vegan diet and without control and monitoring by a doctor and dietician can cause health problems. The vegan diet should not be followed for more than 3 months.
Dash diet for vegans recipe !
Crushed potato
You boil 2 small potatoes with the peel. with 2 vegan eggs.
Once cooked, you mash the potatoes and add a pinch of salt, for the hypertensive people don’t add salt. Also you add a tablespoon of olive oil (this oil contains only good monounsaturated fat, very good for health). You crush well. And you eat with a fork.
Note: this dish should be eaten after a starter, soup, or salad, or raw vegetables.
It is a very easy recipe, fast but delicious. If you are looking for more pleasure, replace the normal potato with the sweet potato, the taste will be more wonderful.
Enjoy!
Dash diet for vegans meal plan
Breakfast
- 1 cup of soy milk, with oatmeal
- 1 vegan egg
- Fruit
Note : coffee is not forbidden, but it must be organic, for coffee lovers
Lunch
- chicory
- Red lentil soup
- Natural vegan yurt
- 2 eggs
Snack
- oatmeal in a natural yogurt (for those who do not want to lose weight. Those who want to lose weight, avoid snacks.
Dinner
- Raw vegetables
- white beans in sauce or baked tomatoes and peppers
- 1 glass of almond milk
- Fruit
Bottom line
Finally, if you are vegan, your way of eating is a little bit close to that of the DASH diet, but it needs some tweaking on the part of the dash diet to become more effective on cardiovascular health, and especially for people who want to lose weight.
I have given you the healthiest method, how to combine these two diets. However, I don’t recommend following them for more than 3 months, because it is not a good combination for the long term. The dash diet alone is effective, whether it’s for weight loss or just to maintain your overall health. The dash diet is too similar to the Mediterranean diet, but for me the latter is even more effective.
