If you’ve had a lot of refined sugar and processed foods lately, you may feel that a vegan detox would benefit you greatly. This involves eating a diet based on fresh fruits and veggies, lean plant-based protein and high-fiber whole grains. You’ll be eliminating all forms of meat and other animal products, added sugars, and processed foods.
Although it’s true that our bodies detox as a natural process with the help of an extensive network of organs, cutting out unhealthy foods can support this process. Furthermore, a vegan detox comes with the benefits of a plant-based diet.
What To Eat On A Vegan Detox
Some of the foods you should prioritize on a vegan diet, and their benefits include (11):
Rainbow Colored Fruits And Vegetables
There’s an excellent range of colorful plants in nature that are full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber (5). Make sure to aim for at least five servings each day.
Lean Plant-Based Proteins
These foods are rich in protein, B vitamins, iron, and other minerals (9). Include plant-based proteins like legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
Whole Grains
Unrefined grains contain more B vitamins than refined carbs because the former still have most or all of their original nutrients intact (12). In addition, they’re usually higher in dietary fiber than other sources of carbohydrates.
Healthy Fats
Unsaturated plant-based fats are considered healthy fats since they help maintain a healthy heart and brain (4). Examples of these include olive oil, avocado, and nuts.
Read More: 7-Day Detox Plan To Kick-Start Your Metabolism And Help You Lose Weight
7-Day Vegan Detox Meal Plan
Making modest modifications to your daily meals is one of the simplest ways to get acclimated to a plant-based diet. You may start this by removing animal products, meat, or dairy from your diet gradually and then work your way up to a fully vegan diet.
Another idea is to change your meal plan a little at a time, such as on the first week eat vegan breakfasts, second week add vegan lunches, and so on. You could also attempt using the ingredient swapping method; for example, instead of cow’s milk use almond milk or soya milk, coconut oil rather than butter.
Regardless of whichever way you choose to go about adopting the vegan diet, here is a sample meal plan that you can use for inspiration:
Day One
- Breakfast: Superfood smoothie bowl
- Lunch: Quinoa lentil salad
- Snack: Roasted nuts
- Dinner: Mixed beans, sweet potatoes, and turmeric rice
Day Two
- Breakfast: Apple cinnamon oatmeal
- Lunch: Turmeric ginger miso soup
- Snack: Celery and carrot sticks
- Dinner: Lentil tacos
Day Three
- Breakfast: Green juice with apple, kale, cucumber, celery, lemon, and ginger
- Lunch: Bean and veggie crockpot chilli
- Snack: Whole wheat crackers with avocado dip
- Dinner: Slow cooker butternut squash dal
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Day Four
- Breakfast: Granola with berries and soy milk
- Lunch: Baked tofu and steamed kale
- Snack: Trail mix
- Dinner: Gluten-free spaghetti of zucchini, eggplant, tomato sauce and basil
Day Five
- Breakfast: Overnight oats with fresh fruit topped with nuts
- Lunch: Brown rice salad with cucumber, onion, cilantro, parsley and vegan dressing on the side
- Snack: Fruit salad
- Dinner: Baked veggies, quinoa and kidney beans
Day Six
- Breakfast: Avocado toast
- Lunch: Chickpea salad
- Snack: Banana ice cream with peanut butter
- Dinner: Roasted sweet potatoes, kale and oven-baked tofu
Day Seven
- Breakfast: Quinoa breakfast bowl
- Lunch: Raw mango avocado salad
- Snack: Fresh orange slices and nuts
- Dinner: Vegan black bean burgers with sweet potato fries
Benefits Of The Vegan Detox Diet
When you go on a plant-based diet, your body might start changing for the better in just a few days. Here are some of the benefits of the vegan detox:
Manage Diabetes Symptoms
When you go vegan, your blood sugar levels are more stable because of all the fiber in vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains, which helps your body burn fuel continually instead of causing insulin to rise, which causes calories to be stored as fat. In fact, diabetics who switch to a vegan diet may be able to stop taking medications or at least have the dosage reduced. Furthermore, studies show that a person who follows a plant-based diet may reduce their chances of developing diabetes (10).
Food choices are very important to be aware of, because there are plenty of highly processed foods which are technically vegan. Only a vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains will provide the fiber that confers all these benefits.
Read More: 21-Day Detox Diet Menu: Eat This, Not That To Clean Your Body And Lose Weight
Improved Gut Health
To support proper digestion and bodily mechanics, vegans tend to eat more fiber from fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains. This dietary change helps improve your “gut microbiome,” which is filled with bacteria that keep you healthy (2).
Lower Cholesterol
Cutting processed foods while adding fresh produce has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol (10). A plant-based diet also reduces your risk for heart disease (1).
Reduced Blood Pressure
Vegans and vegetarians tend to weigh less than their meat-eating counterparts. Losing 5-10% of body weight is one way meaningfully reduce blood pressure for overweight or obese people with hypertension. So a healthy vegan diet may help you improve your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Better Weight Management
Since you’ll be eating fresh produce and whole grains while eliminating processed foods, you can expect healthy weight loss when you go vegan. However, you have to choose your vegan foods carefully. Eating too many refined carbs for example, can cause you to gain weight on a vegan diet.
More Energy
High fiber veggies and fruits increase energy because they take longer for the body to digest than sugar-rich foods (3). You’ll have sustained energy throughout the day, without the sugar crashes that are common on a diet rich in simple sugars.
Side Effects Of The Vegan Detox
In addition to these benefits, you can also expect a vegan detox diet to possibly have the following side effects:
Cravings
Anytime you make a major change that involves restricting certain foods from your diet, you are likely to crave the missing foods. Be patient with yourself during this time because soon, your taste buds will adapt and you’ll find vegan foods that satisfy you.
How To Resist Cravings While On A Raw Vegan Detox
The first step is to stay hydrated. Keep a bottle of water with you wherever you go and drink at least one glass before each meal.
Eat high-fat protein foods such as nuts and seeds. These will help manage your cravings for sugary or starchy foods that may be common on a vegan diet (6).
Finally, be more mindful about when, how, and what you eat. Instead of snacking mindlessly throughout the day, plan your eating times and eat at least three meals a day. Savor each meal, and listen for signs of fullness.
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How To Do A Vegan Detox
To get started on your detox, here are some tips:
Stock Up On Vegan Foods
To do a vegan detox, you have to stock up on the right foods. Clear out your fridge and pantry of all meats, processed foods, and refined carbs to ensure you’re not tempted to eat them while on the detox (8). Here’s what you’ll need to stock up on:
- Fresh produce – leafy greens, carrots, beets, apples and grapefruit.
- Whole grains – quinoa, brown rice and oats.
- Nuts and seeds – almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds.
- Dried fruits – dates and raisins.
- Plant-based protein sources – chickpeas and black beans.
- Vegan proteins – soy milk or tofu that also provide calcium.
Create A Detox Plan
To make sure you stay on track with the vegan detox plan, it’s best to create a detailed meal plan and shopping list. Create a meal plan for each week of your detox. Include breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as two snacks each day. Plan what you’ll eat on work days, weekends and special occasions such as parties or family events.
Meal Prep For Convenience
Meal prepping makes it easier to follow your vegan detox diet. When you have food ready to go, you’ll eat healthier throughout the week instead of relying on unhealthy snacks when hunger strikes. Stock up on healthy vegan foods that are quick and easy to prepare such as fresh fruit, salads, smoothies and sandwiches made with plant-based proteins like tofu or beans.
Brace Yourself For Social Interactions
Be prepared for social situations where everyone else is enjoying meat and dairy products as it may affect your diet (7). Going out in public while trying to stick with a vegan diet can be hard. You may feel tempted by less than healthy choices or self-conscious about what others will say if they notice you’ve cut meat and dairy products out of your diet. To help get through awkward social encounters without giving in to cravings, plan ahead by packing healthy vegan snacks that you can munch on.
The Bottom Line
Going on a vegan detox is one of the best things you can do for your health. Not only might it lower your risk of chronic diseases and help keep off extra weight, this diet can help improve gut flora and boosts energy levels. Healthy weight loss on a vegan diet, however, requires proper planning and some lifestyle changes such as avoiding refined carbs that can cause weight gain.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Associations between diet and cancer, ischemic heart disease, and all-cause mortality in non-Hispanic white California Seventh-day Adventists (1999, academic.oup.com)
- Dietary Fiber, Gut Microbiota, and Metabolic Regulation—Current Status in Human Randomized Trials (2020, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet (2021, mayoclinic.org)
- Fats and Other Lipids – Diet and Health – NCBI Bookshelf (1989, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Fruit and Vegetable Intake: Benefits and Progress of Nutrition Education Interventions- Narrative Review Article (2015, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Increased Dietary Protein as a Dietary Strategy to Prevent and/or Treat Obesity (2014, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Influence of the Socio-Cultural Environment and External Factors in Following Plant-Based Diets (2020, mdpi.com)
- Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets (2013, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Plant Proteins – an overview (n.d., ciencedirect.com)
- Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets (2003, jandonline.org)
- The vegan diet (2018, nhs.uk)
- Whole Grains | The Nutrition Source | Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health (n.d., hsph.harvard.edu)
