The “typical” Western diet has gradually been getting a makeover as the vegan diet gains momentum due to its multiple benefits. While meat lovers may reject it as a “new-fangled” trend, Veganism has become a widespread movement that is here to stay! If you have wondered, “What is a vegan diet good for?” read on to better understand the benefits of a healthy vegan diet for your health, skin, and the planet.

What Is a Vegan Diet
A vegan diet is a plant-based clean eating plan that excludes meat, dairy, and all other animal products. Vegans avoid all meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and other animal-based foods, and their byproducts, as part of the Veganism movement. A whole-food vegan diet replaces meat and animal products with the following:

1. Fruits and vegetables deliver carbohydrates, Vitamin B9 (Folate), antioxidant Vitamin C, Potassium, and fiber. They provide energy, help maintain blood sugar, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and eye problems, control appetite, and promote gut health.
2. Legumes (beans, broad beans, chickpeas, lentils, lima beans, peanuts, peas, soybeans) high in B vitamins, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and minerals (copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, and zinc) nourish the body.
3. Nuts and nut butters provide healthy fats, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. So long as you do not eat too many of these calorie-laden morsels, nuts can be an essential component of a healthy lifestyle.
4. Seeds provide healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, and vital vitamins and minerals.
5. Whole Grains are better for gut health and regularity, are more weight-loss friendly than simple carbohydrates, help prevent blood sugar spikes, etc.

Vegan vs. Vegetarian
Is a vegan a vegetarian? Not exactly. While both diets exclude meat, veganism is a more stringent diet and lifestyle. Unlike vegans, vegetarians do consume byproducts produced by animals. There are different types of vegetarianism. Here are a few examples:

1. Lacto vegetarians avoid eggs, fish, and meat but eat dairy.
2. Ovo vegetarians avoid dairy, fish, and meat but eat eggs.
3. Lacto-ovo vegetarians avoid fish and meat but eat dairy and eggs.
4. Pescatarians avoid meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs but eat fish.
5. Vegans consume only plant-based foods and often refrain from animal byproducts, including gelatin, honey, and ingredients produced by bees.

How Going Vegan Impacts Health
The potential health benefits of vegan diets are science backed. Forgoing meat, poultry, dairy, and fish may not appeal to everyone, but once you know how effective it can be for helping prevent various health issues and medical concerns, you might want to give it a second look. The top health benefits are as follows:

1. Lowers blood sugar and type 2 diabetes risk.
2. Maintains heart health and helps reduce heart disease risk.
3. Helps lose excess weight.
4. Improves kidney function.

Vegans and vegetarians can also experience reduced arthritis pain due to the antioxidants, carotenoids, and flavonoids – phytochemicals (plant-based compounds) that help protect against inflammation and oxidative damage.

Vegan Diet & Diabetes
A vegan diet may help prevent medical complications tied to diabetes from developing. Multiple studies reported that vegan diets may help relieve peripheral neuropathy pain commonly experienced in people with diabetes. Another study found that 43% of participants on a vegan diet could reduce their blood sugar-lowering medication dose, compared with 26% of participants on an ADA-recommended diet. Alpha-lipoic acid from chia, flax, hemp seeds, walnuts, and soybeans help lower blood sugar levels, neutralize free radicals, and help minimize diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Vegan Diet & Cancer
The protection against certain cancers alone makes it worthwhile to say goodbye to cheeseburgers. A vegan diet may help protect against breast, colon, lung, mouth, pancreatic, prostate, stomach, throat, and colon cancer, as proven by a 2017 study that found vegans benefitted from a 15% reduced risk of developing this disease. Regular legume consumption may reduce colorectal cancer risk by 9 -18%, with soy from vegan diets offering some protection against breast cancer. Avoiding red meat, processed meats, smoked meat, or meats cooked at high temperatures thought to promote certain types of cancers is a significant reason for these promising statistics. However, dairy may or may not be the reason. While some studies suggest dairy may slightly increase the risk of prostate cancer, contrary evidence indicates dairy may help reduce colorectal and other cancer risks.

Vegan Diet & Heart Health
The fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes, and whole grains that make up a vegan diet are linked with a lower heart disease risk and may promote heart health by reducing the contributing factors. Several randomized controlled studies report that vegan diets reduce total cholesterol levels more effectively than others. In contrast, observational studies of vegans show that they may have a 75% lower risk of developing high blood pressure. Nuts are rich in L-arginine, which may improve cholesterol and overall blood vessel health while lowering blood pressure, benefitting heart health. In addition, unsaturated fats from nuts help raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Plus, the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts may help prevent erratic heart rhythms. Whole grains contain fiber, which reduces bad LDL cholesterol and makes you feel fuller longer, helping maintain healthier weights and lower heart disease risk.

Vegan Diet & Weight Loss
Does going vegan help you lose weight? While weight loss is not guaranteed, multiple studies show that balanced vegan diets are effective for losing weight. If you want to shed some extra pounds, these findings may convince you to give a vegan diet a try:

1. Several randomized controlled studies indicate vegan diets are more effective for weight loss than other diets. For example, those on a vegan diet for over 16 weeks lost 13 lbs (6 kg) on average, while participants following a Mediterranean diet or standard Western omnivorous diet did not experience notable weight loss.
2. Observational studies suggest vegans tend to have lower body mass indexes (BMIs) and be thinner than nonvegans.
3. Vegans also lost more weight in a study than people who included meat or fish in their diets. If you cannot give up dairy and eggs but want to lose weight, you may be happy to know that vegans and vegetarians lost the same amount in this study.
4. Another small study discovered that eating a low-fat, high-fiber vegan diet resulted in more weight loss than a typical low-fat diet.
5. Although we need more research to understand which factors of a vegan diet contribute to weight loss, lower caloric intake and higher amounts of fiber from whole foods are likely aspects.
6. People who shed a few pounds after a vegan diet also experience less pressure and stress on joints - an excellent “side effect.”
7. Unlike high protein, low carb, or other fad diets that may provide short-term weight loss, a well-planned, balanced vegan diet can be a long-term lifestyle without the potential risks.

Vegan Diet & Arthritis
An antioxidant-rich vegan diet may reduce osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. A small 6-week study found that participants on a vegan diet experienced better general functioning, higher energy levels, and reduced pain versus participants on an omnivorous diet. Additional studies found that a vegan diet may help alleviate pain, joint swelling, and morning stiffness in people with rheumatoid arthritis, presumably due to the lack of trigger foods and higher antioxidant, fiber, and probiotic content.

Vegan Diet & Skin
You may have heard influencers saying, “How going vegan changed my skin!” and been skeptical upon seeing them hawk the newest vegan supplement. But does going vegan help your skin? It absolutely can - when done right! Western diets have been shown to disrupt the skin’s microbiome, negatively impact skin health, and trigger skin diseases. For example, smoked meats increase AGES (advanced glycation end products) that trigger collagen breakdown, contributing to wrinkle formation and sagging skin. In contrast, a vegan diet is typically higher in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, and fiber found to protect, nourish, and balance the microbiome. The abundance of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables also reduces our vulnerability to UV damage by helping lessen the minimal erythema dose and fighting off oxidative stress that causes DNA damage and wrinkles. The anti-inflammatory effect of a diet high in whole plant-based foods can help minimize acne and other inflammatory skin conditions, like rosacea, dermatitis, and eczema. Together, these factors render the skin smooth, glowing, and healthy.

How much does going vegan help with acne? It certainly helps, but will not resolve acne 100%. However, eliminating dairy, particularly skim milk, can help minimize stubborn acne. By pairing an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich vegan diet with clean skincare for acne, including the best exfoliator for acne prone skin, acne mask, and non-comedogenic face moisturizer, breakouts will subside, and skin will regain a clearer, calmer appearance. For redness and irritation, gentle calming formulas suitable for temperamental skin will complement the results of your vegan diet.

Note: Studies suggest that vegan diets can slow wound healing. So, consuming ample amounts of leafy greens, legumes, healthy fats, etc., and supplementing with B12 and other micro-nutrients like iron and zinc is essential to give your skin the building blocks to repair itself quickly.

More Reasons To Go Vegan
Many choose to “go vegan” for ethical, religious, or environmental concerns. This way of eating may align with their personal philosophy, love of animals, and dedication to environmental sustainability.

Ethical: Veganism extends beyond foods consumed to a more complete philosophy and lifestyle approach that excludes animal exploitation or harm for any purpose. This includes fishing, hunting, or purchasing goods, such as clothing, medicine, or cosmetics, that may involve research and production that adversely affects animals. Pevonia is a cruelty-free brand committed to providing many vegan, plant based skincare and body care products that refrain from animal testing to support this aim.

Religious: In Buddhism and Hinduism, veganism is more than just avoiding harm to animals. It is about spiritual development, ethical conduct, and a way to purify the mind and body that cultivates compassion and nonviolence.

Environment: How does going vegan help the environment? In general, vegetarian diets reduce pollution and consumption of oil resources, making plant-based diets an environmentally sustainable choice. Animal agriculture wastes land resources and causes greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. In contrast, plant-based foods require fewer resources and incur less harm to biodiversity, land, and water. Plus, methane or greenhouse gas emissions produced by sheep and cattle are found to be significantly lower for vegan diets compared to high-meat diets. Pevonia sources ingredients that align with our mission of sustainability. Learn more about our mission, conservation, and clean beauty standards here.

Nutrition Pros & Cons of Vegan Diets
A vegan diet can be nutrient-rich, with studies proving that these foods provide hefty doses of antioxidants (Vitamins A, C, and E), healthy fats, minerals (folate, iron, potassium, magnesium), plant compounds, and fiber, which help reduce overall risk for illness. Unfortunately, the iron plants provide is not as bioavailable as iron from animal foods, making it more challenging for your body to absorb. However, as it is challenging to get several nutrients in a vegan diet, planning what you eat is essential. Whole foods, fortified foods, and supplementation are necessary to receive sufficient amounts of Calcium, Iodine, Niacin, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Selenium, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Zinc, and Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids: which are lacking in vegan diets.

This is critical in the arena of brain health. Studies on how a vegan diet affects the brain indicate that the common Vitamin B12 deficiency can accelerate cognitive decline and that the lack of Vitamin D increases oxidative stress, highlighting the importance of supplementation to maintain this lifestyle choice. A vegan diet is not recommended for people prone to certain health conditions or concerns tied to zinc deficiency, including cancer, celiac disease, chronic alcohol abuse disorder, Crohn’s disease, and diabetes. And, if you are prone to anemia, anxiety, depression, weak bones, hypothyroidism, muscle wasting, hair loss, and skin rashes, consult your physician before making any dietary changes. If going vegan is not for you, increasing your daily intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, and legumes while limiting processed, smoked, and overcooked meats is still a healthy choice!

How to Go Vegan
Should you decide that what you can gain is more worthwhile than what you are losing, here are three easy ways to get started with a vegan lifestyle:

1. Eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and nut butters, seeds, and whole grains for a well-balanced, nutritious diet. Cooked at home, you will save a ton of money and have more options than you thought possible!
2. Choose vegan and clean skincare products and cosmetics.
3. For skincare, get a vegan glow-up daily with our natural eye makeup remover, the best natural face cleanser for aging skin and alcohol free toner with Vitamin A, Vitamin C serum, illuminating Peptide moisturizer, and blue light protectionocean safe sunscreen. For weekly care, use the Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, Enzymo Spherides Peeling Cream, Bright SkinGreen Apple Mask, and Resurfacing Glycocides® Cream.
4. For body care, use the Dry Oil Body Moisturizer or Lumafirm® Body Moisturizer for vegan-friendly luminosity!
5. Opt for non-leather shoes, belts, bags, and clothing.

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