Healthy and vegan snacks: if breakfast and snack times are what the times you tend to deviate from a good diet, know that there are many easy and quick recipes to try, suitable even for those who are always on the go.
Why vegan? We had it explained by a doctor who is one of the leading experts on the subject. Keep reading to find out which common myths she helped us debunk.
Healthy and Vegan Snacks
What You Should Know About the Vegan Diet
“Low environmental impact and maximum health benefits”: according to Dr. Silvia Goggi (a specialist in nutritional science), there are no doubts about the advantages of a 100% plant-based diet, which she herself has adopted for almost 10 years.
Whether eliminating all foods and derivatives of animal origin is a choice of ethical, health, or environmental nature, in any case, it must always be adopted with the right precautions and under medical consultation.
Especially to avoid nutritional deficiencies, which, as the doctor explained to us, can also be caused by an omnivorous diet: “Any diet, if unbalanced, leads to deficiencies, whether it’s omnivorous, vegan, or vegetarian.
If you choose to become vegan, the important thing is to build a dietary plan that includes and combines all plant groups in the right way. Therefore, cereals, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds should never be missing.”
So, is it possible to bid farewell to meat and animal proteins without risking health? According to Dr. Goggi, one of the first promoters in Italy of a 100% plant-based diet, the answer is yes: “There are no dangers; indeed, there is now a large body of literature in terms of prevention and treatment of major chronic diseases.
A very common mistake is to make comparisons and, for example, compare chickpeas with meat. It is clear that they are different foods; it makes no sense to compare the protein content of individual foods.
But what matters to get enough protein is that plant food groups are consumed throughout the day, and the proteins will come naturally.
And then just look at the pyramid of the Mediterranean diet: the base is all plant-based, so it is evident how even omnivores derive most of their needs from plants.
However, it is important to remember to take vitamin B12 with supplements, as it is not present in sufficient quantities in any vegetable.”
On the advantages that arise from saying goodbye to meat, eggs, cheeses, and all products of animal origin or derivation, the doctor explains more: “The vegan diet helps intestinal regularity after just a few days because it maximizes the possible intake of fiber and provides more clarity because it contains fewer saturated fats that make the blood thicker and, therefore, circulation slower.”
And she adds: “Over the long term, a plant-based diet has its effects in terms of preventing diabetes, heart attacks, tumors, and high blood pressure.“
Overnight oatmeal with apples and cinnamon in oat milk
Ingredients:
220g of unsweetened oat milk
50g of oat flakes
150g of apples
20g of almonds
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
Preparation:
For the base, mix the oat flakes with the oat milk in a tall jar with a tight seal or a glass. Let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning, add the peeled and diced apple, cinnamon, and chopped almonds with a knife, and serve. This quick vegan recipe will help you save time while getting all the nutrients you need for an energized day.
Dried fruit and nut bars
Ingredients:
150g of dried figs
130g of dried blueberries
150g of almonds
15g of chia seeds
15g of whole flax seeds
40g of dark chocolate
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Put all the ingredients except the chocolate in a mixer (soak the figs in hot water for 10 minutes before chopping). Grind until you get a workable but still granular mixture.
With a slight pressure with your fingers, it should compact without crumbling.
Spread the mixture in a square or rectangular cake pan, leveling it with the help of a spatula. Let it compact in the freezer for 20 minutes, then with the help of a knife cut the bars. If you want, you can decorate each bar with melted dark chocolate in a double boiler.
These vegan bars are a great alternative to store-bought ones, which contain a lot of additional unhealthy ingredients.
Carrot and Almond Energy Balls
Ingredients:
120g of oat flakes
8 dates
80g of almonds
1 carrot
1 lemon
½ teaspoon of vanilla powder
Preparation:
Put the dates, almonds, oats, carrot, lemon zest, and juice, and vanilla in a mixer and grind until you get a workable but still granular mixture.
With a small amount of mixture at a time, form balls with the help of your hands. Try not to eat these delicious vegan balls all at once…it will be hard!
Chickpea Rosemary Flatbread
Ingredients:
100g of chickpea flour
100g of all-purpose flour
8g of fresh yeast
½ teaspoon of sugar
4 sprigs of rosemary
100g of water
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Preparation:
In a bowl, activate the yeast with 40g of water and sugar, then mix. Add the flours, activated yeast, chopped rosemary, salt, and the rest of the water.
Knead with the help of a spoon and add olive oil.
Knead vigorously with your hands for about 5 minutes. Let the dough rise in the bowl for at least 2 hours in a warm and dry place (for example, covered with a cloth in the oven with the light on).
Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and form balls to place in a baking pan covered with parchment paper and flatten them with the back of a spoon, giving each ball a rounded shape.
Make small depressions by gently pressing with your fingers and season with more chopped rosemary and, if desired, a few grains of coarse salt.
Bake the flatbread in a static oven at 220°C for 10 minutes.
**WFPB: The Vegan Diet for Weight Loss and Detox**
**Try Gwyneth Paltrow’s 5 Day Detox Plan**
