It is in November, on the 1st, that World Veganism Day is celebrated, a lifestyle that goes far beyond food and spreads to different areas in our routine - we talk about our clothing choices, for example, and the way we look at animal treatment, which includes using animals for entertainment and for testing medicines or cosmetics.

Veganism is a lifestyle, but it is in food that its true core lies. Such a diet excludes any animal ingredients and is based on food given by the earth.
One of the big myths associated with the vegan diet is that it cannot provide the body with all the nutrients needed by the body. This is not true. What you can do regularly is to be aware of the nutrients that are more easily found in the omnivorous diet, as with vitamin B12.

In this case, vitamin supplements can be a great help for those who lack this vitamin. Otherwise, the essential elements of a balanced diet (protein, fibre, carbohydrates and healthy fats) can easily be found in a vegan diet.

This is a healthy lifestyle, although it may seem difficult to start. "With so many food options available (actually all except animal products) it only takes a little curiosity, motivation and creativity, so that in a few weeks or months, a newly vegan can become a real chef and make extremely healthy and tasty dishes known to their friends and family," reads the Associação Vegetariano Portuguesa website.

If you follow a vegan diet with the right ingredients, you get a diet rich in potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, C and E and antioxidants. Among the most common foods, are:
- Tofu
- Mushrooms
- Lentils
- Grains
- Seeds
- Dried fruit
- Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Seitan

The health benefits are many! Why choose a vegan diet? We here are some reasons:

- Lower risk of developing cancer. Since vegetables and fruits are more present in veganism than in other eating styles, there is actually less chance of developing cancer. A study developed in 2017, showed that vegans have 15% less risk of having this disease in many different organs: stomach, throat, lung, colon, prostate and pancreas.

- It prevents the development of cardiovascular disease. The figures are revealing: people with this diet are 75% less likely to have high blood pressure. high blood pressure. In addition, sugar levels also stabilise and cholesterol drops - two essential elements for strong heart health.

- Helps you lose weight. A vegan diet can even be a good option for those who are overweight. It turns out that diets that include meat, fish or are semi-vegetarian have more calories and fat than those that only include vegetables, grains, superfoods and other ingredients.

- It has an impact on mental health. There are already studies showing a positive relationship between a vegetable and fruit-based diet and mental health. 32% of participants diagnosed with depression saw their symptoms significantly reduced after 12 weeks of eating a vegetarian diet.

- The immune system improves. Regular consumption of antioxidants typically found in foods from a vegan diet help the body neutralise toxins, which come from processed food, viruses and even pollution. Antioxidants will fight so-called free radicals and reduce inflammation.

- The digestive and intestinal systems improve. The vegetables so commonly consumed in the vegan diet (cabbage, broccoli, sweet potatoes, asparagus, spinach, carrots or grains) are full of fibre, an essential ingredient for the proper functioning of both these systems.