Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of both the vegan and paleo diet. It seems that vegan diets were trendy in the past couple years, along with kale and vegan cafes. Now, the paleo diet is becoming trendy as well, but the two could not be more more opposite.
People have been following these diets for years, and many do not see them as trends or fads, but many other people have decided to try everything out as well. I am one of those people who likes to try everything out, both to see what works best for me and just to see what they are like. I was raised as an omnivore on the Standard American Diet (SAD), was a vegetarian a few times, a vegan a couple of times, was gluten-free vegetarian once, pescetarian and now am eating meat again and incorporating some paleo meals. I am going to compare two of the most popular, vegan and paleo, and explain the basics along with the pros/cons and my personal opinion on each.
Vegan
Vegan diets have been rising in popularity in the past few years, but many people whom stick with it have a reason behind it besides it being trendy. People who follow a vegan diet do not consume any animal products including meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey and gelatin. They follow a diet of nuts, legumes, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. In addition to eating a vegan diet, traditionally they do not use animal products including wool, leather, silk, cashmere, fur and cosmetics made with animal products. People choose a vegan lifestyle for varied reasons, and perhaps the most popular is ethical reasons, followed by health and environmental reasons.
Now when I was a vegan, I always got asked about my protein. Even as a vegetarian, it was always the first question I was asked when I told somebody that I didn’t eat meat. Unfortunately, society has grown to believe that you MUST eat both meat and dairy in order to obtain protein, which could not be further from the truth. Vegans can get a sufficient amount protein from legumes, nuts and soy products, but almost every food in existence contains some amount of protein, and we need a lot less than you’d think.
If done right, a vegan diet can be one of health and vitality. I felt alive, energized and clean when I ate a vegan diet, but it is difficult to consume mostly whole foods all of the time. I, like most people, find myself being too busy to prepare and cook whole foods all of the time. I would have to say that the biggest challenge I faced was eating out. Many restaurants do not have a vegan option, and if they do it is a sad and bland salad. Also, when things are vegetarian I always had to make modifications. I never truly knew if a meal was vegan, unless it was labeled ‘vegan’ especially because there are always hidden byproducts and butter laying around. I enjoyed the feeling I got when I was a vegan, but ultimately it was too difficult and limiting.
Paleo
Paleo diets are quite the opposite of vegan diets. They are known as “the caveman diet” and filled with meat. It consists of fruit, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds and healthy fats. It prohibits dairy, grains, processed food, processed sugar, legumes, starches and alcohol. Usually, paleo meals have meat in every meal along with fresh produce and healthy fats. It is supposed to bring tremendous health benefits, like vegan diets claim to bring as well. It includes a lot of protein so that you feel full and do not snack between meals. Paleo diets usually do not include snacking at all. It is a whole food diet that is similar to that which our ancestors ate, but obviously with a few modern adjustments.
Honestly, I find this diet to have too much meat for me right now. Prior to this I was a pescetarian and only ate fish at one meal. Now I am eating meat at all three meals. It was just too much for me. Perhaps it is due to the fact that I just began incorporating meat back into my diet, but I plan to go back to eating a regular diet once I run out of all of the meat I bought.
So, have you tried either a vegan or paleo diet?