Special dietary lifestyles are often motivated by at least one of these factors: the desire to lose weight and/or become fitter and healthier; an effort to manage a health condition or reduce disease risk; or an endeavor to live more sustainably and be kinder to animals and the environment. The Kind Diet accomplishes all of these. Whether you’re thinking of going vegan for yourself or for some greater purpose, it will be one of the best decisions of your life.
The Kind Diet – How to Be Vegan
The Kind Diet is a book authored by actress and animal rights and environmental activist, Alicia Silverstone. It’s a how-to guide on going vegan that outlines three phases of adopting the lifestyle and includes delicious recipes for beginners and long-timers alike.
Those who go vegan do so for more than just its weight-loss benefits; after all, there are easier ways to lose weight. Giving up all animal products is no easy feat, so there must be bigger motivations behind making the switch to a completely plant-based diet than just shedding excess pounds.
Veganism, therefore, is not just a diet; it’s a complete lifestyle. Eliminating all kinds of animal foods from the diet is just a part of it. A diet that exclusively includes whole, clean plant foods is the ultimate goal.
Local and in-season varieties of whole grains, beans, and vegetables are your ideal food choices. Small quantities of fruits are okay; and so are desserts that are sweetened fruits, molasses, agave, maple syrup, barley malt, or brown rice syrup.
The three phases outlined in The Kind Diet are as follows:
- The Flirting Phase is your gradual transition from animal foods and all animal-based food products.
- Going Vegan occurs when you fully commit to a vegan lifestyle.
- The Superhero Phase is reached when your diet is mostly made up of unprocessed vegetables, with minimal consumption of nightshade vegetables, fruits, nuts, and sweets so you can achieve optimal health. Alcohol, coffee, and tea are also minimized.
Does The Kind Diet Make It Easier to Go Vegan?
The Kind Diet book is a practical guide to going vegan. It will help you ease into this completely new lifestyle with tips on cooking techniques, how to choose foods when you’re traveling, and shopping. It also includes tons of recipes that are relatively simple to make, but take note that The Kind Diet is not a strictly gluten-free diet. And you will have to prepare your own meals at home.
Unless you want to reach the Superhero Phase, The Kind Diet does not completely exclude packaged foods, but they should be limited as much as possible. If you decide that the Flirting Phase is as far as you can go because you can’t completely eliminate all animal foods from your diet, you will still have taken the right step toward becoming healthier.
Exercising is recommended to keep the body strong and full of energy. Silverstone also provides more and up-to-date information on her website for those who are looking for additional support as they go on their vegan journey.
Is The Kind Diet Effective?
The Kind Diet provides a practical guide to going vegan, which is a diet/lifestyle that has already been scientifically proven to have numerous, significant health benefits, including a lowered risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease, and increased longevity.
Eliminating animal foods from your diet does have some drawbacks, the most critical of which is susceptibility to some nutrient deficiencies. There are nutrients that are only abundantly available in animal foods; while these nutrients can also be derived from plant sources, they may not be available in sufficient amounts.
Vegans must make sure they get the recommended daily intake of calcium, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and folate by increasing intake of plant foods that deliver these nutrients or taking vegan supplements.
If you have any medical conditions, you must always first consult your doctor before starting any type of diet.
The Kind Diet – Final Thoughts
Going vegan is one of the best decisions you can make for long-term health, and The Kind Diet book can help you ease into this new lifestyle with practical tips and recipes.
Going vegan is no small task; it’s more than just a diet. It’s a complete lifestyle overhaul. But The Kind Diet’s three phases can make your switch more doable. The book also allows room for personal preferences. Should you decide that you can’t completely give up all animal foods, you can still successfully adopt a diet that is largely plant-based to benefit your health.
Whether you’re just curious about veganism, you want to lose weight, or you’re serious about adopting a lifestyle that is kinder to both your body and the planet, The Kind Diet can be an invaluable resource while you go on this new journey.
