How To Adapt A Mediterranean Diet With Vegan Food
Have you ever thought about switching to a vegan diet? Have people told you that it will be boring and bland? Well, they are telling you a fib!
A vegan diet can be just as flavourful and exciting as any other.
And we’re going to show you how.
In this blog, we’ll show you how a Mediterranean approach can boost your vegan diet and how you can use our fab ingredients to bring some zing to your vegan food.
How To Adapt A Mediterranean Diet With Vegan Food
What Is A Vegan Food Diet?
People who follow a vegan diet eliminate all animal products, including meat, fish, eggs and dairy. The diet is based mainly on plant-based dishes, although it does include bread and other items which can be made without animal products.
Many people choose to follow a vegan diet because they have ethical concerns about the treatment of animals, but the diet is also becoming popular for health reasons.
Like with any diet, there are various forms, including whole food and raw food variations that avoid processed foods.
The Benefits Of A Mediterranean Approach To Your Vegan Diet
Strictly speaking, a Mediterranean diet isn’t vegan because it includes meat, fish and dairy. But there are plenty of plant-based dishes, too. So, it is really easy to incorporate Mediterranean dishes into your vegan lifestyle.
Adding Mediterranean flavours to a vegan diet can actually help to boost your nutrition. Some ingredients from Mediterranean and Lebanese cuisine can be helpful because they provide some of the nutrients that can be lacking in a vegan diet.
There nutrients are:
Protein
Vegans can sometimes lack protein, as traditionally, much of our protein comes from meat or eggs. Chickpeas, which are an ingredient of many Mediterranean dishes, are high in protein and fibre (which helps to keep you regular!) They are also a good source of polyunsaturated fats.
Fibre
Along with chickpeas, the whole grains in a Mediterranean diet can be useful for adding fibre. Ingredients like bulgur wheat are whole grains which can help digestion and your gut health. Choose wholewheat pasta for an added boost.
Good fats
One Mediterranean staple is olive oil. And using olive oil in your cooking helps to provide monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. Not only is it great for cooking, but it is also great as a flavour accent for putting on salads, dips and other dishes.
Avocados are another Mediterranean favourite and also provide healthy fats. As do nuts and seeds like flax and chia.
Vitamins and phytonutrients
A Mediterranean diet encompasses lots of fresh fruit and vegetables with an emphasis on seasonal food. Incorporating a wide range of fruit and veggies into your diet helps you take in a range of vitamins. They also include other phytonutrients such as carotenoids which are important for eye health and your immune system.
Eggplant - a popular vegetable in the Mediterranean, provides iron, Vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. Try stuffed eggplant for a simple way of getting not only this veggie but a range of others too.
Shop our range of vegan food, and you’ll never say that being vegan is boring
At Kohkoz, we have a range of vegan food options in store which can be delivered nationwide.
Try our traditional hummus made from chickpeas and just the right amount of tahini, or treat yourself to a new flavour with our garlic hummus. Our smokey baba ganoush is a favourite and a staple of Lebanese cuisine. All our these go well with our pita breads or add a tabouli salad for a fresh and satisfying meal. We can even make turnips interesting with our pickled turnip or lifit.
Another popular Mediterranean dish, falafel, are incredibly versatile. Cook up a few for lunch with a pita or add to a platter with salads and fresh vegetables to feed a crowd. To make it even easier we offer a falafel wrap meal kit with everything you need to create a delicious dish.
And we can’t forget our Za’atar spice mix. Za’atar is amazing on so many things - make flatbread with it, add it to salads or use it to season roasted vegetables. We guarantee you’ll love it!
You can shop our vegan range online or, if you have any questions, get in touch and our friendly team will be happy to help.
