‘Going Vegan’ has been the mantra of many fitness enthusiasts all over the word in recent times. The Vegan diet has been trending on the internet, with people searching for vegan recipes and vegan foods. This diet trend has been propelled by people’s quest for the perfect diet, as well as their concern for animals. A vegan diet essentially removes all foods that come from animals. This means all kinds of meat, eggs, and even dairy, are not a part of the diet. Usually, a diet without meat is considered a vegetarian diet. The vegan diet takes this up a notch up by excluding dairy products as well. Going on a vegan diet is a major dietary change, and one has to carefully plan to include all the basic food groups in this diet. Vegan Diet Foods The answer to what is a vegan diet is fairly simple – no animal products. But what to eat in a vegan diet, and how to ensure to get complete nutrition from this diet, are more complex questions. When you shift to a vegan diet, you need to ensure you replace your protein, calcium, iron, vitamin B-12, and vitamin D sources. All these elements are abundantly available in animal products and essential for the functioning of the body.

The latest entrant to the ‘Functional Foods’ club is the Turmeric Latte. A beautiful concoction of golden turmeric juice and nutty milk, the turmeric latte is an exceptionally healthy and nutritious drink. Certainly, a healthier upgrade to its caffeinated cousin – Café Latte! Turmeric is a food plant whose root stalk has traditionally been used in Asian countries like India, Indonesia, and China, as a cooking ingredient in curries and rice recipes. The vibrant yellow Turmeric is used generally as a powder, and sometimes even fresh. Because of its multiple health benefits, it has been used in traditional Chinese medicines, and in the ancient Indian medicine system called Ayurveda. In fact, in Asian countries mothers have always given their children a mix of hot milk, pepper and turmeric to ward off cold and increase immunity. However, the Turmeric Latte is a vegan twist on the same recipe. Instead of using dairy milk, people are often using nut-based milk, like almond, cashew or coconut milk, along with cold pressed juice of turmeric. The ‘curcumin’ effect Turmeric has an active compound known as ‘curcumin’, which imparts maximum benefit. The compound is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also has pain relieving properties and is often used in treating burns and cuts.

We are on the go throughout the day, and breakfast plays an important role in our daily routine. Eating right at the start of the day will help you make better diet choices for the rest of the day. A healthy breakfast should include: Milk: Milk is the most important nutrition source. It has vitamins, protein, calcium and amino acids, which are the essential building blocks for the body. All these nutrients contribute to our overall health and wellness, and they can play a part in aiding weight loss too . Eggs: Eggs are a good source of high-quality protein . They improve vision, blood circulation and skin quality. They also help in suppressing your appetite by keeping you feeling full for much longer. Bread: Bread has a lot of high glucose and various B vitamins like niacin, thiamin riboflavin and folate. Bread is also rich in other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. Being the staple of many diets, bread contains all the essential amino acids which we must get from our diet. The trick is to opt for whole wheat bread or multigrain bread over white bread. Vegetables and Fruits:

Summers are fun. But they can also be hard on your body. Your body is constantly losing water due to perspiration. As a result, you feel thirsty all the time. And while water is the best solution to your craving for fluid, chances are that you’ll want a little flavor in your liquid in order to tickle those taste buds. Unfortunately, most of the refreshments that people go for during the summer don’t do much for either health or hydration – loaded as they are with sugars, preservatives and other assorted chemicals. But don’t despair! There are plenty of healthy and delicious drinking options at your disposal. Check out five of them below. Cucumber Water We’re all familiar with the phrase “as cool as a cucumber”. So it should really come as no surprise that cucumber water is one of the best ways to beat the heat. With high levels of Vitamins A, C and B6, and folic acid, it’s also one of the healthiest drinks you can have. Among the many benefits of drinking cucumber water are lower blood pressure, healthier skin, improved bone health and increased protection against chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes. Not to mention – it’s extremely easy to make!

Feeling tired? Craving a sudden jolt of energy to get back on track? Energy drinks are an easy answer. But that doesn’t make them the right one. On the contrary, as you will soon find out, they are likely to do more harm than good. The following are 10 reasons why you should consider steering clear of energy drinks: Side Effects Energy drinks have a long list of side effects – stomach upset, chest pain, dizziness, seizures, tremors and, even heart attacks. That alone should be enough of a deterrence, but there’s more… Stress, Anxiety & Depression Energy drinks tend to have a very high level of caffeine (far higher than advertised). Excess caffeine consumption often leads to increased stress and anxiety levels. Frequent caffeine consumption also leads to a drop in the levels of the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter serotonin, which results in depression . Overworked Organs Energy drinks cause your body to operate as though you are in a ‘fight or flight’ situation. This puts a massive burden on your liver, brain, heart, kidneys and digestive tract. These crucial organs being constantly overworked can’t be anything but detrimental to your body. Sugar Overload Some energy drinks contain about 15 teaspoons of sugar on average.