Vegan Food Pyramid

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If you want to eat a healthy plant based diet take a look at this vegan food pyramid.

You may remember the food pyramid from grade school. It was a chart that told you how much of every style of food you should fit into your daily intake. For vegetarians and vegans, this just won't do, as meat is listed on the pyramid. Now a new food pyramid for vegans has been created for those who enjoy meat-free living.

What's On the Food Pyramid for Vegans?

While the regular food pyramid has categories for dairy and meat, the vegan food guide has shifted these two categories right off the chart and replaced them with healthier, and more planet-conscious alternatives.

Here are the foods you need and the serving recommendations for the vegan pyramid:

Legumes (At least 2 servings daily)

1 Serving = ½ cup beans, 1 cup soy milk, 4 oz tofu.

Replacing the protein from meat is a simple, and tasty, job with the vegan food guide. Stock-up on lentils, beans, peas, tofu and soy. Not only are these foods going to save you the unhealthy side-effects of fat from the meats they are replacing, but they are also loaded with a number of vitamins and minerals that are going to help you feel healthier.

Vegetables (At least 3 servings daily)

1 Serving = 1 cup vegetables if raw, ½ cup cooked

As you would expect, the vegan food pyramid has plenty of vegetables on the list. When choosing which vegetables to add to your meals remember, the greener the better when it comes to getting the most vitamins and minerals from them. Accent those greens with colorful dark orange and yellow vegetables to have a well-rounded vegetable intake.

Fruit (At least 3 servings a day)

1 Serving = ½ cup fruit (cooked), 4oz juice, 1 piece of raw fruit (i.e. apple, orange, pear, peach)

It's great to be on a diet that lets you enjoy nature's sweet side! Having a bowl of fruit with a meal not only is a delicious accent, but a major boost to your health. Fruit is overflowing with Vitamin C and fiber.

Whole Grains (At least 6 servings daily)

1 Serving = 1 slice of bread, ½ cup cooked grains or pasta, 1 oz cereal and other dry grains

Every meal should be created with a grain dish as its centerpiece. It is, after all, the biggest section of the vegan food pyramid. Whether it's rice, pasta, cereal, bread, tortillas, barley or other grains, the fiber in these foods is going to keep your body working like a well-oiled machine. If you want an added health benefit, stick to whole grains and brown rice instead of white.

Just like the food pyramid you were taught as a child, the vegan food pyramid is easy to follow. Unlike the food pyramid you were taught as a child, this food guide for vegans is both better for your body, and the planet.

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