Healthline and our partners may receive a portion of revenues if you make a purchase using a link on this page.Vegan diets have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including improved weight management and protection against certain chronic diseases.

However, finding balanced, healthy meals on a vegan diet can often be difficult and overwhelming.If improperly planned, vegan diets may cause nutritional deficiencies and health problems.This article provides a healthy vegan meal plan and sample menu to get you started.The vegan diet is an eating plan that eliminates all animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and honey.People decide to adopt veganism for different reasons, such as ethical concerns or religious principles.

In particular, vegan diets have been shown to improve heart health, increase weight loss, and support blood sugar control (, , ).Summary Vegan diets eliminate all animal products, including meat and dairy. Five of them presented opinion as fact or failed to provide evidence-based references for nutritional claims. Five failed to provide a disclaimer and, when meals were examined against Public Health England calorie targets and traffic light criteria, no blogger met these criteria.

Of the advice-based blogs, only one by a registered nutritionist with a degree passed overall, with 75%. The lowest compliance, 25%, was from an influencer without any nutritional qualifications.Read more: An Instagram travel couple with nearly 500,000 followers shared what their photos look like before and after editingThe authors concluded: “Social media influencers’ blogs are not credible resources for weight management. Popularity and impact of social media in the context of the obesity epidemic suggests all influencers should be required to meet accepted scientifically or medically justified criteria for the provision of weight management advice online.

Others may decide to become vegan to decrease their ecological footprint, as plant-based diets are thought to generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions and use fewer natural resources.Still, the environmental impact of any diet depends on multiple factors, including the way that foods are produced, packaged, and transported. Some also decide to follow a vegan diet for health reasons, as veganism is associated with a multitude of benefits and may even help prevent certain chronic diseases ().

Research demonstrates that a well-rounded vegan diet may improve several aspects of your health.According to one review, vegans have a 75% lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

They also tend to have a lower body mass index (BMI) and lower levels of total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. High levels for these markers are all risk factors for heart disease.One study in 18 women found that following a vegan diet for 6 months resulted in decreased calorie and fat intake, as well as faster short-term weight loss, compared to a low-calorie, omnivorous diet .

Some research also suggests that veganism may be beneficial for blood sugar control and could help reduce your risk of diabetes.In fact, one study in nearly 61,000 people showed that vegans were 2.6 times less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than omnivores.

A vegan diet may also reduce osteoarthritis symptoms — including joint pain and swelling — and your risk of certain cancers, such as those of the breast and prostate (, ).Summary Vegan diets are associated with many benefits, including improved heart health, faster short-term weight loss, enhanced blood sugar control, less joint pain, and a decreased risk of cancer.A healthy vegan diet should contain a variety of whole grains, proteins, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables.Foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, soy products, and nutritional yeast can all help boost your protein intake throughout the day.Meanwhile, avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are nutritious, vegan-friendly choices for healthy fats.