1.) White Carbs
Pastas, rice and bread can easily become staple foods for new vegetarians and vegans, but consuming too much of the white stuff can be dangerous to your health. These types of foods are heavily processed, cause bloating, spike blood sugar levels, and they lack fiber and other important vitamins. Healthier alternatives include brown and wild rice, whole grain breads, quinoa, steel cut oats, soba noodles, and whole wheat pastas.
2.) Vegan Desserts
It’s heartbreaking, but just because vegan desserts are cruelty free, it doesn’t mean that they’re completely guiltless. Vegan cakes, cookies, pies, muffins, cupcakes, and other sweet treats can contain the same amount of fat, sugar, and artificial ingredients as the dairy-laden stuff. Sad, but true. We’re not telling you to shun all vegan goodies; just be sure to enjoy them in moderation.
3.) Processed “Meats”
While meatless meats can be really fun on occasion, some of those culinary creations boast sky-high sodium levels and loads of processed soy meal. In large quantities, soy tends to cause hormonal imbalances, has countless allergens, and certain methods of processing can throw off the human digestive system in a painful way. We suggest regularly swapping those products for more natural alternatives like tofu, tempeh, beans, hummus, nuts, seeds and quinoa. Yum!
4.) Fries, Onion Rings, Chips…Well, Deep-Fried ANYTHING
These are often the only “bar foods” available to plant-eaters at happy hour, but they’re not exactly the epitome of health. It should be a no-brainer to avoid deep-fried menu selections because of trans fats and empty calories, but the smell of freshly fried food is just so dang irresistible! If you find yourself conflicted when choosing a fried vs. non-fried food, bring this comparison to mind. One 7 ounce baked potato contains about 220 calories and 0.2 gram of fat. When you turn that same baked potato into french fries, it transforms into a terrifying beast containing 697 calories and 34 grams of fat. Ouch!
Speaking of happy hour…
5.) Cocktail Hour
Did you know that one Long Island Iced Tea can stack up to nearly 780 calories? Doh! Sugary margaritas and flavored martinis can also do some serious damage to the waistline. Stick to a light beer, champagne, and cocktails without those super sweet syrups. If you’re looking for specific alcohol brands free of animal products, visit our list of vegan-friendly spirits HERE.
