In recent years, veganism has sprouted in popularity, becoming a mainstream lifestyle choice for over 79 million people around the world. This rising trend has brought on a positive shift in the availability of vegan and plant-based foods in grocery stores. No longer limited to specialty health food stores, plant-based alternatives are now widely available in most supermarket chains across the country — making whole, vegan nutrition accessible to all.
Read on to discover the top vegan foods that should be topping your grocery list to ensure you’re maximizing your nutrition and meeting all your body’s nutritional needs.
Building A Plant-Based Grocery List
To ensure that you’re reaching all your body’s dietary needs, it’s important to ensure that your grocery list includes a balanced variety of ingredients.
A balanced vegan diet includes a variety of raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts. At Hallelujah Diet, we recommend a balance of 85% raw foods and 15% cooked, paired with a thoughtful regimen of supplements to fill any dietary gaps.
While many health-conscious consumers may shy away from oils, nuts, and seeds for their high-fat content, it’s these healthy fats that provide our bodies with essential fatty acids and promote better absorption of carotenoids and vitamins A, D, and E. Make sure that you’re including a variety of healthy fats in your grocery list to maximize the nutrition you receive across your entire diet.
Avoid adding any processed foods to your shopping cart, even if they are vegan. A wide variety of brands sell highly processed, vegan alternatives to meats, cheeses, and other traditionally non-vegan foods. Even though these products may tout “plant-based” labels, their ingredients are far from the fruits, vegetables, and herbs that sprout from the earth. To reach optimal health, load your shopping cart up with whole ingredients, rather than ultra-refined, processed food options.
Fruits and Vegetables
Want to maximize your nutrition and your overall well-being? Stock up on fresh fruits and veggies during your next grocery store run! Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables provides your body with an array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support various aspects of our health. Plus, raw, fresh ingredients are packed with maximum nutritional content, that is oftentimes lost during the cooking process.
And while we always recommend that you opt for locally grown, organic, in-season produce, the reality is that these ingredients are not always available or cost-effective. Instead, you can always shop for frozen fruits and vegetables for an affordable, convenient alternative to fresh produce. Frozen fruits and vegetables offer powerful health benefits, and are a great option to always have balanced nutrition on hand.
Cooking Oils
Roasting, grilling, sauteing, and dressing — cooking oils perfectly complement both raw and cooked plant-based diets. However, not all cooking oils are created equal. Choose your cooking oils wisely to reap the highest health benefits.
Olive Oil
Rich in monounsaturated fats, olive oil is a healthy oil option that is packed with oleic acid and antioxidants. Extra virgin olive oil has been shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is linked to reduced risk of certain cancers, strokes, and heart disease.
Coconut Oil
Another healthy fat option, coconut oil is an excellent vegan pantry staple. Rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of readily burned saturated fat, coconut oil has been linked to weight loss and may help reduce cravings. A good source of antioxidants, coconut oil helps to neutralize free radicals and detoxify the body.
Plant-Based Protein Sources
A common misconception about raw vegan diets is that vegans struggle to reach their recommended daily protein intake. With protein-rich legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds, getting your daily dose of protein in is easier than you may think!
Dried, canned, and fresh varieties of legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds are widely available at most grocery stores and are great shelf-stable essentials in any vegan pantry. Protein-rich sunflower seeds can also be found in most convenience stores, providing an easy, plant-powered protein option on the go.
Spice It Up
A raw vegan diet is far from boring! By incorporating natural herbs, spices, and sweeteners, you can spice up any ordinary dish and add additional nutritional benefits, too.
Herbs and Spices
The most ancient medicine practices are based on the herbs and spices that grow among us. Ginger and turmeric, for example, have long been revered for their anti-inflammatory properties, helping to reduce joint aches and pains. On the other hand, mint has long been used to alleviate stomach discomfort and ease digestion. By adding these and other herbs and spices to your meals, you can enjoy their plant-powered benefits as well as delicious flavor enhancement.
Natural Sweeteners
Add a touch of sweetness to any meal with these plant-based sweeteners. Maple syrup has been found to be rich in antioxidants, contain anti-inflammatory properties, and support healthy digestion — making it an excellent option to sweeten your next meal. Replace refined, granulated sugar with date sugar to benefit from the nutrition in dates — including potassium, calcium, and antioxidants.
Nutritional Yeast
If you’re missing the taste of dairy cheese, try opting for nutritional yeast! Not only is it delicious, but nutritional yeast is packed with nutrients, fortified with Vitamin B12, and raw-vegan-approved!
Supplements
While a well-balanced vegan diet can satisfy almost all of your dietary needs, it’s important to develop a healthy supplement regimen to fill in any gaps. Many supplements can be purchased in your local grocery store, or you can have everything you need conveniently delivered to your front door!
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is one of the few nutrients that is not found in plant-based foods. It’s important to supplement Vitamin B12 to avoid deficiencies and experience fatigue, anemia, depression, and cognitive decline. We recommend a full-spectrum B Vitamin that balances B12, B6, and folate to support energy production, detoxification, and mood regulation.
Fish Oil
Although fish oil is not vegan, we highly recommend supplementing it in a plant-based diet to reap its impressive health benefits. Several studies, including our own, have shown that people do not make enough DHA from plant-based omega-3 oils like chia seeds, flax seeds, soy, canola, or walnut oil. Without a dietary source of DHA, the body will be deficient in this essential nutrient.
Magnesium
Nuts, legumes, and leafy greens are loaded with magnesium, but many people do not get enough of this important mineral. Magnesium is very beneficial for restorative sleep, a healthy heart, strong bones, clear thinking, normal blood pressure, and much more. Magnesium is used up more quickly under stressful circumstances, so Magnesium Complex from Hallelujah Diet is a great resource to ensure you are getting enough magnesium.
Fill Your Cart With Better Nutrition
Building a raw vegan grocery list is essential for maximizing your nutrition and meeting all of your body’s needs. Plus, with the growing popularity of veganism, finding all the ingredients you need to create a well-balanced, raw vegan diet has never been easier! Remember to fill your cart with fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and health supplements on your next grocery run to get back to your best health.
