Did you try Veganuary this year, or are you thinking about going vegan or making plant-based eating a long-term habit? Dr. Gemma Newman has some great advice to share.

There are so many diets out there—low fat, high fat, low carb, high carb, vegan, paleo, keto—that it can be overwhelming to choose one. But surely some of them must work, right? The real question is, which one is best?

The popularity of Veganuary continues to rise each year. Back in 2018, 170,000 people signed up, marking a 183% increase from the previous year. By last year, more than 250,000 people participated, and the numbers likely increased again this year.

Is it healthy to switch to a vegan diet, and how does it differ from other diets that claim to be good for your health? There’s a lot of mixed information about nutrition, spread by media, food companies, and even some health professionals.

However, there’s strong support for the benefits of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, favoring whole, unprocessed foods, and reducing consumption of processed meats, sugary snacks, fizzy drinks, white flour, and white bread. Few people can argue against the benefits of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Often, when people are unsure about what’s healthy, they stick with “everything in moderation,” but this isn’t always the best approach. We don’t tell smokers to smoke in moderation, so why would we think it’s okay to consume sugary drinks and processed meats this way? According to the World Health Organization, processed meats are a class 1 carcinogen, known to cause cancer, so moderation doesn’t make them safe.

Luckily, Dr. David Katz, a founder of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, gathered top nutrition scientists worldwide to establish a common ground they could all endorse. They agreed that a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and water is fundamental for health.

If you compare a paleo diet to a whole food plant-based diet, they actually share more in common with each other than with the typical Western diet. Looking at dietary patterns that promote heart health is crucial as heart disease remains a leading cause of death. The only diet proven to reverse coronary artery blockages in just weeks is the whole food plant-based diet.

The Lifestyle Heart Trial, published in The Lancet in 1990, showed remarkable results using dietary changes alone, thanks to Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s work, tasks recently replicated in the Mount Abu Heart Trial. No other diet has matched these results, suggesting a whole food plant-based diet should be the go-to choice for preventing heart disease until new evidence suggests otherwise.

Transitioning from a Western diet to a plant-based diet might feel daunting, but it’s achievable. Here are some tips to make the shift easier.

If you’re considering plant-based eating and don’t know where to start, some cookbooks can guide you through. “So Vegan in 5” by Roxy Pope and Ben Pook offers over 100 easy recipes using just five common ingredients. Another good choice is “BOSH!” by Henry Firth & Ian Theasby, featuring more than 80 healthy vegan recipes. “BOSH!” is well-known as the foremost plant-based online channel, with millions of views for their recipes. They turned their own transition to a vegan diet into a mission to help others enjoy tasty plant-based meals.

Exploring vegan hashtags on Instagram can also be inspiring, as many people share their journeys into plant-based eating. Your own journey will often depend on your current preferences. Start by modifying your favorite recipes. For instance, a chicken curry can become a chickpea curry, beef Bolognese can switch to lentil Bolognese, and a Mexican chili can be made into a three-bean chili. If you enjoy the vegan versions, you’re on the right track.

Begin experimenting with new flavors and ideas so that shifting to a plant-based diet becomes exciting and enjoyable, not a burden. Try starting with breakfast, making it plant-based a few times a week. Once you’re comfortable, do the same for lunch, gradually increasing plant-based meals until you’ve got a solid rotation of new favorites.

Adopting a completely whole food plant-based diet might bring quicker benefits, usually noticeable within two or three weeks. However, if it’s a big change, your gut might need time to adjust, leading to some initial bloating or gas.

The American Dietetic Association and the British Dietetic Association both recognize that well-planned plant-based diets are suitable for all ages and may help prevent certain diseases like heart disease and cancer, as well as chronic respiratory conditions, allergies, and recurring infections in children. This way, you’re boosting your health today and setting up a healthier future.

In our nutrient-depleted world, this is due to soil degradation, mono-cropping, and pesticide overuse. The average Western diet often lacks vital nutrients like magnesium, folate, and fiber, linking it to obesity and chronic diseases that a plant-based diet can improve.

A well-planned whole food plant-based approach is highly nutrient-dense. The “nutritarian approach,” advocated by experts like Dr. Joel Fuhrman, emphasizes avoiding processed foods and choosing those rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

However, if you go fully plant-based and exclude all animal products, there are some supplements you might need. For instance, vitamin B12 is vital. It’s made by microorganisms, hence present in animals that ingest them. Adults need at least 1.5mcg daily, but supplementing with 10mcg daily or 2000mcg weekly is advisable to avoid deficiency and manage homocysteine levels, linked to heart attacks and strokes. You can get B12 from fortified foods or take it as a supplement. Even people over 50 or with certain medical conditions might need B12 supplements due to absorption issues.

Vitamin D is also important. You usually produce enough when your shadow is shorter than your body during sunlight exposure. A daily intake of at least 1000iu is recommended, or 2000iu if you’re prone to low levels.

EPA/DHA supplements, derived from algae, are a pure form of omega-3 fatty acids and can promote heart health without consuming fish, avoiding pollutants in the seas. Flaxseed, a superfood, can also help. Adding one to two tablespoons daily to your meals can lower blood pressure and support heart health.

Dr. Gemma Newman has practiced medicine for 15 years and is a Senior Partner at a family medical practice. She studied at the University of Wales College of Medicine and has worked in various fields, including elderly care, endocrinology, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, general and vascular surgery, rehabilitation medicine, and general practice.