After the excess of Christmas many people may opt to restrict their food consumption and give up meat and dairy.

Going vegan for the month of January, known as Veganuary, is a positive campaign for many reasons, it shines a light on the benefits of a vegan diet in terms of our health, environment and animal welfare.

However, cutting out major food groups should be done with caution according to qualified BANT registered nutritionist Nicola Ragon-Paxton.

“Every January there is this wave of people trying out a plant-based diet with idea that it is healthy and the hope it will come with weight loss.

“However, I get quite frustrated because people might go into it without being armed with all the information they need to make it healthy and safe for them and their family.”

Echo: Plant based - Nicola Ragon-PaxtonPlant based - Nicola Ragon-Paxton (Image: All photos by Kika Mitchell)

To kickstart their Veganuary and hopefully more regular plant-based eating, Nicola is running a four week course teaching people how to eat a vegan diet the healthy way.

“People can get into a vegan diet with me behind them, guiding them meaning they will pick up the healthy habits which they can carry on as part of their diet longer term,” said Nicola.

“I make sure all the recipes are family friendly, no one wants to be cooking twice, it is more expensive and time consuming. Eating more plant-based food could actually save people money so it is good to learn the basics and incorporate them into your family meals.”

Nicola says that although there is a lot of vegan food available in the shops it does not mean putting a vegan food plan together is so simple.

“It is now so much easier to get lot of vegan alternatives in the shops. People might buy all the vegan products available and because of clever marketing they are seen as healthy however most are as unhealthy as any other ultra-processed food.”

The key is to understand what nutrients cannot be obtained from food and know how to supplement them.

“We could all benefit from a plant-based diet and should aim to get most of the nutrients we need through what we eat. However, people will need to supplement vitamin B12, women and children will need extra calcium and lots of iron rich food for along with some vitamin c so it is more easily absorbed. There are also a omega 3 made from algae that is vegan friendly.”

For more details visit www.Ilovegreens.co.uk.