Nutrition Tips

As previously mentioned in Arguments for a Vegan Lifestyle, adjusting to the unique nutritional needs of a vegan diet will take some work.  Simply avoiding animal products will not ensure optimal health.  Vegans, like everyone, should eat a balanced diet and take care that they are getting all essential nutrients (something most omnivores don’t achieve).  In my experience, the main problem people face when going vegan is that they just aren’t sure what a “healthy diet” entails if not turkey, yogurt and skim milk.

Critical nutrients: vitamin B12, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
Mastering your protein & calcium intake.
Your new favourite foods …
The Low-Down on Soy.

Critical nutrients: vitamin B12, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
To ensure sufficient energy, special attention should be given to vitamin B12, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.

Vitamin B12:

B12 cannot be produced by plants or by animals, as the enzymes required for the synthesis of B12 are found only in bacteria and archaea.  Though humans have historically obtained this vitamin from the soil clinging to roots and foliage, our sterile modern lifestyle disqualifies plant life as a viable source.  Because animals still consume food contaminated with B12-producing bacteria, omnivores have the option of deriving B12 from animal products.  Vegans, by-and-large, rely on supplements and B12 fortified foods.  Efforts to find more “natural” options have been generally unsuccessful and inconvenient.  The only known vegan foods with substantial B12 content are the Chinese herb Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis) and certain brands of fortified nutritional yeast.

Vitamin D:

Vitamin D is a hormone precursor that contributes to the maintenance of normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Despite its name, vitamin D is not a true vitamin, but is best described as a conditional vitamin, since human skin can create it in some circumstances.  Only a few foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D, all of them animal products.  As such, fortified foods are the major dietary sources of vitamin D.  The transition from fortified cow’s milk to fortified soy milk should not be too problematic.

Under the right conditions, human skin exposed to sunlight can produce vitamin D in quantities as large as 20,000 IU in just a few minutes without any apparent toxicity.  Exposure to sunlight also destroys vitamin D, so long term exposure to sunlight cannot cause toxicity, as levels are self-adjusting.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

Though commonly known sources of omega-3 fatty acids are oily fish such as salmon, anchovies and sardines, they are also present in vegetable sources such as the seeds of chia, perilla, flax, walnuts, purslane, lingonberry, seabuckthorn and hemp as well as in the fruit of the acai palm.  Warning: there is a significant potential risk of vitamin poisoning from taking large doses of supplementary vitamins or omega-3 fatty acids.  The Acceptable Intake (AI) of n-3 is 1.6 grams/day for men and 1.1 grams/day for women.

Daily Protein Needs for Vegan Athletes

• Lentils
• Kale
• Chickpeas
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Nuts

Following is an excerpt from Becoming Vegan, a book widely considered to be the quintessential guide to a healthy vegan lifestyle.  I’m including it in part to encourage people to buy the book, as I think it’s an invaluable resource for anyone thinking about making the change.

“The soybean is one of the most valuable and versatile beans on the planet.  It stands apart from other beans in a number of ways.  It is abundant in all essential amino acids, it contains far greater amounts of phytoestrogens called isoflavones (including genistein and daidzein) than any other food and it is much higher in fat than most other legumes (about 50% of calories).  In addition, soy is a rich sourse of phytosterols (plant sterols), saponins, lethithin, fiber and numerous vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

Volumes of research accumulated over the past two decades indicate that soyfoods may provide protection against heart disease, hypertension, certain cancers, osteoporosis, kidney disease and the discomforts of menopause. An intake of about 25-30 g (one oz) of soy protein/day lowers blood cholesterol in those with high blood cholesterol levels by about 10%.  More recent studies suggest that soy isoflavones inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and improve elasticity of the arteries.  Soy also shows promise in the prevention and treatment of hormone related cancers (especially prostate cancer) and colon cancer. … Soy has also been shown to inhibit bone deterioration and favorably affects calcium metabolism, thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis.”

Brenda Davis, R.D. & Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D. Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet.  Book Publishing Company : Summertown, TN  2000

Ways to integrate soy into your diet:

• Soy milk

• Soy meats

• Soy beans (edamame)
• Soy cheese

• Soy sauce
• Soy nuts