The 1st of November marks World Vegan Day, and to celebrate, Spectrum Nutrition Dietitian Dillon Griffin talks us through the key nutrients that need some extra consideration when following a vegan diet, to ensure nutritional intake is being optimised.
Check out the 8 key nutrients for vegans to consider below!
1. Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient in everyone’s diet for growth and repair, among many other functions. When we consider protein in a vegan diet we have to ensure that we are getting good quality protein as well as an optimal quantity of protein.
Proteins are made up of amino acids. Plant-based foods can be low in the amino acid leucine which is important for muscle building, strength and recovery. Soy, however, is an excellent plant-based source of protein and ideally should be used as a regular source of protein for those following a vegan diet, as a replacement for meat and other animal product protein sources.
Sources of soy products that have good amounts of leucine include:
Tofu
Tempeh
Soy milk
Edamame beans
Soy-based protein powders (1)
Furthermore, combining foods such as beans with grains, nuts and seeds will provide a more “complete” plant-based protein to ensure you are getting all the amino acids required.
2. Vitamin B12
The nutrient B12 is only found naturally in animal products. It functions in the body to make red blood cells, upkeep energy levels and maintain brain health. Some studies have shown that up 86.5% of vegetarian adults are diagnosed with a B12 deficiency (2).
Fortified foods play a very important role in getting sufficient levels of B12, so try to include fortified milks, breakfast cereals and nutritional yeast in your diet at least twice per day. If this is not possible for you then a B12 supplement would be of value.
Aim for a daily B12 dose of 10 micrograms per day, or at least 2000 micrograms once per week.
3. Calcium
In addtion to making up our bones and teeth, calcium is also involved in contracting our muscles, clotting blood and helping our heart to beat. Should our calcium level be low in our blood or other tissues, our body can pull on calcium from our bones to balance the levels out. It is therefore vital that we eat enough calcium from food on a daily basis (5).
Good plant-based sources of calcium include:
Fortified dairy replacements
Edamame beans
Dried figs
Chia seeds
Tahini
Almonds
Tofu can also be a good source of calcium but check that it is “Calcium Set” by looking for calcium in the ingredients list, e.g. Firming Agent: Calcium Sulphate.
4. Iron
Commonly associated with red meat, iron functions with vitamin B12 to make new cells, balance energy levels and circulate oxygen. Our bodies absorb around 15% of iron from animal sources, known as haem iron. In contrast, our bodies absorb about 3-8% of iron from plant sources. (4) This is known as non-haem iron. For this reason, it is important for people following a vegan diet to get regular blood checks to assess their iron status, eat iron rich foods and maximise absorption of iron.
Good vegan sources of iron include:
Oats
Sesame seeds
Tahini
Almonds
Quinoa
Lentils
Fortified cereals
Pairing sources of Vitamin C with plant based iron foods will also help boost the absorption of iron. Have a small glass of orange juice (150ml) with your breakfast of oats, apricots and pumpkin seeds or try having bell peppers alongside a lentil and quinoa curry.
It also important to note that tea and coffee can reduce iron absorption by 50% so they should ideally be avoided in the hour before and after meals to help ensure maximum absorption.
5. Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in brain function, the immune system and reducing oxidative stress. Vegan diets may require 1.5 times more zinc than non-vegan diets due to the higher phytic acid content in their diets (6). Phytic acid comes from nuts, seeds, legumes and wholegrains, which typically are consumed in higher amounts by vegans.
Excellent plant-based sources of zinc include:
Beans
Chickpeas
Lentils
Tofu
Walnuts
Cashew nuts
Chia seeds
Ground linseed
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Wholemeal bread
Quinoa
