[ad_1]
You would be forgiven for thinking that a vegan diet will miraculously cure all your health problems. After all, that's what Instagram says, right?
But as a dietitian, I encourage you to be cautious, because vegan diets can be quite restrictive and expose you to a number of nutrient deficiencies.
But before you start, you may be wondering what a vegan diet really is: in fact, vegan diets avoid all foods of animal origin. It means no meat or seafood, no eggs and no dairy – not even honey!
Now, I am a strong advocate of a plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains. This has many proven health benefits, such as reducing the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cancer. But here is the problem: the plant origin is not synonymous with plant.
Instead, herbal diets are most composed of plant foods, but can be supplemented with small amounts of lean meat, seafood and light dairy products, which are incredibly nutritious and provide essential nutrients that are not usually present in large quantities in plant foods .
So, if you choose to follow a strictly vegan diet, careful planning is necessary to make sure you do not become deficient in any of these key nutrients:
Protein
Key to muscle growth and repair, proteins are rich in foods of animal origin (meat, seafood and eggs, as well as dairy products). Contrary to what you probably think I'm going to say, you can get enough protein from plant-based foods – there is no need to choose fancy protein powders and shakes.
The best vegan protein options are tofu and legumes (beans, lentils and chickpeas). Nuts and seeds can also provide a significant amount of protein just like soymilk. So, make sure you have these foods in your diet and that you are ready to go.
The iron
Legumes, nuts and seeds are also some of your best sources of iron needed to transport oxygen. Whole grains (such as bread and rolled oats) and fortified cereal-based foods (ie some breads and some cereals) are other excellent sources. Leafy greens and dried apricots can also help increase your iron intake.
In addition, you should consume these foods with a source of vitamin C (such as citrus or tomato), which facilitates the absorption of non-heme iron (ie non-animal iron).
Zinc
An important nutrient for your metabolism and immune system, some of the richest sources are non-vegan foods such as oysters, other seafood and meat. But if you're a vegetarian, you can choose – you guessed it – legumes, nuts and seeds, as well as whole grains, nuts and soy products.
Vitamin B12
Fortunately, there are vegetarian products fortified with vitamin B12 – but they are rare and spaced (reduced vegetable salt or certain meats). This nutrient typically only comes from foods of animal origin and is crucial for the functioning of the blood and nervous system, as well as for the synthesis of DNA. Vitamin B12 supplementation may be necessary with a vegan diet, so talk to your doctor or dietitian.
Omega 3
Oily fish are generally thought of as omega-3s, but there are also easy-to-use omega-3 sources that are also beneficial to vegans. This is good news because omega-3s promote heart, brain and eye health. For your omega-3 vegetarian solution, be sure to include chia seeds, flax seeds, nuts and hemp. But, for the greatest benefit that you can badociate with omega-3s, supplementation may be necessary.
Calcium
Last but not least, calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Typically found in dairy products (milk, yogurt and cheese), calcium can be difficult to obtain with a vegan diet if you do not know where to look. Herbal sources include enriched vegetable milk substitutes (look for at least 100 mg of calcium per 100 ml), almonds with skin, tahini, firm tofu and some green leafy vegetables such as silver beet.
There you go! All you need to know before committing to a vegan diet (at least in terms of nutrition).
Read more stories like this: Should you become vegan? This is how your body changes since the first day. Plus, your 7-day vegan meal plan approved by your dietitian.
Melissa Meier is a Registered Dietitian based in Sydney. You can contact her at www.honestnutrition.com.au or on Instagram @honest_nutrition.
[ad_2]
Source link
