Vegan Diet Calories: What's The Deal?

Calorie counting is a common strategy for weight loss, but does this approach work for vegans? Vegans are often stereotyped as skinny, but this is not necessarily true. While vegan foods tend to be lower in calories, it is still possible to overeat and gain weight on a vegan diet. Calorie counting can be frustrating and unsustainable, leading to yo-yo dieting. Instead, a holistic approach to weight loss is recommended, focusing on overall health and mindful eating.

However, some people find they need to consume more calories as a vegan to maintain a healthy weight. This may be because vegan foods are less calorically dense, so you need to eat larger portions to feel full. Additionally, the body may absorb fewer calories from certain vegan foods, such as nuts and seeds, due to the high fibre content.

So, do calories matter on a vegan diet? The answer is yes, but it's not just about the numbers. A vegan diet can be healthy and provide enough calories, but it requires planning and understanding of what constitutes a balanced vegan diet.

Calorie-dense foods for vegans

Calorie-dense foods are an important part of a vegan diet, especially if you are looking to gain weight. While it may be more challenging to put on weight as a vegan, there are plenty of nutritious and calorie-rich foods that can help. Here are some tips and food suggestions to increase your calorie intake as a vegan:

Tips to Increase Calorie Intake:

• Use a calorie-counting app to plan your meals and track your intake.
• Include healthy fats in your diet, such as olive oil, coconut oil, nut butters, and avocados.
• Opt for calorie-dense foods like nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and starchy vegetables.
• Cook with oils instead of low-calorie sprays, and add extra virgin olive oil as a dressing.
• Snack on calorie-rich foods like trail mix, nut butter-filled dates, or avocado on toast.
• Add high-calorie ingredients like nut butter, dried fruit, avocado, and coconut oil to smoothies.
• Include protein sources like tofu, tempeh, beans, and quinoa in your meals.
• Use vegan buttery spreads or oils when cooking vegetables or making mashed potatoes.
• Prioritize protein-rich plant-based sources like beans, pulses, nuts, and seeds.

Calorie-Dense Vegan Foods:

• Nuts and Nut Butters: Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, and natural nut butters are calorie-dense and provide healthy fats and protein.
• Avocados: Half an avocado provides around 200 calories and is rich in healthy fats, fibre, and micronutrients.
• Quinoa: This pseudo-grain is a complete protein source and provides around 222 calories per cooked cup, along with fibre and other nutrients.
• Tahini: Made from sesame seeds, tahini is high in protein, fibre, healthy fats, and calories, with approximately 89 calories per tablespoon.
• Olive Oil: With 119 calories per tablespoon, olive oil is a healthy and flavourful way to add extra calories to your meals.
• Dried Fruit: Prunes, raisins, apricots, and figs are high in calories, fibre, antioxidants, and micronutrients. Combine with protein sources to minimize blood sugar impact.
• Legumes: Black beans, lentils, and chickpeas are excellent sources of protein, fibre, and calories. For example, one cooked cup of black beans has 227 calories.
• Sweet Potatoes: A cup of cooked sweet potato provides 180 calories, along with fibre and essential vitamins and minerals.
• Rice: Brown rice is a calorie-dense carbohydrate, with 216 calories per cooked cup, and it also offers protein, fibre, and various vitamins and minerals.
• Coconut Oil: With 116 calories per tablespoon, coconut oil is a versatile and healthy way to add extra calories to your diet.

Weight loss on a vegan diet

A vegan diet is based on plants and foods made from plants, including vegetables, grains, nuts, and fruits. Vegans do not eat animal products, such as meat, dairy, and eggs. While veganism is often associated with weight loss, it is still possible to gain weight on a vegan diet, and calories do matter.

Calorie Counting vs Holistic Approach

Calorie counting can lead to short-term weight loss, but it may not be sustainable in the long term. The reductionist approach to weight loss, which includes calorie counting, focuses on specific areas of eating without considering the bigger picture. This can lead to "yo-yo dieting," where individuals lose weight only to gain it back once they go back to their regular eating habits.

Instead, a holistic approach to weight loss on a vegan diet is recommended. This involves looking at overall health, daily habits, and finding ways to integrate weight loss into daily life without friction. This approach takes into account an individual's overall well-being and has been proven to be more effective and healthier in the long term.

Calorie-Dense Foods

While it is possible to overeat on a vegan diet, vegan foods tend to be less calorically dense than animal products. To ensure sufficient calorie intake, vegans can incorporate calorie-dense foods, such as healthy fats, into their meals. Examples include:

• Avocados
• Nuts and seeds (e.g., walnuts)
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil

Additionally, vegans can increase their calorie intake by cooking with oils instead of using lower-calorie alternatives.

Weight Gain on a Vegan Diet

It is important to note that weight gain on a vegan diet is possible, especially if one is not mindful of their overall calorie intake. While plants tend to be less calorically dense, eating unlimited calories can still lead to weight gain. Therefore, it is crucial to be mindful of portion sizes and to practice mindful eating habits, such as paying attention to feelings of fullness and satiety.

Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet

A well-planned vegan diet can provide all the essential nutrients required by the body. It is important to include a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, fortified dairy alternatives, beans, pulses, nuts, and seeds, to ensure adequate nutrient intake.

Additionally, a vegan diet may offer health benefits, including a faster metabolic rate. Research by Dr. Neal Barnard suggests that vegan bodies may burn calories faster due to the absence of metabolism-slowing fat globules found in high-fat, meaty diets. This can lead to improved weight management and a healthier metabolism.

In conclusion, while calories do matter on a vegan diet, a holistic approach to weight loss, incorporating calorie-dense foods, and mindful eating habits are recommended for effective and sustainable weight loss on a vegan diet.

Calorie counting vs holistic approach

Calorie counting and holistic approaches to dieting are two very different ways to manage your weight. Calorie counting is a reductionist approach, focusing on one specific aspect of eating: the number of calories consumed. In contrast, the holistic approach to weight loss takes into account overall wellbeing, daily habits, and finding ways to integrate weight loss into daily life with minimal friction.

Calorie Counting

Calorie counting is a popular method for weight loss, and it can lead to short-term success. By eating less than you burn, you will lose weight. However, this approach can be frustrating and difficult to maintain in the long term. It can lead to a cycle of yo-yo dieting, where you lose weight, then gain it all back when you return to your normal eating habits. Calorie counting can also be time-consuming and restrictive, which may not be sustainable for everyone.

Holistic Approach

The holistic approach to weight loss on a vegan diet focuses on overall health and wellbeing. It involves looking at what you eat over multiple days and examining your daily habits to find ways to integrate weight loss into your lifestyle. This method is more sustainable and less restrictive than calorie counting, as it does not require you to obsessively track everything you eat. Instead, you should be mindful of when you feel full and satisfied and stop eating at that point.

Calories and the Vegan Diet

Vegan diets are often associated with weight loss and being skinny. Research by Dr Neal Barnard suggests that this may be because vegan bodies learn to burn calories faster. A plant-based diet is generally lower in fat than a diet containing animal products, so a vegan's cells are clear of fat globules that may slow down metabolism.

However, it is still possible to overeat on a vegan diet, and weight gain can occur if you eat beyond your feeling of satiety. Additionally, while it is a misconception that it is difficult to get enough protein on a vegan diet, it does require some planning to ensure you are consuming enough calories and the right nutrients.

Both calorie counting and holistic approaches can be effective for weight loss on a vegan diet. Calorie counting may lead to faster short-term results but is often less sustainable and more restrictive. In contrast, the holistic approach is more focused on overall wellbeing and finding ways to integrate weight loss into your daily life in a sustainable way. It is important to note that regardless of the method chosen, mindful eating and physical activity are crucial components of any weight loss journey.

Metabolism and calorie burn

Calories matter on a vegan diet just as much as they do on any other diet. However, there is some evidence to suggest that vegan bodies may burn calories faster. Research by Dr Neal Barnard, founding president of the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine, found that the metabolic rates of a group of individuals with chronic weight problems increased significantly after transitioning to a plant-based diet.

Calorie Deficit

A calorie deficit is when you consume fewer calories than you burn. This is a popular weight-loss strategy, and while it can lead to short-term weight loss, it is not sustainable in the long term. Restrictive diets like this can lead to yo-yo dieting, where you lose weight, then gain it all back when you start eating normally again.

Holistic Approach

A holistic approach to losing weight on a vegan diet is more effective than a reductionist approach. This means looking at your overall health, daily habits, and finding ways to integrate weight loss into your daily life without friction. For example, practising mindful eating, getting regular exercise, drinking enough water, and not skipping meals.

Calorie-Dense Foods

It is a misconception that it is difficult to get enough calories on a vegan diet. While it may be more challenging, it is not impossible. To increase your calorie intake, you can incorporate calorie-dense foods into your meals, such as:

• Nuts and seeds (e.g. walnuts)
• High-fat plant-based foods (e.g. avocados, nut butters)
• Carbohydrates (e.g. potatoes, bread, rice, pasta)
• Legumes (e.g. beans, lentils)

Additionally, cooking with oils (e.g. olive oil, coconut oil) can help increase the number of calories in your meals.

Meal Planning

Meal planning and preparation can help ensure you are getting enough calories and nutrients on a vegan diet. Using a calorie-counting app can be useful for planning your meals and tracking your calorie and macronutrient intake. It is important to get a variety of nutrients, including protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fortified foods and supplements can also help ensure you are getting all the necessary nutrients.

Nutritional deficiencies

• Vitamin B12: This nutrient is crucial for maintaining healthy blood and a healthy nervous system. It is almost exclusively found in animal-sourced foods such as meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. Vegans who do not take supplements are at a higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to impaired brain function, neurological and psychiatric disorders, and anemia.
• Vitamin D3: Known as the "sunshine vitamin," vitamin D can be produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight. However, for those with limited sun exposure or living far from the equator, it becomes essential to include dietary sources or supplements. Vegans may struggle to obtain sufficient vitamin D3 as its best sources are fatty fish and egg yolks.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly those found in oily fish, play a vital role in maintaining a healthy heart and reducing the risk of heart disease. While plant sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts contain omega-3, the conversion to DHA (an essential omega-3 fatty acid) is inefficient. Vegans may need to consider supplements or include microalgae in their diet.
• Iron: Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells, and a vegan diet can provide sufficient iron. However, the body absorbs iron from plant-based sources less efficiently than from meat. Vegans, especially women, may need to focus on including iron-rich plant foods and pairing them with vitamin C-rich foods to enhance absorption.
• Zinc: Similar to iron, zinc absorption from plant-based diets can be reduced due to the presence of phytate and fiber. Vegans and vegetarians may require up to 50% more zinc in their diet due to the lower bioavailability.
• Calcium: While vegans can obtain calcium from green leafy vegetables, fortified unsweetened plant-based milk alternatives, and certain seeds and nuts, absorption may be reduced by phytates and oxalates in plant foods. Additionally, insufficient dietary protein and low vitamin D status can further hinder calcium absorption.
• Iodine: Iodine content is generally higher in animal-based foods, with fish and dairy being the richest sources. Vegans should ensure adequate iodine intake through the consumption of iodized table salt and foods produced with iodized salt, such as bread and seasoned products.

It is important to note that well-planned vegan diets can be very healthy and provide all the essential nutrients. However, due attention should be given to these specific nutrients to avoid potential deficiencies.

Frequently asked questions