Planning A Nutritious Vegan Diet: A Balanced Approach

Planning a balanced vegan diet can be challenging, but with a little education and planning, it's possible to ensure you're getting all the right nutrients. A vegan diet is often accepted to be healthy and can help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type-2 diabetes. However, it's important to plan your meals and snacks to ensure your diet supplies all the nutrients you need.

- Make sure you're getting enough protein. While this is often a concern for people starting a plant-based diet, there are plenty of plant-based protein sources, including beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and plant-based dairy alternatives.

- Focus on getting enough vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Some of these nutrients may be harder to come by on a vegan diet, so you may need to supplement or include fortified foods in your diet.

- Eat a variety of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. These foods will provide your body with the nutrients it needs to sustain healthy muscle, fuel a lean athletic body, and support intense training.

- Avoid filling up on processed vegan junk food. Just because something is vegan doesn't mean it's healthy. Stick to whole, nutritious foods that are naturally vegan.

- Plan your meals in advance to ensure you're getting a balanced mix of nutrients. This will also help you stick to your vegan diet and avoid giving in to convenience foods.

Include calcium-rich foods

Calcium is an important mineral at every life stage. It is well-known for its role in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, but it is also required for blood clotting and regulating muscle contractions, including that of the heart.

When following a vegan diet, it is important to include a varied selection of calcium-rich and fortified foods to meet your calcium requirements. Here are some tips to include more calcium-rich foods in your diet:

Include Calcium-Set Tofu, Calcium-Fortified Plant Milk and Yogurt

Tofu that has been set with calcium is a great source of this mineral, providing up to 350mg of calcium per 100g serving. Additionally, many plant-based milk and yogurt alternatives are fortified with calcium. For example, a 200ml portion of fortified almond, soya, oat, or coconut milk can provide 240mg of calcium. Similarly, a 125g portion of fortified plant-based yogurt can provide up to 150mg of calcium.

Eat Dark Leafy Greens and Cruciferous Vegetables

Dark leafy greens, such as turnip greens, mustard greens, broccoli, and collard greens, are good sources of calcium. An 80g portion of cooked greens can provide between 60-110mg of calcium. However, keep in mind that these vegetables also contain oxalates, which can reduce calcium absorption. Boiling these vegetables can help reduce oxalate levels. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, bok choy, kale, and arugula are also healthy additions to your diet.

Choose Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds

Legumes, such as beans, lentils, and peas, are rich in calcium. For example, navy beans provide 132mg of calcium per cup, while kidney beans and chickpeas offer around 90-99mg per cup. Nuts and seeds are also good sources, with sesame seeds providing 201mg of calcium per 30g serving, almonds providing 72mg per 30g, and sunflower seeds offering 33mg per 30g.

Fortified Foods

In addition to fortified plant-based milk and yogurt, other fortified foods can boost your calcium intake. In the UK, white and brown breads are required by law to be fortified with calcium. Two thick slices of wheatgerm bread can provide 170mg of calcium, while seeded bread can provide 120mg. Dried herbs are another surprising source of calcium, with dried marjoram, mixed herbs, and oregano providing 48-60mg per teaspoon.

By including a variety of these calcium-rich foods in your daily diet, you can ensure you are meeting your calcium requirements while following a vegan diet.

Plan for protein sources

Protein is one of the most important nutrients for appetite control. If you're not eating enough protein, you may feel hungry. It is also necessary for muscle growth and overall strength.

• Include protein-rich whole grains in every meal.
• Eat plant-based proteins such as tofu, tempeh, soybeans, edamame, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
• Consume soy foods like tofu, tempeh, soybeans, and edamame, which are good sources of plant-based protein.
• Aim for 20-30% of your total daily calories to come from protein.
• Try to get iron and vitamin C from plant sources such as lentils, chickpeas, and peppers to optimise your absorption of these nutrients.
• Consider taking a vitamin B12 supplement, as this vitamin is typically found in animal products.
• If you are very active or have a small appetite, consider a "little and often" approach to eating, choosing snacks that satisfy energy needs and provide extra benefits such as topping up your five-a-day.

Get enough vitamins B12 and D

Vitamin B12 is almost exclusively found in animal-based foods, so vegans need to be mindful of their B12 intake. Vitamin B12 is vital for many bodily functions, including the formation of red blood cells, the protection of the nervous system, DNA synthesis, energy metabolism, cardiovascular health, and the health of skin, hair, and nails.

Vegans can get vitamin B12 from fortified foods such as plant-based milk, fortified cereals, nutritional yeasts, and meat substitutes. Nutritional yeast is a popular choice, as it is easy to add to dishes during cooking and has a rich, nutty, cheesy flavour. It can be sprinkled on popcorn, mixed into cheese sauces, mashed potatoes, or scrambled eggs or tofu, or stirred into soups.

However, not all foods that are vegan sources of B12 are reliable in their bioavailability of B12, so vegans should regularly monitor their B12 status through blood tests. In addition to fortified foods, vegans can also take B12 supplements to ensure they are getting enough.

Vitamin D is another important vitamin that can be challenging for vegans to get enough of, as many of the foods highest in vitamin D are not vegan-friendly. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorous from food, and people who don't get enough are at a heightened risk of developing weak and brittle bones.

Vitamin D is unique compared to other vitamins because, in addition to getting it from food, your body can also make it when your skin is exposed to sunlight. However, in some places, like the UK, there are concerns that people do not get enough sunlight to produce sufficient vitamin D.

Vegan sources of vitamin D include fortified foods such as soy milk, orange juice, almond milk, rice milk, and breakfast cereals and oatmeal. Mushrooms are one of the only non-animal sources of vitamin D, especially if they are exposed to ultraviolet light when growing.

In addition to dietary sources, vegans can also get vitamin D from supplements. To enhance absorption, it is recommended to take vitamin D supplements with a meal, especially one containing high-fat foods like avocados, nuts, and seeds.

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is essential for a balanced vegan diet. Aim for at least five portions of fruits and vegetables every day, and try to include a mix of different colours and types to ensure your body gets a diverse range of beneficial plant compounds and nutrients.

Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, collard greens, broccoli, and cabbage, are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. They are particularly rich in calcium, iron, and vitamin B12, which are crucial nutrients for vegans as they are more likely to be deficient in them. Citrus fruits, legumes, and yellow or orange fruits and vegetables are also packed with nutrients and can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

When planning your meals, try to include fruits and vegetables at every meal. Make salads, soups, and stir-fries with a variety of colourful vegetables, or simply snack on whole fruits. Keep your fruits visible and within easy reach, and explore different options in the produce aisle to add variety to your diet.

In addition to fresh produce, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables are also nutritious options. Just be mindful of the added sugar content in dried fruits, and remember to count them as one of your five daily portions.

Choose whole grains

Whole grains are an important part of a balanced vegan diet. They are a good source of protein and iron, and can help you stay full and satisfied.

When following a vegan diet, it is important to swap out refined grains such as white pasta and white bread for whole grains such as brown rice, wild rice, and quinoa. These unprocessed complex carbohydrates are rich in iron and B vitamins, which are stripped out during the refining process. Whole grains also contain more fibre than refined grains, which will help keep you full and may even aid weight loss.

It is easy to include whole grains in your diet. For breakfast, you could try having oatmeal or quinoa porridge. For lunch or dinner, you could base your meal around whole grains such as bulgur or quinoa, and add beans, pulses, and roasted vegetables. If you are making a curry, you could serve it with wild rice. You could also try making a simple bowl of brown rice and beans, or a hearty chilli with nutrient-rich veggies and whole grains.

It is also easy to prepare large batches of whole grains and then freeze them in single portions, so they are ready to grab and reheat.

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