How to Be a Healthy Vegetarian or Vegan

How can you be a healthy vegetarian or vegan? Here’s what we’ve found.

A vegan diet does not use animal products or bi-products, resulting in a diet of plant-based foods.  Consuming large amounts and variety of vegetables does contribute to one’s health. A well balanced diet can help decrease risk of chronic disease and promote healthy antioxidants in the body. For instance, plant foods high in fiber such as whole grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, and nuts can help reduce risk of diabetes, colon cancer, and heart disease. Fruits and vegetables, a staple in the vegetarian diet, are high in concentrated amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids. These act as antioxidants, which protect your body from damaging free radicals. However, there are certain dietary requirements a vegan must meet on a daily basis to consume the necessary amounts of vitamins and minerals.

What Do I Need in my Daily Diet?

As a vegetarian, you may often wonder what daily nutrients you need to obtain and maintain health.  Below are guidelines for an average adult’s body. Take into consideration your body type and individual needs–which vary from person to person. A consultation will help determine this for you.

Daily Recommended Nutrients

Vitamins	Performance Daily Intake	Foods
Vitamin A	5,000-25,000IU/day	Betacarotene foods: green leafy veggies, spinach, broccoli, squash, apricots, cantaloupe
Vitamin D	1,000 IU/day	Fortified with D-orange juice
Vitamin E	200-1,000 IU/Day	Soy, corn, peanut, safflower oils, wheat germ, nuts
Vitamin K	80-190 mcg/day	Green leafy veggies, cereal, dark colored fruits and veggies
Vitamin B1-Thiamine	30-300 mg/day	Wheat germ, whole grains, peanuts
B2-Riboflavin	30-300 mg/day	Brewer’s yeast, nuts, fortified grain products, wheat germ, green veggies, broccoli, asparagus, spinach and turnip greens
B3-Niacin	20-100 mg/day	Brewer’s yeast, whole grains, nuts, legumes, potatoes
B5-Pantothenic Acid	25-200 mg/day	Potatoes, whole wheat, whole grain cereal, fruits & veggies
B6-Pyridoxine	20-100 mg/day	Rice, soybeans, bananas, lima beans, peanuts and walnuts
B12-Cobalamin	12-200 mcg/day	Tofu
Biotin	125-300 mcg/day	Soy flour, cereal, brewer’s yeast, nuts, cauliflower and legumes
Folate	400-1,200 mcg/day	Asparagus, whole wheat, deep green leafy veggies, brewer’s yeast.
Vitamin C	800-3,000mg/day	F & V especially citrus fruits, green and red pepper, collard greens, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes and strawberries.
Minerals	Performance Daily Intake	Foods
Calcium	1,200-2,600 mg/day	Broccoli, kale, collard greens, tortillas, calcium fortified foods.
Magnesium	400-800 mg/day	Green veggies, whole grains, nuts, legumes, oatmeal and fruit.
Phosphorus	800-1,600 mg/day	Asparagus, bran, brewer’s yeast, corn, legumes, nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Boron	6-12 mg/day	Leafy vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains
Chromium	200-600 mcg/day	Mushrooms, bread, brewer’s yeast, black pepper, beer, brown rice, potatoes.
Cooper	3-6 mg/day	Nuts, seafood, cocoa, chocolate, meat, mushrooms
Iron	25-60 mg/day	Molasses, nuts, chocolate, legumes, bread.
Manganese	15-45 mg/day	Brussel sprouts, spinach, peas, turnip greens, wheat germ, beets, bananas, corn, lettuce, barley seeds, whole grain foods (oatmeal, buckwheat).
Molybdenum	100-300 mcg/day	Beans, bread, cereal.
Selenium	100-300 mcg/day	Brazil nuts, whole grains-whole wheat, oats, millet.
Zinc	15-60 mg/day	Whole grain products, oatmeal, maple syrup.
Potassium	2,500-4,000 mg	F & V

Achieving Protein in a Vegan Diet

Because the vegan diet lacks animal sourced protein, which contain complete sets of amino acids—or are complete proteins, a vegan must be vigilant and make the effort to consume enough protein from other food combinations. Certain foods, when paired together, create a perfect, or complete protein, which includes all of the appropriate essential amino acids.

Complete Protein Combinations

Black beans and rice
Whole grains and peas
Whole grains and peanut butter
Homemade bean soup with whole grains
Nuts and seeds plus legumes
Roasted nuts, seeds and peanuts
Hummus (chickpeas and tahini)
Lentils and almonds
Soy is the one plant protein that DOES contains all the essential amino acids
Quinoa is a complete plant protein

So often, people move to a vegetarian or vegan diet to feel better, but they end up feeling worse because they are not getting all of the vitamins and minerals they need.  If you’re dragging, bloated, and feel WORSE on a vegetarian or vegan diet, you’re not getting what you need.

To learn more about the vegan or vegetarian diet, book a personal consultation with Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist Robin Hutchinson.