Vegan Nutrition

When I tell people I'm vegan the usual response is something like:

• Where do you get your iron?
• Where do you get your calcium?
• Where do you get your vitamins?

With this guide, you can find the answers to those questions. As with any diet, it is possible to be a vegan and eat a constant stream of unhealthy junk food. It is also easy to eat a very healthy, balanced diet that contains all the necessary nutrients and avoids many of the usual pitfalls, such as a vast excess of fat. When someone first turns vegan, it is important to give some thought to nutrition. As one settles into a regular dietary pattern, eating healthily becomes second nature and requires little attention. Remember, going vegan is a change of lifestyle, not a restriction on ones diet.

There are some simple guidelines:

• Vegetable protein comes in two different types, obtained from different sources: grains (rice, wheat etc) and pulses (beans, peas etc) It is important that you eat both types each day. This is easy: baked beans on toast has both types, as does a bean dish such as chilli served with rice. Also, soya beans have both types of protein, making it even easier.
• Vitamin B12 is available from various sources, but the best is yeast extract (e.g. Marmite, Vegemite etc.) You may think it tastes horrible, but you can sneak it in by, for example, using it as vegetable stock or putting it into the water in which you cook rice. Most people will not be deficient in B12 as it can be synthesised in the body, but a few cannot so it is best to make sure by eating yeast extract fairly regularly. Check the nutrition guide for other sources.
• Look for fortified foods. Lots of vegan margarines and breakfast cereals have added vitamins and calcium. It is not necessary to take nutrient supplements but if you do, make sure that they come from vegan sources.
• Eat a varied diet. This is good advice for anyone, not just vegans. Eat a variety of vegetables, pulses, grains and any other foods you find. It is easy to get stuck in a rut, never trying new dishes, particularly if you are short of time. Each time I go to a health food shop, I look for some vegan food that I haven't tried before - it could be anything such as a new brand of veggie burger or an exotic fruit etc. There really is no reason to eat the same things each time. If a meat eater tells you that you must have a boring diet ask them what they eat. You'll usually find that they eat meat and two vegetables for every meal (Or just burger, pizza, fried chicken, burger, pizza etc.)
• Eat fresh food, not processed meals. The recipes in these pages are mostly easy and quick to cook and far tastier than any microwave meal. Steaming vegetables rather than boiling them is much better as the flavour and nutrients are retained.
• Look for organic food and products free of Genetically Modified Organisms.

These guidelines should be sufficient for most people - the nutritional charts can be a bit bewildering, but eating a varied vegan diet will easily provide all the necessary nutrients. There is some really good advice here.
If you want more detail about the benefits of a vegan diet, the definitive text is Vegan Nutrition by Michael Klaper MD. You can purchase it from Amazon.co.uk or by mail-order from the Vegan Society.

Note: This nutritional information is provided for those who choose a vegan diet for moral reasons. Although a vegan diet is naturally low in fat, this is not intended as a diet for weight loss. If you wish to lose weight, please consult your doctor in the first instance. Furthermore, I am not a nutritionist and this information should not be taken as complete dietary advice.