WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN FOLLOWING A VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN DIET
There is no denying that vegetarian and vegan diets are on the rise. Nearly 610,000 people signed up for this year’s Veganuary, and in the UK between 2018 and 2021, the availability of vegan ready meals increased by 92% in the major supermarkets.
However, despite the hype, there are still nutritional myths when it comes to following a plant based diet, the main one being that it’s healthier which is not always the case. Removing all animal foods also eliminates sources of essential macro and micronutrients that, in some instances, can be harder to obtain from plant sources. Below are a few key nutrients that are important to look out for when making the switch to a more plant focussed way of eating:
Iron:
This is probably the biggest concern for most people, so I devoted the whole of my last blog to it. You can read it here.
Omega 3:
As our bodies can’t make Omega 3, we need to obtain it from the food we eat. The most bioavailable sources include oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and herring. Those following a vegan/vegetarian diet can find omega 3 fatty acids in chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, hemp seeds, leafy green vegetables, walnuts, seaweed and algae. You may find that you need to take a supplement, but as always, please discuss this with your nutritionist or health practitioner first.
Vitamin B12:
Although there are a variety of B vitamins, B12 receives a lot of attention on this topic as it is only found naturally in animal products. If you’re a vegetarian and consume eggs and dairy, you will obtain some B12 from these sources. B12 can be found in certain plant based products such as fortified nutritional yeast and plant milks however supplementing is often recommended. Having regular blood checks can detect any depletion/deficiency to then act accordingly. Please remember to discuss supplementation with your health practitioner first.
Fibre:
This is a chunky one which I’ve written a full post about here.
Protein:
Feel free to have a look at this post for more information on the different sources of protein and how to get enough.
