A plant-based diet relies on foods derived from plants that contain very few or no animal-derived components. This includes vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fruits.
You may choose a plant-based diet for a variety of reasons. These may include concerns about animal welfare, health benefits, environmental concerns, or personal preferences.
A plant-based diet can support healthy living at any age and stage of life. However, as with any diet, you should plan your plant-based diet to meet your nutritional needs.
Those who follow plant-based diets are classified as follows:
Lacto-ovo vegetarians: They consume dairy products and eggs but do not consume meat, poultry, or seafood.
Ovo-vegetarians: They include eggs but avoid all other animal products, including dairy.
Lacto-vegetarians: They consume dairy products but exclude eggs, meat, poultry, and seafood.
Vegans: Do not eat any animal products, including honey, dairy products, and eggs.
Pescatarians: They eat fish and/or shellfish.
Semi-vegetarians (or flexitarians): may eat some meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.
How can I eat with this in mind?
Diets focused on a wide variety of plant-based foods offer affordable, tasty, and nutritious options. Beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, whole grains (such as oats, barley, and quinoa) can provide all the nutrients necessary for good health.
The exception is vitamin B12. This nutrient cannot be obtained from plants. You will need to get it from fortified foods or a supplement.
Plant-based nutrition is recognized as an intervention that can improve health outcomes. It can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer, and help you manage your weight.
If you are reducing or completely eliminating animal-based foods from your diet, there are a few nutrients you need to be mindful of.
Protein
You can easily meet your protein needs by consuming protein-rich foods.
These include lentils, beans, chickpeas, seeds, nuts and nut butters (such as peanut butter), tofu, and tempeh. If you eat them, eggs and dairy products are also good sources.
Meat substitutes such as soy burgers and soy sausages, mycoprotein (sold as Quorn), and seitan (made from wheat) are high-quality protein sources and can be beneficial for those adapting to a plant-based diet. However, these often contain high amounts of salt and fat, so you should use them in moderation.
Some meat substitutes contain animal ingredients such as eggs, dairy derivatives, and honey. If you are trying to follow a vegan diet, you will need to read labels carefully.
Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
These fats are important for your health.
The richest source is oily fish; sardines, salmon, and mackerel. If you don’t eat fish, your body can convert essential fats found in plant-based foods like walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, and hemp seeds into long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 supplements made from algae are also available and suitable for vegans.
Vitamin B12
You only need small amounts of this important vitamin. If you get too little, you may experience fatigue, anemia, and nerve damage, and you may also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Since eggs and dairy products contain vitamin B12, it is unlikely that you will experience a vitamin B12 deficiency unless you exclude all animal-based foods from your diet.
If you are vegan, the only reliable sources of vitamin B12 are fortified foods and supplements. Appropriate B12-fortified foods include some breakfast cereals, yeast extracts, soy yogurts, and plant-based milk alternatives. Be sure to check the label to ensure they are fortified.
Since absorption varies greatly depending on dosage and your needs, supplementation with an amount higher than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 1.5 micrograms is recommended to ensure adequate intake.
Vitamin D
Along with calcium, vitamin D is also important for maintaining bone health. Your body produces it, especially during the summer months when your skin is exposed to the sun.
Calcium
Calcium is essential for bone health. An adult needs approximately 700 mg per day.
Dairy products are rich in calcium, but if you don’t consume them, make sure you get calcium from other sources. These include fortified plant-based milk alternatives, dried fruits such as figs, nuts such as almonds, green leafy vegetables such as kale, red kidney beans, sesame seeds, tempeh, and calcium-fortified tofu.
Iron
This mineral is vital for health because its deficiency causes anemia.
Plant-based sources of iron include dried fruits, whole grains, nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds, peas, beans, and lentils. The form of iron in plant foods is less efficiently absorbed than iron from animal sources such as meat and eggs.
You can increase the iron your body gets from plant-based foods by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C. These include citrus fruits, strawberries, berries, green leafy vegetables, and peppers. Vitamin C helps iron to be absorbed better.
Zinc
Zinc is important for growth and development in childhood. It is essential for the immune system.
Like iron, zinc absorption from plant foods is lower than from animal foods. Sources include eggs and milk.
Good plant options include wheat germ, beans, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and some fortified breakfast cereals.
To increase zinc absorption, eat fermented soybeans such as tempeh and miso, soak dried beans, rinse them before cooking, and sprout grains and seeds.
Iodine
You need iodine for healthy thyroid function. It is essential for many bodily processes, including metabolism. The most important sources of iodine in our diet are dairy products and seafood. If you eat only plant-based diets, you may be at risk of deficiency.
Too much iodine is also unhealthy, so talk to a dietitian if you are taking supplements.
Top tips
– Carefully planned plant-based nutrition can support healthy living at any age and stage of life.
– Plant-based diets can aid in weight management and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.
– You can get all the necessary nutrients from plant foods, but vegans need a reliable source of vitamin B12.
– If you exclude dairy products, make sure you consume other calcium-rich foods.
– Include a wide variety of plant-based foods to ensure your diet is balanced and sustainable.
https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/vegetarian-vegan-plant-based-diet.html
