Easy Vegan Nutrition Tips For Optimal Health

         

           If you're new to the vegan diet or just considering making the lifestyle commitment, you may have questions about achieving optimal vegan nutrition. The most common concerns seem to be centered on protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and DHA. Obviously, you want to stick to your goals and beliefs without sacrificing your health - or your family's health - in the process. This brief guide should help clarify any confusion so that you can make ideal choices to support your vegan diet.

Protein

One of the biggest myths perpetuated by non-vegans is that vegans will suffer from some protein deficiency and eventually experience a failure to thrive. Not only do we not need animal protein, we don't need the huge amounts of protein typically found in the standard American diet. In fact, eating too much protein can cause significant damage to your health.

Vegans can easily get high quality protein from soy products, seitan (derived from wheat), legumes (beans and peas), nuts, grains (particularly quinoa), and even some vegetables such as artichokes are excellent sources of vegan protein.

Calcium

Calcium is one of the most misunderstood nutrients. Cow's milk is served in our public schools as a lunchroom requirement and is often pushed as the only way to have healthy teeth and strong bones. However, this is not entirely correct.

Leafy green vegetables (especially kale and collards), tempeh, broccoli, fortified nut or hemp milks, and blackstrap molasses are all high quality vegan options for calcium. One of the easiest ways to integrate blackstrap molasses is to make your own vegan barbecue sauce for spreading on grilled veggie burgers or dipping your chicken alternative nuggets.

Vitamin B12

Supplementation with vitamin B12 is widely accepted as necessary for vegans and vegetarians alike. If you eat meat, you may get enough vitamin B12 because grazing animals obtain theirs from the soil while munching on pasture grasses. However, we don't pull veggies out of the ground and eat them with the dirt still on them due to fears of bacterial contamination. Consequently, we need other methods to ensure adequate intake.

Fortunately, there are many fortified foods that offer vitamin B12. You can also find vegan sources of supplements that you can take orally or as a patch. Additionally, you can add fortified nutritional yeast to your diet in the form of sauces and gravies quite easily and it tastes good too! Adding just one tablespoon to your meal gets very close to the recommended daily allowance for vitamin B12.

DHA

DHA is an essential omega-3 fatty acid most commonly found in fish. The typical vegan diet does not contain enough of this critical nutrient and over time, you can end up with a deficiency. Even though walnuts, hemp seeds and flax seeds have adequate ALA that our bodies can convert to DHA, most vegans and vegetarians will require supplementation.

So if you can't take fish oil capsules, what do you do? DHA supplementation derived from microalgae is a natural vegan alternative. There are sources that are grown in laboratories instead of being derived from our seas and oceans for people who are concerned with the increase of toxins (namely mercury) in our water sources.

Living a healthy lifestyle utilizing vegan nutrition alternatives is not only possible, it's easy with just a little planning ahead.

Serena Li is a web content contributor with Basic-Natural LLC, a socially conscious company dedicated to providing consumers with up-to-date information on the sustainability industry. For news, information, and everyday green living tips, please visit the company blog.

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