Vegan Food & nutrition
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One of the reasons many people won't become vegan is because they worry that they won't be getting enough protein and nutrients in vegan food. Fortunately, it's actually very easy to get all the nutrients we need from a vegan diet. Protein Calcium Iron Essential Fatty Acids Vitamin B12 Protein It's easy to get enough protein on a vegan diet. Protein is in just about anything! Recommended dietary intake (RDI) of protein: Age - Amount required per day 0- 12 months - 12.5 - 14.9 g 1-3 years - 14.50 g 4-10 years - 19.7 g - 28.3 g Boys 11-14 years - 42.1 g 15-18 years - 55.2 g Girls 11-14 years - 41.2 g 15-18 years - 45 g Men 19-50 years - 55.5 g 50+ years - 53.3 g Women 19-50 years - 45 g 50+ years - 46.5 g During pregnancy - extra 6 g per day Breast feeding 0-6 months - extra 11 g per day Breast feeding 6+ months - extra 8 g per day Good sources of protein:
Calcium Calcium is required for bone strength and healthy teeth. Milk is not the best source of calcium - that's a myth. Its high-protein content actually leeches calcium from the bones. Therefore, plants naturally fortified with calcium, especially dark green leafy vegetables, are a much better choice for getting calcium than milk and cheese. Recommended dietary intake (RDI) of calcium: Age/sex - Amount required per day Babies 0-12 months - 525 mg Infants & children - 350 - 550 mg Teenage Girls - 800 mg Teenage Boys - 1000 mg Adult Men & Women 19+ yrs - 700 mg Breast feeding women - extra 550 mg Good sources of calcium:
Iron Iron is required in order to build blood and gain energy. Also, if you don't get enough iron in your diet, you could get anaemia. Iron absorption can be increased by eating foods high in vitamin C with Iron foods. Recommended dietary intake (RDI) of Iron: Age - Amount required per day Infants 0-3 months - 1.7 mg Around 12 months - 7.8 mg Children - 6.1 - 8.7 mg Teenagers - 11.3 - 14.8 mg Men - 8.7 mg Women - 14.8 mg Sources of Iron:
Essential Fatty Acids Most Vegans don't have a problem getting enough Essential Fatty Acids. Food sources of the two main dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid): Linoleic Acid (Omega 6 family) This can be found in Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, Grains and Seeds. Good sources include oils made from Safflower, Sunflower, Corn, Soya, Evening primrose, Pumpkin and Wheatgerm. Alpha-Linolenic Acid (Omega 3 family) (fish is not the only source of Omega 3!) Omega-3 can be found in Flaxseeds(linseeds), Mustard seeds, Hemp seeds, Walnut oil, Green leafy vegetables, Grains and Spirulina. Good sources are oils made from Flaxseeds(linseeds), Rapeseed (canola) and Hemp seeds Vitamin B12 A diet very low in B12 can cause anaemia and nervous system damage. So it's important that everyone gets enough of it. The only reliable sources of B12 for Vegans are fortified foods and B12 supplements. To get enough every day, vegans should do one of the following: Eat fortified foods two or three times a day to get at least 3 micrograms (µg or mcg) Take a daily supplement providing at least 10 µg Take a weekly supplement providing at least 2000 µg. Many soya milks are fortified with B12, as are some spreads and cereals. If eating fortified foods, be sure to read the labels to make sure you are getting enough each day. Home | Food & Nutrition | Quotes | Links | Contact me |