Nutrition

Nutrition

It’s easy to be vegan and obtain the protein you need (and in more digestible forms, minus harmful cholesterol).
It’s easy to be vegan and obtain the calcium you need (and without all the negative effects of dairy consumption).
It’s easy to be vegan and obtain the B12 you need (getting it from animals is like taking a supplement second-hand).

WE JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE KEY MYTHS!

To learn more, follow our fact-filled new series ‘Nutrition Bites’ in our onsite news blog VEGAN24.

Our top tips for maximum nutrition:

Eat rainbows! The more variety and colour you can pack into your meals, the more nutrients you’re getting. Nature designed plants to be attractive to us! Think of a tantalising bowl of mixed berries and the heady fragrance of fresh strawberries and you’ll understand what we mean.
Eat a mix of both raw and cooked foods (think fresh crunchy salads or flash fried stirfrys) because nutrient absorption is complex, they’re released from foods differently and absorbed by us in different ways.
Avoid overcooking vegetables and instead try methods such as steaming, if you can, which helps to retain the nutrients within the food.
Buy and consume foods whilst they’re as fresh as possible, because from the moment plants are picked their nutrient content starts to deteriorate.
Never discount using frozen fruit and veg because it’s often more nutritious – having effectively been ‘preserved’ this way immediately after harvest. They’re convenient for quick and easy cooking too!
Sprinkle! Add nuts and seeds to meals such as cereals, pastas, soups and salads – they add texture, flavour and a nutrient boost. We love a mix of pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and hemp seeds.
Go even greener and add handfuls of fresh leafy greens just at the end of cooking currys, casseroles and soups, for example. Shredded kale and baby spinach leaves are great for boosting calcium and iron content.
Take a B12 supplement and/or use fortified foods every day. There are an increasing range of fortified foods you can use such as plant-milks, spreads and yeast extracts etc. Check labels when shopping.
If you can’t get out in the sun very often (at least 30 mins with some skin exposed each day) then consider taking a Vegan-friendly Vitamin D supplement, as all humans, regardless of diet, would benefit from this.

Disclaimer: As with any change to what you eat, it’s always best to consult with your doctor and/or a registered dietician first. You can find a registered dietitian through the British Dietetic Association who advise us that all dietitians are “trained and knowledgeable in plant-based dietary requirements.”

Our top tips for maximum nutrition:

References and further reading: