If you are already a vegan this info is most likely not new to you…. But if you are considering a vegan diet and concerned about nutrition this will be very helpful.
VEGAN OR PURE VEGETARIAN: Vegan is pronounced "vee gun." Some people distinguish between vegan and pure vegetarian, considering the pure vegetarian one who eats no animal flesh, no dairy products, or no eggs, and follows a strict plant based diet for dietary reasons only. While vegans follow a diet consisting of plant based foods only, they are further committed to a philosophy that respects animal life and the ecology of the planet.
A Vegan diet promotes compassion for all living beings.
You need six Main Nutrients:
ENERGY- Comes from carbohydrates and fats. Those abound in grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, starches, and oils.
PROTEIN- Abounds in grains, legumes, and green vegetables.
VITAMINS and MINERALS- used to metabolize all these nutrients and are found in green and yellow vegetables.
WATER- water is freely available.
This is all you need to run a human body, and all of these are available in the plant foods that grow out of the ground.
This is all you need to run a human body, and all of these are available in the plant foods that grow out of the ground.
VEGETABLES- 3 or more servings a day
Vegetables are packed with nutrients; they provide vitamin C, beta carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Dark green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory, or bok choy are especially good sources of these nutrients. Dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin provide extra beta carotene. Include generous portions of a variety of vegetables in your diet. Serving size: 1 cup raw vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables.
Vegetables are packed with nutrients; they provide vitamin C, beta carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Dark green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory, or bok choy are especially good sources of these nutrients. Dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin provide extra beta carotene. Include generous portions of a variety of vegetables in your diet. Serving size: 1 cup raw vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables.
The Human Body has NO requirements for animal flesh, eggs or cow's milk & products. It functions superbly without them.
THE NEW FOUR FOOD GROUPS
WHOLE GRAINS
5 or more servings a day
This group includes bread, rice, pasta, hot or cold cereal, corn, millet, barley, buglar, buckwheat groats, and tortillas. Build each of your meals around a hearty grain dish -- grains are rich in fiber and other complex carbohydrates, as well as protein, B vitamins, and zinc Serving size: 1/2 cup hot cereal, 1 ounce dry cereal, 1 slice bread .
5 or more servings a day
This group includes bread, rice, pasta, hot or cold cereal, corn, millet, barley, buglar, buckwheat groats, and tortillas. Build each of your meals around a hearty grain dish -- grains are rich in fiber and other complex carbohydrates, as well as protein, B vitamins, and zinc Serving size: 1/2 cup hot cereal, 1 ounce dry cereal, 1 slice bread .
FRUIT
3 or more servings a day
Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta carotene. Be sure to include at least one serving each day of fruits that are high in vitamin C -- citrus fruits, melons, and strawberries are all good choices. Choose whole fruit over fruit juices, which do not contain very much fiber. Serving size: 1 medium piece of fruit, 1/2 cup cooked fruit, 4 ounces juice.
3 or more servings a day
Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta carotene. Be sure to include at least one serving each day of fruits that are high in vitamin C -- citrus fruits, melons, and strawberries are all good choices. Choose whole fruit over fruit juices, which do not contain very much fiber. Serving size: 1 medium piece of fruit, 1/2 cup cooked fruit, 4 ounces juice.
LEGUMES
2 or more servings a day
Legumes -- which is another name for beans, peas, and lentils -- are all good sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. This group also includes chickpeas, baked and refried beans, soy milk, tempeh, and texturized vegetable protein. Serving size: 1/2 cup cooked beans, 4 ounces tofu or tempeh, 8 ounces soy milk.
2 or more servings a day
Legumes -- which is another name for beans, peas, and lentils -- are all good sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. This group also includes chickpeas, baked and refried beans, soy milk, tempeh, and texturized vegetable protein. Serving size: 1/2 cup cooked beans, 4 ounces tofu or tempeh, 8 ounces soy milk.
VEGETABLES
3 or more servings a day
Vegetables are packed with nutrients; they provide vitamin C, beta carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Dark green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory, or bok choy are especially good sources of these nutrients. Dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin provide extra beta-carotene. Include generous portions of a variety of vegetables in your diet. Serving size: 1 cup raw vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables.
3 or more servings a day
Vegetables are packed with nutrients; they provide vitamin C, beta carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Dark green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory, or bok choy are especially good sources of these nutrients. Dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin provide extra beta-carotene. Include generous portions of a variety of vegetables in your diet. Serving size: 1 cup raw vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables.
The Essential Nutrients to run the Human Body:
- 1-Carbohydrates
- 2- Fats
- 3- Protein
- 4- Vitamins
- 5- Minerals
- 6- Water
Carbohydrates and Fats are energy calories.
It is easy for a Vegan person to get enough each day found in natural sugars, starches, and vegetable, nut or seed Oils (olive oil).
It is abundant in grains, vegetables, nuts, fruits, ect..
Proteins are the building block for making muscles, blood, hormones, hair, fingernails, immune antibodies.
The building blocks are called amino acid they are found in Vegan foods such as grains, legumes, green vegetables, nuts and seeds.
There are two families of vitamins, that dissolve in water and those that dissolve in oil.
The water soluble vitamins which are not stored in the body, and must be consumed everyday are (vitamin C, B, Folic Acid). They are found in green leafy vegetables as well as in citrus fruits and nutritional yeast. The oil soluble vitamins are stored in the liver, so they need to be consumed only a few times a week (vitamin A, E). They are found in yellow Veggies, like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, melons, kale, and broccoli.
Minerals like potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, selenium, calcium, and iodine are requirements for the body. They can be found in green leafy veggies, grains, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, and sea veggies (nori, kelp, dulse).
Water is essential for body function. Which you can find in pure water, fruit, fruit juices, veggie juices, watery fruits, vegetable soups and salads.
Protein: Is found in Grains- Legumes- Greens- Nuts & Seeds , Quinoa.
Calcium: Is found in Greens (broccoli, collards, kale,romaine lettuce, celery)- Legumes- Seeds & Nuts (especially sesame). One cup of cooked collards or broccoli contains as much usable calcium as a 6oz. glass of milk.
Iron: Is found in Raisins- Greens- Whole Grains- Nuts- Seeds- Legumes- Molasses- Dried Fruit.
Vitamin C: is found in Broccoli- Turnip Greens- Brussels Sprouts- Potatoes- Sweet Potatoes- Peppers- Tomatoes- Cabbage- Citrus Fruit.
Zinc: Is found in Whole Grains- Green Leafy Veggies- Mushrooms- Nuts- Seeds- Legumes- Tofu- Miso- Wheat germ- Nutritional Yeast-.
Vitamin B-12: Is found abundant in Healthy soil, If you have an Organic Garden eating Vegetables will be covered with B-12. Other sources are fortified nut or soy milks- Fortified Un-meats- Nutritional Yeast- Vegan B-12 Supplements-
Vitamin D: Is not really a vitamin, but is actually a hormone made with our own bodies. We make this when Sunlight activates a fatty substance called ergosterol. This is transformed into vitamin D and flows into the blood, muscles and bones. 15 min a day in the Sun is all we need.
Folic Acid: Is found in Dark Greens- Leafy Veggies- Nutritional Yeast- Dates.
Concerns about B-12
Vitamin B12 is needed for cell division and blood formation.
Plant foods do not contain vitamin B12 except when they are contaminated by microorganisms. Thus, vegans need to look to other sources to get vitamin B12 in their diet. Although the minimum requirement for vitamin B12 is quite small, 1/1,000,000 of a gram (1 microgram) a day for adults, a vitamin B12 deficiency is problem leading ultimately to irreversible nerve damage. Prudent vegans will include sources of vitamin B12 in their diets. However, vitamin B12 deficiency is actually quite rare even among long-term vegans.
Is found abundant in healthy soil, If you have a Vegan Organic Garden eating these vegetables will have B-12 on them (if washed lightly) . Other sources are fortified Nut, Seed, Soy milks- Soy Based Un-meats- Nutritional Yeast- Vegan B-12 Supplements.
There are number of reliable vegan food sources for vitamin B-12 . One brand of nutritional yeast, Red Star has been tested and shown to contain active vitamin B12.
Vegans who choose to use a vitamin B12 supplement, either as a single supplement or in a multi-vitamin should use supplements at least several times a week. Even though a supplement may contain many times the recommended level of vitamin B12 it is good to take a couple times a week.
