People follow a vegan diet for health, cultural, religious, ethical and other reasons. A vegan diet is a specific type of vegetarian diet that excludes not only meat, poultry and fish, but also all of their derivatives. This includes cheese, eggs, milk or milk powder, honey and butter. Because the diet is restrictive, it is important for vegans to get their daily nutritional needs from other sources in order to stay healthy.
Whole Grains
You may have heard about the importance of whole grains in reducing the risk of heart disease in a cereal commercial, but whole grains have many more benefits. In addition to the cardiovascular benefits, whole grains may also reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, asthma and gum disease, according to the Whole Grains Council. Vegans can get their source of whole grains from bread, rice, pasta, cereal, corn, millet, oats, barley and more. Read the food labels of these products to make sure they do not contain any animal products.
Protein
An average adult male vegan needs around 2.5 to 2.9 grams of protein per 100 calories consumed while a female vegan needs slightly less, 2.1 to 2.4 grams. High sources of protein include tempeh, seitan, and cooked lentils, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and pinto beans. Vegans may find it easy to get in plenty of protein daily since their diet is heavily plant-based. Almost all vegetables, beans and nuts have protein, according to The Vegetarian Resource Group.
Calcium
People often think of milk as a major source of calcium, but fortunately for vegans, there are many other sources. Dark green vegetables such as collards, bok choy and broccoli; tofu with calcium; soybeans; and calcium-fortified drinks such as soy milk and orange juice are excellent sources of calcium, according to The Vegetarian Resource Group. Calcium is an important mineral for bone health, nerve and muscle functioning and blood clotting. If following a vegan diet, be sure to get at least 1,000 mg of calcium per day if you are 19 to 50 years old. If you are 51 or older, 1,200 mg of the mineral is recommended.
Iron
According to the American Heart Association, vegans may have a greater risk of being iron-deficient compared to non-vegans. This is because animal products such as red meat and egg yolk contain high amounts of iron. Vegans can obtain iron from fortified cereals, soybeans, chickpeas, dried fruits, spinach and pinto beans.
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