Nutrition
A well-balanced vegan diet includes a wide variety of whole-grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
A vegan diet is a great choice for your health, for the environment and for the animals!
A well-balanced vegan diet includes a wide variety of whole-grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
For more comprehensive information on optimal plant-based nutrition, making the transition to plant-based meals, key nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding and how and what to feed vegan kids we recommend the book Vegan for Life by dieticians and long-time vegans Jack Norris and Virginia Messina.
Nutritional vegan diet tips.
Eating vegan is easier than you'd think, but what should you include in your day-to-day diet?
Grains: 6+ servings
6 or more servings per day (a serving is ½ cup cooked or ½ cup dry cereal/grain, 1 slice of wholemeal bread).
Includes: wheat, oats, buckwheat, rice, corn, quinoa, cereals, wholemeal bread. Choose whole grains as refined grains have lost valuable nutrients. Whole grains are high in fibre and provide protein, minerals and B vitamins.
Legumes 3 – 4 servings
3 to 4 servings per day (a serving is a ½ cup of cooked legumes or 1 cup soy milk).
Includes: beans, peas, and lentils. Legumes are the most protein-rich of all plant foods and provide 7 to 8 grams of protein per serve and even higher for soy foods (tofu, tempeh, soymilk). While it is easy to get enough protein on a well-balanced vegan diet, legumes are a rich source of the essential amino acid lysine which is limited in other food groups.
Vegetables 5+ servings
5+ servings per day (a serving is ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw).
Vegetables are the most nutrient-dense foods, and we should include generous portions of these every day. Leafy greens like spinach, silverbeet, and kale are particularly nutritious and important.
Nuts and seeds
A small handful of mixed nuts and seeds eaten every day is a great nutrition boost. Some nuts have valuable nutrients (like selenium) not common to other foods.
Includes: almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, brazil nuts, walnuts and sesame seeds
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is critical for nervous system, mental and red blood cell health.
We used to be able to asborb enough B12 from plant based sources (like the residue of nutrient-rich soil on vegetables) but with industrialized farming and less healthy soil, there are no reliable plant-based food sources of vitamin B12. It is often supplemented into animal feed, so meat-eaters can get it that way.
Vegans get vitamin B12 from fortified foods (such as soy milk, marmite and nutritional yeast – check the labels) or a supplement.
Consider the following B12 supplementation guidelines based on the type and frequency:
Daily Supplement:
A dose of 25 to 100 mcg per day is usually sufficient to maintain healthy B12 levels.
Weekly Supplement:
If taken less frequently, a higher dose is needed. A common recommendation is 1,000 to 2,000 mcg once a week.
Iron
Good food sources of iron include seeds and some nuts (chia, hemp, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, cashews and almonds), leafy greens (especially spinach), legumes (beans, lentils, peas), oats, potato, quinoa, and tofu, and iron-fortified foods (some breakfast cereals/muesli, weetbix, marmite).
Omega 3
A source of Omega-3 oil is essential and should be included in the diet every day. Omega-3 oils are important for decreasing inflammation in the body, maintaining healthy cell membranes and healthy brain function. Top sources of Omega-3 oils are flax seed oil, walnuts, chia seeds and hemp seed oil. Pour oils on top of food or add to smoothies. Include nuts on cereal, in salads or on top of meals.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for mental health, preventing depression, bone health and a strong immune system. The best source of Vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. There are no reliable plant-based food sources of Vitamin D. If you are unable to get enough sunlight then there are some great vegan Vitamin D supplements available.
Vegan Pregnancy and Raising Kids
Read our guide and list of resources for comprehensive information on key nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding plus how and what to feed vegan kids.
Websites & quick links
Additional online nutritional resources.
Two Zesty Bananas
Founded by New Zealand doctors and whole plant-based food enthusiasts Dr Luke Wilson and Dr Mathew Hobbs. Recipes and nutritional advice.
Nutritional Facts.org
Find out what the latest science is saying about plant-based nutrition. Watch free videos on more than 2000 health and nutrition topics.
Physicians Committee
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine works to promote healthful vegan diets for disease prevention and works to end the use of animals in education and experiments. Physicians Committee was founded by Neal D. Barnard, M.D., and has more than 10,000 physician members.
Plant-based Meat - a Healthier Choice?
A comprehensive health and nutrition analysis of plant-based meat products in the Australian and New Zealand markets.