There are 3 macronutrients - Protein, Carbohydrate and Fats
PROTEIN
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins which are essential to the body to create and maintain muscles, skin, organs, tendons, hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters.
CARBOHYDRATE
Carbohydrates refer to sugars, fibres and starches and are an important source of energy. They are the main energy source for the brain, muscles and tissues in the body.
FATS
The word "fats" can typically have a poor reputation as being unhealthy, but the body requires a certain amount of the right type of fat to function. Fats are often broken down into 4 categories:- saturated and trans fats, which are mostly found in meat and processed food and can bring health problems. Then there are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids which are considered healthy and are present in natural plant-based sources.
| Macronutrient | Good Food Sources |
|---|---|
| Protein | Pulses, eg peas, lentils, beans including kidney beans, black beans |
| Soy milk and soybean products, eg, tofu and soya mince, tempeh, edamame | |
| Seeds and seed paste eg Tahini used in Hummus, wholegrains | |
| Chickpeas | |
| Green vegetables - broccoli, spinach, asparagus, mangetout, watercress | |
| Carbohydrates | Wholegrains |
| Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, squash | |
| Beans, peas and lentils | |
| Fats | Nut and Seed oils, eg flaxseed oil and ground flaxseed, cashew, peanut, brazil nut |
| Flaxseeds and Chia seeds | |
| Avocado | |
| Virgin olive oil |
While there are numerous micronutrients and minerals recommended for a healthy diet, there are 4 groups in particular that should be incorporated into a vegan diet:- Calcium, Iron, Omega 3 and Vitamin B12
CALCIUM
Almost 99% of calcium in the body is found in bones and teeth. It regulates their growth and development. One of the main misconceptions about a vegan diet is a lack of calcium as dairy is the richest source. However, calcium can be easily incorporated into a vegan diet. See my chart to find vegan 'friendly' foods containing calcium.
IRON
Iron is an essential micronutrient for the body for the production of blood cells as well as effective conversion of food to energy. You may have seen two types of dietary iron, heme and non-heme. Heme iron is only present in seafood and meat including poultry. Non-heme is found in plant-based foods such as grains, vegetables, fruit and beans but is less easily absorbed by the body. So extra care must be taken to regularly consume foods rich in non-heme iron. See my chart for examples.
OMEGA-3
Omega-3 are essential fatty acids that play a critical role in eye, brain and heart health. There are two types - ALA which is easily consumed through food, and EPA/DHA which can only be sourced through algae on a vegan diet and so supplementation is often needed.
VITAMIN B12
There are 8 different B vitamins, each playing an important role in the body and I will look at food sources for each in my vitamin chart. However, B12 in particular is needed to form red blood cells and DNA. It is an essential contributor to the function and development of brain and nerve cells. It is often added to foods or supplements.