What Are Vegan Diet Nutritional Concerns?

Can a vegan diet meet your nutrient needs? What are vegan diet nutritional concerns? Which nutrition concerns with vegan diet should I worry about? I’m answering your top questions on this hot topic and sharing my top ten nutrient-rich vegan recipes.

As a plant-based registered dietitian, I get so many questions on whether vegan diets can provide adequate amounts of essential nutrients, such as protein, calcium, iron, and zinc. I spend a lot of time addressing vegan diet nutritional concerns, both in my books, like the The Plant-Powered Diet, on my blog, and in my speaking engagements. It’s important to note that plant-based foods do offer an abundance of essential vitamins and minerals to help your body function optimally. With the exception of vitamin B12, which must be consumed by supplement or fortified foods, vegan diets that are well planned can meet your nutrient needs for all ages, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It’s all about understanding the types of nutrients your body needs, plant sources for these nutrients, and how to plan a balanced diet that enables you to consume all of these key nutrients. Incorporating more pulses, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds while reducing highly processed, low nutrient foods is the way to go. And the beauty of plant-based diets is that this eating style exceeds the average intake of many key nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, E, and K, folate and potassium, not to mention phytochemicals. That’s why a body of evidence links them to health benefits! Today, I’m here to answer your top questions and concerns about the nutrients you need on a vegan diet. Make sure to check out this blog on how to meet your nutrient needs on a plant-based diet for more information.

This recipe for Tempeh Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing includes protein-rich tempeh.

Question: Can you obtain sufficient amounts of protein on a vegan diet?

Sharon’s Answer: Yes, it’s quite possible! Studies show that on average vegans meet their protein needs. That’s because humans don’t need that much protein—the requirement is .8 grams per kg of ideal body weight. That’s not much! It is important to account for slightly more protein due to lower digestibility of plant proteins, and some individuals require more protein. It might be a good idea to get more like 1 – 1.1 grams of protein per kg of ideal body weight on a vegan diet, which is still very doable. But we tend to place a high value on protein and really overestimate our needs. All it takes is getting a good source of plant protein—pulses, soyfoods, grains, nuts, seeds—on your plate at each meal and snack, in combination with other healthy plant foods, like whole grains and vegetables, to meet your needs. If you have higher protein needs due to your activity levels or metabolic needs, you can push extra plant protein through smoothies and high protein snacks. Learn more about getting plant protein here.

This recipe for Easy Soy Yogurt Berry Parfait contains a good source of important nutrients.

Question: Do vegans tend to suffer from vitamin deficiencies any more or less than someone who consumes meat, dairy, and eggs?

Sharon’s Answer: For many nutrients, vegans get more than carnivores; while other nutrients (calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D) vegans tend to get less. However, that doesn’t mean intake is at deficiency levels. For example, vegans typically eat a lot more fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, soyfoods, nuts, and seeds than non-vegans, and those foods are filled with vitamins A, C, E, K, and B vitamins, potassium, and magnesium. You can get enough calcium, vitamin D, iron, and zinc on a vegan diet, but that means you have to make sure you focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet filled with the major food groups, such as plant proteins, whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruits. You can’t fill up on low nutrient junk food and get enough of these nutrients. However, the same is true of non-vegan diets, too! Vitamin B12 is the one nutrient that you can’t get on a vegan diet, without supplements or fortified foods.

Question: Is dairy needed to build strong bones? How else are vegans able to obtain sufficient amounts of calcium?

Sharon’s Answer: You do not NEED to consume dairy for healthy bones. You can get calcium and vitamin D (which is fortified in dairy—not found naturally) in plant-based diets. Calcium can be found in tofu, cruciferous vegetables, oranges, and some grains, nuts, pulses, seeds, In addition, you can get vitamin D from the sun and in UV exposed mushrooms. It’s important to note that other nutrients, such as antioxidant compounds, are important for bone health. It’s more than just calcium! Remember that most of the global population does not consume milk and even lacks the enzymes to digest it, and they have found a way to get healthy bones over the millennia. In fact, Western diets—high in dairy—are linked with higher rates of osteoporosis than regions that consume little or no dairy. Learn more about plant-based calcium sources here.

Don’t fear soyfoods, which have actually been linked to lower breast cancer risks. Start with this recipe for Nicoise Salad with Tofu.

Question: Does consuming a vegan diet impact hormone levels, such as testosterone/estrogen? How does this compare to a meat- and dairy-heavy diet?

Sharon’s Answer: There is some evidence that vegan diets have lower levels of certain hormones compared to high meat diets. However, the studies haven’t documented any negative effects of these lower levels. We need more research on this area. It’s interesting to consider that estrogen has been linked with some cancers, and perhaps it could be related with the lower risks of breast cancer we see in vegans. But we need more research to fully understand this issue—it’s too soon to know for sure.

The high intake of plant foods, in particular fiber, is linked with satiety and healthy weight. Try this light recipe for Rainbow Peanut Slaw with Mandarin Dressing on your menu.

Question: Does a vegan diet aid in weight loss?

Sharon’s Answer: Yes, the research shows quite strongly that a vegan diet is linked to healthy weight, weight loss, and lower BMI. Scientists think that it’s the high fiber in the diet, as well as the lower levels of fat. This is based on diets that are higher in whole plant foods, not junk foods though. And many people do not experience weight loss on a healthy vegan diet. While many people do lose weight, others may have difficulty achieving this based on their own unique genetic makeup and body type, as well as dietary choices. Learn more about vegan weight loss here, and read about eating a high-fiber diet here.