As a dietitian and friend to many – I have been getting a lot of questions or discussion on different “diets” people are trying.
But if you know me, I hate the word diet. It’s real meaning is what a person, animal or community habitually eats. But as a society, we have turned it into a restriction or short term eating habits – usually with the goal of weight loss.
So opening – I want to urge you all to change your lifestyle with eating habits that make it a habitual thing… I know this a dream for a dietitian. But since you all are going to do what you want anyway, I’d like to help.
So I’m going to try and help out and just give a little bit guidance. Starting with the VEGAN diet. Which I have once tried (while I was still in grad school and I hated it) and have helped guide a handful of people in the right direction. (I think)
So I’ll start with my favorite macro, PROTEIN!
The biggest arguement I get into with people, and other dietitians, is getting enough protein. I DO NOT CARE WHAT THE GOVERNMENT TELLS YOU IS ENOUGH. Because what they tell you is wrong.
I’m about to lose focus… I should make an entire post ranting about protein. And I probably will one day.
But for now – Vegan diets, if not planned, can be lacking in ESSENTIAL amino acids. So here is a little nutrition 101 for you:
The amino acids:
Please note that BCAA’s are ESSENTAIL. P.S. they’re amazing. (Isoleucine, Leucine and Valine). Alone Leucine can stimulate muscle growth. Pretty cool.
Anyway,
Essential means that our body must consume these, as we do not make them ourselves. Non-essential means our body can make them. Conditionally essential means that our body makes them, however, in times of great illness and STRESS – we don’t do the best job at making them.
I’m always stressed, so I always eat meat. Do I eat meat because I’m stressed or am I stressed because I eat meat?
With the exception of soy – plant proteins are incomplete, meaning that they do not contain all the essential amino acids to make a complete protein. To fix this you have to eat two incomplete proteins to make one whole.
Luckily – this can be done within a day and not at a single meal.
Here is a easy little guide on plant foods and the missing essentials:
And another…
So ensure that you are including foods from both sides (list A and B) all day long. And remember there are many more – so either do your research or ask questions.
One other thing before I move on to the micronutrients – vegan diets are heavy in carbs, but usually they are plentiful in FIBER. My other favorite. It does balance out. If you do it right you won’t get the diabetus. (AKA you french fry vegans)
Okay, so MICRONUTRIENTS.
In my post before I mentioned that having to supplement any diet is not healthy. And as healthy as being a vegan is – it isn’t completely. So here is the list of things I HIGHLY recommend taking in pill form.
- Vitamin B12 – only found in animal products… or forified into grains. In short – B12 keeps the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy, and it helps manufacture DNA. Usually can get enough from a multivitamin.
- Iron – Usually it’s women who talk to me about becoming vegan. And usually they are or are susceptible to becoming anemic. Without red meat – it’s hard to absorb iron from plants. Iron is essential in blood production and carrying oxygen to the cells of the body.
- Calcium – As you all know – calcium builds strong bones and teeth, it also helps clot blood and helps transmit nerve signals. This isn’t usually that big of a deal as you can get calcium from plant sources – it a cup of almond milk actually have more calcium fortified into it than a cup of regular milk. But it is still something to plan into the diet.
- Dark leafy greens like kale and collards.
- Vegetables such as broccoli, Chinese cabbage and bok choy.
- Seaweeds like kelp, nori, spirulina and chlorella.
- Organic tempeh.
- Tahini
- Almonds – almond butter – almond milk
- Vitamin D- SO important! Get the D people. The best source is the sun – and for most of the population, that’s not enough. If you get your blood levels tested the government {insert eye roll emoji} will tell you that anywhere between 20 – 50 ng/L is enough. Sorry, but it’s found that the protective level against stress fractures is 40 ng. And beyond that – you see improvements in sports performance at 60 ng. Not to mention all the other amazing things this vitamin does for your physical and emotional health. Get tested – take some supplements if you’re low. Even if you’re a meat eater, you are probably still deficient.
- Omega – 3 fatty acids – Another deficiency also found in meat eaters. For vegans, the most efficient vehicles for getting omega-3 fatty acids are sea vegetables and microalgae, such as spirulina and wakame. For everyone else – eat fatty fish or take a supplement. Or add in some spirulina or wakame!
P.S. Wakame is a sea vegetable.
So I leave you with this take away. We have teeth for chewing plants and meat. And plants are SO good for our body. But I think God would have made them complete and whole for us if it were the ONLY thing we were suppose to eat. You can be vegan and come at me with why it’s superior. But you better be taking your freaking vitamins and matching your amino acids before we argue about it.
Eat on my friends.
Nomad Nutrition 