Vegan Nutrition

Two comprehensive sources of information addressing nutritional concerns of a vegan diet are the position paper of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada on vegetarian diets¹ and A New Food Guide for North American Vegetarians². A summary of recommendations for vegans:

Nutrient	Recommendation
Calories	Eat more! Plant foods are less calorically dense. Make sure you’re eating enough to meet your energy needs.
Calcium	700-1,200 mg daily from calcium-rich foods (seeds, nuts, broccoli, collards, kale), fortified foods (cereals, plant based milks) and supplements.
Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids	2 servings daily foods rich in omega-3 (1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil, 3 teaspoons of canola or soybean oil, 1 T ground flaxseed or 1/4 cup walnuts) or omega 3 fortified soy milk.
Vitamin B-12	5-10 μg daily from fortified foods (many cereals and plant based milks) or supplements.
Vitamin D	10-15 minutes sun exposure twice weekly or 25 μg daily from fortified foods and supplements.

Additionally, there are many vegan multivitamins available, including DEVA One Daily Vegan Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement, DEVA Vegan Prenatal, Pure Vegan Advanced Multivitamin, VegLife SpectroVeg High Energy, VegLife Vegan Kids Multiple, and VeganLife Multivitamin.

Some details on specific nutrients:

Protein: The ADA/DC found that vegans typically meet and exceed protein intake requirements. Additionally, combining proteins at meals, an idea that was popularized a couple decades ago, was found not to be necessary.

Calcium: A study³ of non-vegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians and vegans found that vegans who had less than 525 mg/day of calcium had 30% higher levels of bone fracture than non-vegans of similar age, sex and non-dietary factors. Vegans who consumed greater than 525 mg/day had similar bone fracture rates as non-vegans, suggesting the importance of ensuring an adequate intake of calcium.

Vitamin B-12 is needed for a healthy brain and nervous system. It is made by bacteria located in the guts of animals and is normally not present in plant foods. Sea vegetables, spirulina and fermented soy products are not reliable sources of B-12. Vegans must eat fortified foods or take supplements to avoid a deficiency in vitamin B-12. Fortunately, many cereals and plant-based milks are now fortified with B-12. Vegan B-12 supplements are also available and recommended.

Omega-3 fatty acids are another important component of healthy nervous system. It comes in three main varieties, ALA, EPA and DHA. The best sources of vegan ALA are ground flax seeds and flax oil. Some soy milks are now fortified with ALA. The body naturally converts ALA to EPA and DHA, but it is an inefficient process, so you may wish to take vegan EPA and DHA supplements. Foods rich in Omega-6 fatty acids (such as cooking oils) limit the body’s ability to absorb Omega-3.

Iodine: If you do not use iodized salt (sea salt, kosher salt and tamari usually are not), then you may need to take a supplement to avoid iodine deficiency.