Overcoming Nutritional Types of Plant-Based

Deficiencies Diets
• Protein: growth and maintenance of
Vegans eat only plant foods, including
the body
fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains,
o Consume assortment of plant
seeds and nuts.
foods to provide all essential and
non-essential amino acids Raw vegans eat only plant foods,
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: act as an anti- including vegetables, fruit, nuts and
inflammatory agent in the body seeds, legumes, and sprouted grains
o Eat foods like flaxseed, chia seeds, (75-100% uncooked food).
hemp seeds, walnuts, canola oil Lacto vegetarians eat plant foods as
and soy. well as dairy products.
• Iron: important for red blood cells and
preventing anemia Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat plant
o Eat plant sources of iron, such as foods, dairy products and eggs.
dark green leafy vegetables, with
foods high in vitamin C
• Zinc: present in plant foods but better
absorbed from animal sources
o Include foods such as soy
products, legumes, grains, cheese
and nuts.
• Calcium: needed for strong bones and
teeth, normal blood clotting and muscle
+ nerve function.
o Fruit juices and plant milks
fortified with calcium good sources
of calcium.
• Vitamin B12: necessary for normal
blood cell formation and nerve function
o Consider using a vitamin B12
supplement
• Vitamin D: required to absorb calcium
during digestion and incorporate Enjoying a
calcium into bones and teeth
o Spend 15 minutes in the sun daily Satisfying and
• Iodine: essential component of thyroid
hormones 1510 Menual Blvd. Ext NW Protein Rich
o Include sea vegetables (kelp, nori,
kombu, wakame) and iodized salt
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Phone: 505-243-1386 Plant-Based Diet
bernalilloextension.nmsu.edu
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Meat Substitutes
Vegetarian diets have
Tofu: packed with protein and soaks
up flavors in the prepared dish been associated with
Mushrooms: meaty texture and lower BMI, and reduced
savory flavor, good source of selenium,
vitamin C and iron risk of cardiovascular
Jackfruit: often compared to pulled disease, type 2 diabetes,
pork, packed with vitamins and
minerals hypertension, and certain
Beans and Legumes: nutty and cancers.
earthy in flavor, great source of
protein and help digestion because
they are packed with fiber
Where is the evidence?
Integrating into Your Life Cooking Plant-Based Vegetarians tend to consume fewer overall
Basics calories; a lower proportion of calories from
Gradually transition: overhauling fat; and higher quantities of fruits,
your diet overnight will not work Spice it up: incorporate a variety of vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy
Start with 1-2 meatless days per spices to bring out the flavors products, and fiber.
week A recent study found that, among vegan to
Make Vegetables the star: begin
Remind yourself that it gets easier:
with vegetables then add protein and non-vegetarian diets, increased meat
stick to it and keep learning
other components from there consumption corresponded with diabetes
It’s what you do consistently over the prevalence, with 2.9% in vegans to 7.8% in
long-term that makes all the meat consumers (Barnard et al., 2009).
difference.
Remember your why: it’s all about Vegetarians and vegans are typically
why you started eating a more plant- slimmer than non-vegetarians. These
based diet dietary features help promote lower LDL
Come back to that why if you find cholesterol levels, better serum glucose
yourself struggling to maintain a control, and reduced risk of chronic
healthy, plant-based diet. diseases (Barnard et al., 2005).
Stop worrying about protein: eating Barnard ND et al., A low-fat vegan diet and a conventional
a balanced diet will give you enough diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a
randomized, controlled, 74-wk clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr
protein 89:1588S–1596S, 2009
Focus on balanced and whole food Barnard ND et al., The effects of a low-fat, plant-based
plant-based diet dietary intervention on body weight, metabolism, and
insulin sensitivity. Am J Med 118:997, 2005
Vegan food is just food: let go of the
label “vegan”
Think about all the nourishing,
healthy, plant foods you’ll be eating