OH! Magazine - Australian Version June 2018 | Page 10

( NUTRITION )
NUTRITION Q&A
ASHLEIGH
FELTHAM
Ashleigh Feltham answers your nutrition and health questions.
Q
UESTION: Is being a vegan safe for
my health?
ANSWER: With increasing evidence on
how eating too much red and processed
meat can negatively impact your health
as well as the planet’s health, it is not a
surprise more people are becoming a
vegan.
Being a vegan means you do not eat any
product that comes from an animal. This
includes the meat of course, as well as
other products from animals, such as
dairy food and eggs.
There is however, one specific nutrient
that is available only from animal
products, which is vitamin B12. So
anyone who follows a vegan diet needs to
take a B12 supplement and try to include
products that are fortified with B12 such
as soy milk, some cereals or Marmite. It is
important a B12 supplement is taken
whether or not the fortified food and drink
products are part of your diet.
There is a common misconception that
protein can only be found in animal
sources like meat or eggs. This is not true
as protein can be found in very good
amounts in vegan sources like nuts,
legumes, textured vegetable protein,
wholegrains, amaranth grains, and seeds
and even in vegetables.
The average person needs 0.7g to 1.2g of
protein per kilogram a day. If you are
following a balanced diet this is very
achievable without taking protein
supplements.
For optimum health, vegans should
ensure they are consuming the
following six key nutrients:
1. Omega 3 fatty acids
You need omega 3 fatty acids to protect
your body against disease and promote
good health. Omega 3 fatty acids have
been linked to improved heart health as
well as mood improvement.
Typically most people get their omega-3
from seafood but vegans can still get this
nutrient from plant sources like seaweed,
flaxseed oil, hemp seeds, walnuts, canola
oil, soybeans, tofu, chia seeds, linseeds
when stored in the fridge and fortified
milks like soy milk. 5. Iodine
What is iodine’s role in your body? To
make sure normal growth in the body and
to produce thyroid hormones, which play
a role in how fast your metabolism is.
You can find iodine in iodised salt or
seaweed.
2. Calcium
You need calcium for strong bones and
teeth, muscle contractions, allowing your
blood to clot and for nerve function. Since
yoghurt, cheese and milk from animals is
off the menu, vegans need to get their
calcium from other sources like calcium-
fortified soy, rice or nut milks and fruit
juices, almonds, Brazil nuts, amaranth
grains, dried apricots, figs, soybeans,
calcium-set tofu, kale or other Asian
greens or broccoli. Try to avoid caffeine
when having these calcium foods as it
stops the minerals being absorbed by the
body’s cells. 6. Iron
Why is iron important? It helps your body
transport around oxygen. Vegan forms of
iron include legumes, green leafy
vegetables, fortified foods and drinks,
tofu and tempeh, quinoa, nuts, seeds. To
increase the amount if iron your body
gets, try having these foods with a vitamin
C source and not include caffeine,
calcium supplements or tea as these can
stop the iron being taken into the body’s
cells.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your immune system and
lets calcium be absorbed into your bones.
A vegan source of vitamin D can be found
in vitamin-D fortified margarine, as well
as some soy milk. Mostly you will get your
vitamin D from the sun.
4. Zinc
Why bother having enough zinc? To make
sure you have good immunity, strong skin
and can effectively heal. This nutrient
can be found in legumes like chickpeas,
lentils or red kidney beans, nuts, seeds
and soy products (e.g. milk, tofu or
yoghurt).
The bottom line is, there are many health
and planetary benefits from following a
vegan diet. You just need to be careful
you meet all the needs your body requires
to stay healthy. If you don’t understand
how to include all these things, why not
see an Accredited Practising Dietitian
who can help you manage being a vegan
in your lifestyle!
To view the full references for this article
visit feedyourfuturedietetics.com
YOU CAN CONTACT ASHLEIGH VIA:
Web: feedyourfuturedietetics.com
Facebook: FeedYourFutureDietetics
Instagram: @feedyourfuturedietetics