How to avoid common Vegetarian and Vegan pitfalls
It is clear that eating less meat is one of the biggest things we can do from an environmental perspective to help our planet. For many, there are also important ethical considerations around eating meat. For me personally, also considering nutritional factors, a largely plant based diet (or Flexitarian diet), is the perfect compromise. But many choose not to eat animals (or animal products) at all and there has been an unprecedented rise in Vegetarianism and Veganism. However, there are a few common pitfalls, that it’s important not to fall into, when eliminating meat from your diet:-
Get enough protein. Beans, pulses, lentils and chickpeas need to be your best friend. If you aren’t Vegan, eggs are also an excellent source of complete protein. Eating sufficient protein provides the body with amino acids to make our happy brain chemicals (neurotransmitters). You should aim to get about 0.8g of protein per kg of your body weight (to give an example, 2 eggs gives you 11g of protein). Beware of heavily processed protein sources such as Quorn. Tofu is high in protein but unprocessed so a great alternative to use in your recipes. A scoop of protein powder in your smoothie, is another way to meet your daily protein requirements but its important to go for a clean one that isn’t heavily processed (Vivo is my favourite).
Get enough B12. Vitamin B12 is incredibly important for our neurological function but, with the exception of mushrooms and some algae, is found almost exclusively in animal products like meat, natural yoghurt and eggs. So Vegetarians and Vegans can sometimes find themselves a bit low in this vitamin which is so important for brain health. Vegans, in particular, will generally need to supplement (better you spray is a good general maintenance option). For both Vegetarians and Vegans, I really recommend Engevita yeast flakes which contain added B12 and can be sprinkled on more or less anything for that ‘cheesy’ taste that vegans often miss.
Get enough healthy fats. It is important to get essential fatty acids in our diet because they are essential but our body doesn’t make them. Omega 3 fats are most plentiful in oily fish. So if you are not eating any fish, it’s important to get alternative dietary sources of essential fats such as flaxseeds and walnuts but supplementation may once again be needed because these non animal food sources do not contain the more active and necessary fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Norsan is my favourite vegan/vegetarian one with good levels of the right fats. Provided you are not vegan, omega 3 enriched eggs are a great idea to top up your levels as the chickens are fed on flaxseed which contains this important fatty acid.
Get enough iron. Iron is most absorbable in haem form which is found in meat so it’s important to get even more sources of non haem (vegetarian) sources in your diet. Dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, swiss chard, beet and collard greens etc). Vitamin C helps iron absorption so consider a squeeze of lemon on your leafy greens.
Don’t swap meat for cheese. Whilst delicious to many, cheese is high in saturated fat so shouldn’t be the focal point of most of your meals. The ingredients of many Vegan cheeses are not something your Grandma would recognise so are better avoided. You generally need to look further than the supermarkets to somewhere like Palace Culture who use organic almonds and cashews.
*Please note that some supplements can interact with medications so if you are taking any medications, you should consult your Healthcare Practitioner or Nutritional Therapist first.*