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Dietary Guidelines
Provide a wide variety of plant foods, including plenty of strongly coloured vegetables and fruits, including green leafy vegetables, peppers, and broccoli. Aim for a total of at least 500 grams of fruit and vegetables per day. It is recommended that vegetables should be steamed, if practicable, rather than boiled and that the liquor from the steaming be kept for making soups and sauces. -
Provide at least 3 micrograms of B12 each day or
2000 micrograms once a week from fortified foods or supplements.
Sources: Fortified Yeast Extract, Fortified Soya Milk, Fortified
Breakfast Cereals and Fortified Margarine.
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Limit the use of refined grains and hydrogenated
fat. Over-processed food should only be used sparingly as it has
lost much of its nutrient content or been transformed into unnatural
and harmful forms. Hydrogenating vegetable oils is one of the worst
forms of processing as it produces unnatural trans-fats which have
a worse effect than ordinary unsaturated fat in raising cholesterol
and increasing heart disease risk. Hydrogenated fat is found in
most foods, hard margarines, and biscuits and in some vegan sausages
and burgers. It is recommended that products stating no hydrogenated
fat' should be used where possible. Refined grains should not be
a major component of the vegan diet, but whole grains are associated
with many health benefits.
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Provide 1-2 ounces (30-60g) of mixed nuts/seeds
a day [e.g. Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Almonds, Cashew Nuts, Peanuts, Pumpkin
and Sunflower Seeds].
Include a good source of omega-3s each day (either by using Rapeseed Oil for cooking and dressings or an ounce of walnuts/day). Provide calcium and magnesium rich foods such as spring greens, kale, broccoli, fortified plant milks or breads. If sun exposure is limited, Vitamin D2 should be provided. Some of the daily requirements may be obtained from fortified soya milk and fortified margarines [unhydrogenated if possible]. Include legumes (beans, peas, soya) to boost protein intake, particularly if calorie intake is low. It is important to limit the use of TVP to 3 or 4 times per week. Limit the use of salt or use a low sodium alternative. To counterbalance the high salt content of processed foods include foods containing potassium such as leaf and root vegetables, fresh fruit, cereals, nuts, etc. Include a Brazil nut a day to ensure a good selenium intake. An IODINE source is important - found in small amounts in Green Leafy Vegetables, in larger amounts in Seaweeds and Kelp. If it is unrealistic to provide sufficient quantities in the diet then a vegan supplement should be provided through Healthcare in the form of two kelp tablets a week, each with a labelled iodine content of 150 to 250 micrograms. Raw vegetables should be included at least 3-4 times/week [i.e. In Salad including such items as Broccoli, Celery, Carrot, Beetroot, Green or Red Peppers].
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