What do vegans lack most?

However, following a poorly planned vegan diet can result in an insufficient intake of certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, calcium, iodine and iron. Therefore, it is essential that vegans avoid vegan fast food diets that lack nutrients and instead follow whole food diets. Zinc can be found in many beans, legumes, and whole grains. But it's important to note that the phytic acid found in these plants can hinder the absorption of zinc.

However, soaking or sprouting grains and beans before cooking them reduces phytic acid. However, above all else, you should strive to include a wide variety of different foods in your diet. You may also consider adding certain supplements to make sure you're getting the right amount of essential nutrients. Look for a vegan or vegetarian multivitamin that contains vitamin B12, iodine and zinc, but don't take any iron supplements unless your doctor recommends it.

You can also try vegan and vegetarian protein powders to supplement your protein intake if you're concerned. In addition to the ecological benefits of abandoning dairy products, meat and fish (around 41,200 tons of CO2 EQ, just as 450,000 flights from London to Berlin could be saved with those 350,000 animal products that are diverted this month alone), there are also countless health benefits. To make sure you don't get into trouble, here are 10 nutrients that vegans tend to lack, and how to make sure you're getting enough. There are no surprises: after all, dairy products are one of the main sources of calcium on the plate.

And why do you care? Well, aside from the obvious (calcium is important for healthy and strong bones), this nutrient is also responsible for regulating muscle contraction, meaning it helps control heartbeats. Iron is essential for healthy red blood cell production, but the results of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey have shown that 27% of women do not consume enough iron, putting them at risk of suffering from anemia (whose symptoms include chronic tiredness and fatigue). If you're exhausted on this vitamin, you probably know it. You may only need 2.4 mcg of this product per day, but cut back on that amount and expect to experience everything from depression to tiredness and weakness.

According to Hobson, the richest sources of zinc are found in seafood, meat and dairy products, which are off the menu for vegans. Haven't you heard of this one before? Well, it's time to get to work. Most of it should come from your diet. A meat-free diet can be healthy, but vegetarians, especially vegans, should make sure they get enough vitamin B12, calcium, iron and zinc.

However, while plant-based diets can have many health benefits, they can also, without a little planning, cause nutrient deficiencies. In fact, a survey suggests that about 28% of vegans and 13% of vegetarians show one or more nutrient deficiencies. That's because many plant-based diets don't contain high levels of certain nutrients, such as vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, calcium, selenium, iron, and zinc. The OnePoll survey interviewed 1,000 vegetarian and vegan adults across the UK and found that 28 percent of vegans and 13 percent of vegetarians have been diagnosed with a nutrient deficiency following a blood test.

The key nutrients that could be a problem in vegetarian or vegan diets were iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc. All of these are found in animal foods, but tend to be less bioavailable or are present in smaller amounts in plant foods. However, despite this, more than six out of 10 people said that their plant-based diet provided them with all the nutrients they need. It is found mainly in eggs, blue fish and yogurt, which are prohibited foods for those who follow a vegan eating plan.

Vegans and ovovegetarians, who eat eggs but not dairy products, need to find foods (dark green vegetables, tofu, edamame, soy nuts, butternut squash, calcium-fortified non-dairy beverages) or supplements that compensate for the lack of calcium in their diets. Long-chain omega-3 (EPA and DHA) are not widely available from plant sources, so it's essential for anyone who doesn't eat fish, including foods such as walnuts, ground seeds such as flax and hemp seeds and rapeseed oil, and you may want to consider taking an algae-based vegan omega-3 supplement that is rich in EPA and DHA. While one in ten respondents had adopted a meat-free diet last year and half had been vegan or vegetarian for a longer time, 60 percent overall admitted that they hadn't done any research before eliminating animal products and that most had not taken a specific dietary supplement, as recommended by the NHS and the Vegan Society. .

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