What is a vegan diet?

A vegan diet is a dietary choice where the individual chooses to abstain from eating any food that is directly, or indirectly comprised of any animal product. This means abstaining from meat, poultry, fish and dairy, as well as smaller ingredients that are derived from animals (such as cochineal – a dye used in some foods that is from dried insects), as well as by-products of animals (such as some vitamin D3 which is produced by irradiating lanolin – a substance secreted by sheep). Vegans will also not wear clothing or shoes that contain animal products, such as leather and wool.

Why follow a vegan lifestyle?

There are many reasons that people may choose to follow a vegan lifestyle. Below are some of the most common:

  • Ethical:

    To many people, the idea of living their life without harming any animals is appealing and compassionate. With approximately 650 million animals killed in Canada annually for food, and significant pain and death to animals caused by the dairy industry, many people are choosing to follow their conscience and live their lives without being reliant on either the produce of animals, or animals as produce.

  • Environmental:

    Due to animal produce requiring more protein, water and calories for production than it yields, a diet high in animal produce can be unsustainable in certain regions in the world, due to insufficient natural resources to facilitate this. The reliance of using these resources to produce meat rather than plant based food is contributing to less food being available, which can be a contributory factor towards famine in some communities.

    Coupled with this, the rapid deforestation that is occurring in forests around the world to produce areas suitable for cattle grazing is of significant concern. In 2009, two environmental specialists estimated (in a Bill Gates cited analysis) that animal agriculture is responsible for at least 51% of all human-made greenhouse gases (this is especially startling when all of the world’s planes, trains and automobiles generate only 13% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions).

  • Nutritional:

    A diet high in plant-based foods has been proven to have lower incidence rates of heart disease, hypertension, obesity and many cancers. This is because vegan foods are commonly nutritional powerhouses of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – all of the tools the body needs to protect itself from inflammation and disease, as well as heal itself at times of need.

    Coupled with these nutritional benefits, vegans often experience a greater awareness of the ingredients of the foods that they are eating. This is initially due to looking for non-vegan ingredients in foods. Due to this awareness, this can often lead to a reduced consumption of artificial ingredients and processed foods, which is nutritionally very beneficial, as consumption of processed foods, preservatives and artificial ingredients is not beneficial in any diet.

    Many vegans also favour diets comprised significantly of whole foods – foods in their original, unaltered form. Some vegans also follow a “raw food” lifestyle – consumption of vegan produce that has not been heated above 40°C (104°F). This diet can be very healthy when all nutritional requirements are met, due to the intake of enzyme rich, antioxidant laden whole foods.

How to ensure a vegan lifestyle is nutritionally successful:

A vegan diet can be successful at any stage in life, however like any diet, it is very important to ensure that all nutritional requirements are met. Many people adopting a vegan diet make the mistake of concentrating on the subtraction element of the diet – removing foods that are not vegan. Whilst this is what defines a vegan diet, it is vitally important that the adopter of this diet instead looks at “replacing” rather than “subtracting” – that is to ensure for every food they remove from their diet, they are aware of a vegan food that will provide similar nutritional content.

As every individual has a unique bio-individuality, it is important that the individual be aware of the ratio of protein to carbohydrates to fats that their body requires/ works optimally with. When aware of this, a vegan diet can be easily tailored to provide the same levels of these macronutrients in the ratio that the individual is used to. Through a little awareness, planning and research, a vegan diet can be a very beneficial diet for any adopter.

Particular nutritional requirements:

Whilst the nutritional requirements of a vegan are the same as that of an omnivore (or vegetarian), there are certain areas that require closer attention to ensure adequate nutritional intake. These areas are as follows:

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 plays a role in the production of red blood cells (allowing for adequate energy levels), proper metabolization of proteins, carbohydrates and fat within cells and also plays an important role in the development of nerve cells. Unfortunately, vitamin B12 occurs most commonly in animal foods, so due to this, vegans should consider supplementing B12 daily. Wheatgrass is a strong vegan source of B12. Nutritional Yeast, which has been fortified with B12 is also a good source of B12, and is also advantageous to a vegan diet as it is a complete protein.

Protein

Sufficient protein can easily be obtained in a vegan diet, as long as a little attention is paid to foods consumed. Protein plays many beneficial roles within the body, from promoting the immune system, producing enzymes and playing significant roles within virtually all cell functions.

Whilst protein (of varying levels) is found in nearly all vegan foods, plant based protein sources are not commonly classified as “complete proteins”. Complete proteins are protein sources that contain all nine essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein); nine amino acids that the body cannot synthesize. By choosing complete protein foods such as quinoa and chia seeds the body is receiving all nine essential amino acids.

When not consuming complete proteins, the body is still able to receive adequate levels of protein from a vegan diet, provided that it contains a well-balanced and wide range of plant-based foods. Different vegan foods have different amino acid content, so by combining different proteins every day (such as rice and beans), the body is able to get a full complement of essential amino acids, meaning that the protein is made complete by protein-combining.

Excellent sources of protein for vegans include (alongside the aforementioned complete proteins of quinoa and chia seeds): spinach, crimini mushrooms, broccoli, tempeh, legumes, nuts, cauliflower, grains and collard greens, amongst many others.

Iron

Like any diet, iron consumption should be closely monitored to ensure sufficient levels. Iron plays an important role in enhancing the immune system, maintaining oxygen supply throughout the body, as well as producing energy. Whilst iron is commonly associated with animal products (in particular beef), excellent vegan sources of iron include spinach, Swiss chard, raw cacao, basil, romaine lettuce, green beans, parsley and kale, amongst many, many others. Similarly to protein consumption, by choosing widely when following a vegan diet, iron levels will be met.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is very common in many areas in the northern hemisphere, particularly in Canada where there is not sufficient levels of UV to allow the body to produce vitamin D. Therefore, it is recommended that all people (regardless of diet) have their vitamin D levels checked, and if levels are low to consider supplementation.

Vitamin D plays integral roles within the immune system, as well as promoting growth of bones, teeth and cells. Vitamin D3 is considered a better alternative for the body than vitamin D2, due to how the body processes vitamin D3. The majority of vitamin D3 supplements are sourced from animal products, making them not vegan, however in the past two years several companies have started producing vegan vitamin D3 (derived from Lichen). If upon finding that vitamin D levels are low, these brands should be considered in order to provide an efficient and bio-available source of vitamin D3.

Conclusion:

In 2013 it is particularly easy to live a healthy, happy and compassionate lifestyle as a vegan, as long as some forethought towards the aforementioned issues is addressed. Some people may find that the initial transition to veganism feels a little alienating, as much of the culinary western world is still centered on meat and dairy. By meeting other vegans to swap recipes and experiences with, this transition can feel less foreign.

Through making conscious choices with food, whatever they may be, we can work towards greater health and making this world a better place for future generations, animals and ourselves.

Great links:

Belmonte Raw Eatery Review (Toronto vegan eatery)
Camros Eatery Review (Toronto vegan eatery)
Cruda Café Review (Toronto vegan eatery)
Kale Eatery Review (Toronto vegan eatery)
Oh She Glows (a delicious and health conscious vegan blog written by a local Ontarian)
Toronto Vegetarian Society (excellent resource for Toronto vegans)

What did you think of this article? We would love to hear your comments. Leave us a comment below. We also encourage you to share this article with friends and family using the social media links below.