Knowing the Differences
Eat more plants! This is a typical recommendation we make for our clients. There has been a gain in popularity in adopting the plant-forward approach in our culture today. While it may not be a necessary component for your health to be completely vegetarian or even vegan, including more plant-based foods in your life can bring in some more essential nutrients to your diet!
One thing to note is that since plant-based diets can be restrictive, they may put you at risk for a few nutrient deficiencies. Let’s talk about the types of plant-based diets, the benefits of a plant-based diet, and risks including what nutrients might be of concern on a plant-based diet.
Basics and Types of Plant-Based Diets
While dietitians do not push for one diet over another, we make a more significant focus on the adequacy of the diet you prefer. People typically follow a plant-based diet for personal preference, ethical or religious reasons, or due to a medical condition. A few of the plant-based diets include pescatarian, lacto-/ovo-vegetarian, vegan, and flexitarian.
- Pescatarianism focuses on excluding meat and poultry, but allows fish.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarianism includes dairy (lacto) or eggs (ovo) while avoiding meat, fish, and poultry.
- Veganism excludes all animal products, such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, and even honey.
- Flexitarianism is a more flexible approach, allowing a small amount of meat while keeping the emphasis on plant foods.
In any case, a plant-based diet may be that there are little to no animal products in the diet no matter what. Other times, it may be a Meatless Monday option each week to push for higher variety and greater greens in your diet. A plant-based diet really just means that your eating patterns focus on foods that are primarily from plants. This means that there are a high amount of fruits and vegetables (these are usually the most common foods people think of when thinking about a plant-based diet) along with nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, beans and legumes. A plant-based diet means that for the majority of the time, your food choices reflect a majority of plant-based foods.
A plant-based diet may look different to each person. If it is something that you are interested in, meet with one of our Registered Dietitians today to see how best to move forward.
Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
Of course, we know it is good to include more plants! A few key benefits of a plant-based diet may include aspects such as an increase in antioxidant nutrients, decreased risk of diseases and better bowel movements and gut health.
Increase in Antioxidants
Antioxidants are a group of compounds that actively work against inflammation. Antioxidants help with reducing oxidative stress in the body that is caused by compounds called free radicals. When you have a diet rich in antioxidants, it can help to lower levels of inflammation in the body caused by free radicals. Antioxidant-rich foods include foods rich in the micronutrients Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Great sources of Vitamin C include red peppers, oranges and kiwis. Sources of Vitamin E include peanuts, almonds and sunflower seeds. Due to the nature of a plant-based diet, intake of fruits, vegetables and nuts are higher, naturally leading to an increase in antioxidant-rich foods and helping to reduce levels of inflammation in the body.
Decreased Risk of Diseases
The high potency of antioxidants and phytochemicals found in a plant-based diet help to provide the body with a level of cellular protection against damage. By incorporating plant-based foods that contain these compounds, your immune system and it’s ability to fight off infections gets stronger. When you have a healthy and strong immune system, it can better recognize and defend against foreign invaders (e.g. viruses) before they can progress to disease. By increasing the amount of plant-based foods found in your diet, or by following a plant-based style of eating, there may be a benefit of decreased risk for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and others.
Better Gut Health
The gut is a microbial community living within all of us. It mainly resides within our large and small intestinal tract and is made up of a variety of different bacteria and microorganisms. When increasing the intake of plant-based foods or by following a plant-based diet, it may result in a higher fiber intake due to the higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans/legumes.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in many plant foods. This may also be referred to as dietary fiber due to the fact that it is consumed via the diet. Dietary fiber is not digested or fermented until it hits the large intestine or colon. Whether the type of fiber is soluble (nuts, seeds, beans, peas) or insoluble (cauliflower, green beans, potatoes), it can impact the overall composition of the microbiome in the gut. Increased fiber can help promote better bowel movements and regularity along with improved gut health. Be sure to drink plenty of water when you increase fiber intake to prevent gastric upset or discomfort.
7 Nutrients to Prioritize on a Plant-Based Diet
While animal-based products get a bad rap, they do contain essential nutrients and components. Taking them out puts you at risk for deficiencies. A plant-based diet may not provide all of the nutrients required for the body due to the limitation of foods included in some plant-based diets. Due to the elimination or reduction of animal or animal-based products in a plant-based diet, the body may be lacking certain nutrients or enough of the nutrients required by the body. A plant-based diet approach may provide some key health benefits, but it is important to be aware of what may be lacking in a plant-based diet approach.
We have included some of the critical nutrients to consider if you are moving to a plant-based diet and some ideas for how you can incorporate them into your day.
Essential Amino Acids (aka protein)
Protein is typically the first thing people think of with a plant-based diet. Protein is made up of amino acids. There are 20 amino acids in total. Nine of them are considered “essential”. Essential amino acids are the ones that we cannot make in our body ourselves; we have to get these from food. The other eleven are considered “non-essential”. These non-essential amino acids are the ones our body can make on our own.
Amino acids are considered the “building blocks” of protein. Without all of the essential amino acids, a protein is considered “incomplete”. Animal proteins are a great source of “complete” proteins and plant-based sources of protein are considered “incomplete”. In other words, we need a variety of plant foods to get all the essential amino acids. It is helpful to pair different protein sources together to mix and match the essential amino acids to get all nine that the body needs. Examples of paired foods to make a complete protein include rice and beans, salad with edamame and pumpkin seeds, and peanut butter and whole-grain toast.
Tips:
- Pair proteins together such as rice and beans
- Include plant-based leucine sources (an essential amino acid) such as pumpkin seeds, soy products, seitan, tempeh
- Get a wide variety of protein sources throughout the day and at each meal such as legumes, nuts and seeds, soy products, dairy and eggs (if your diet includes)
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA & DHA)
Omega-3’s are sometimes a forgotten nutrient. These nutrients are found in minuscule amounts in plant foods. You will find the best concentrations in fish and algae.
Tips:
- If your diet allows, include fish at least 2 times per week (e.g. salmon, tilapia, tuna, etc.)
- If you are vegan, include algae or an algae oil
- Consider a fish oil or an algae oil supplementation
If you are looking for a an EPA-DHA supplement, we love this one from Progressive Labs.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal-based foods. B12 is another commonly deficient nutrient for plant-based individuals. For those including fish, eggs, and dairy, you likely are getting enough B12. If not, consider these tips.
Tips:
- Include fortified cereals as a snack, breakfast, or post-workout snack
- Use nutritional yeast in recipes
- Include a Vitamin B12 supplement if you have low blood levels*
*Consult with a Registered Dietitian to find the right form and a safe supplement
Iron
Iron, particularly in the better-absorbed form, heme-iron, is limited on a plant-based lifestyle. Heme iron is only found in meat, fish, poultry, and eggs. Another form, non-heme, is found in foods such as tofu, lentils, beans, and cereals. Non-heme is not utilized in the body as well, but you can enhance absorption with a few strategies.
Tips:
- Include fish and/or eggs if your diet allows
- Include tofu dishes
- Utilize fortified cereal as a snack, breakfast, or post-workout snack
- Include lentils and beans with tomatoes, broccoli, or spinach (Vitamin C paired with non-heme sources of iron helps to enhance non-heme iron absorption)
- Include an Iron supplement if you have low blood levels*
*Consult with a Registered Dietitian to find the right form and a safe supplement
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies, not only in vegetarians but also in non-vegetarians. You can find this nutrient in fish, eggs, and some fortified foods.
Tips:
- Include fish and/or eggs if your diet allows
- Get dairy or non-dairy milk fortified with Vitamin D
- Utilized fortified cereals or orange juices with Vitamin D
- Include a Vitamin D supplement if you have low blood levels*
*Consult with a Registered Dietitian to find the right form and a safe supplement
Calcium
Calcium is crucial for strong bones. It is also important for blood health, heart, and muscle function. You can find calcium most abundantly in dairy, but with good planning it can be incorporated into a plant-based diet.
Tips:
- Use tofu as a staple protein source in your meals
- Snack on seeds such as chia, pumpkin, and hemp
- Use fortified dairy (if lacto-vegetarian), fortified plant-based milk products, or fortified orange juice
Zinc
Zinc is a necessary mineral that the body needs for many of its processes, including DNA/gene function, wound healing, growth and development, immune function, and more. Plan your meals with Zinc foods in mind.
Tips:
- If your diet allows, use eggs, yogurt, and cheese on a daily basis
- Use tofu, beans, and lentils as a staple protein source in your meals
- Snack on nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and cashews
- Sprinkle seeds in your meals, including sesame/tahini, pumpkin, chia, and hemp
Get Your Meal Plan and Recipe Ideas
If you want to succeed on a healthy plant-based diet with a variety of nutrients, it is crucial to plan it out. Plan it out on our personalized and adjustable meal planning app. Get this set up by meeting with one of our dietitians! Your dietitian will also help decide whether you may need a supplement to help meet your nutritional needs.
