Vegan eating and your health

A vegan diet can be nutritious and provide many health benefits. Eating a variety of healthy plant-based foods is important to ensure you get all the nutrients you need to reap the positive health benefits on a vegan dietary pattern.

On a vegan diet, you can enjoy eating a range of nutritious plant foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy foods (i.e. tofu, tempeh, soy milk), textured vegetable protein (TVP), bread, cereals and whole grains. All animal-based foods such as meat, chicken, seafood, dairy foods, animal fats, eggs and honey are excluded.

Also, there is a range of vegan alternative products on the market to broaden the variety of foods included in vegan diets, such as plant-based meat alternatives, vegetable and lentil patties, soy, almond and oat milks as well as vegan cheeses.

When following a vegan diet, it is important to include foods that provide a source of calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, iodine and healthy omega-3 fats, as these nutrients are found widely in animal based foods. Check out our tips below for the top vegan foods to include in your dietary pattern that contain these essential nutrients.

• Calcium: Essential for strong bones and teeth at all life stages and plays a vital role in muscle and nerve function*. Sources of calcium on a vegan diet include:
  • Plant-based milk alternatives fortified with calcium, such as soy milk, oat milk and almond milk
  • Almonds, brazil nuts and sesame seeds
  • Tofu set in calcium
  • Green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, bok choy and choy sum
  • Dried apricots and figs
• Iron: Important to transport oxygen around the body and to help prevent feeling tired and fatigued*. Include these foods in your diet regularly for a source of iron:
  • Legumes, e.g. lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans etc.
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Tofu and tempeh
  • Packaged food products fortified with iron, e.g. MILO Plant Based Energy and breakfast cereals
  • Whole grains and quinoa
  • Green leafy vegetables

TIP: To boost iron absorption, eat iron-rich foods with a source of vitamin C, such as tomatoes, citrus or strawberries. Avoid drinking tea and coffee with meals, as the natural tannins in these beverages inhibit iron absorption.

• Zinc: Required in our body for immune and cognitive function, skin structure, wound healing and the maintenance of hair, nails and normal vision*. Foods that contain zinc include:
  • Legumes
  • Whole grains
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Soy foods such as tofu and tempeh
• Vitamin B12: Important for normal cell division, blood formation and immune function*. Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal-based foods, so read food labels to check products that may be fortified, such as:
  • Plant-based milk alternatives such as soy milk that have added vitamin B12
  • Plant-based meat alternatives with added vitamin B12
  • Formulated supplementary foods such as MILO Plant Based Energy
• Iodine: Essential for thyroid function and growth and development*. Good sources of iodine are mainly found in animal-based products. However, iodine sources you can include on a vegan diet include:
  • Nori, i.e. dried seaweed crackers, vegan sushi rolls
  • Bread made with iodised salt
• Omega 3 fats: Healthy omega 3 fats are ‘essential’ polyunsaturated fatty acids. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are only found in fish and seafood. However, plant-based foods contain short-chain omega-3 fats (ALA). Sources of omega 3 fats in vegan diets include:
  • Walnuts
  • Chia seeds
  • Flaxseeds
  • Linseeds
  • Hemp seeds
  • Canola oil

A healthy vegan dietary pattern includes plenty of vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, bread, cereals, nuts, seeds, soy foods and fortified milk and meat alternatives and is linked to several positive long term health benefits.

Like any dietary pattern, it is important to limit less healthy foods and beverages such as cakes, biscuits, chocolates, lollies, chips, deep-fried foods, sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol. Enjoy these foods occasionally rather than every day.

Delicious healthy vegan meal ideas

• Overnight oats with soy yoghurt, almonds, chia seeds and blueberry compote
• Whole grain sourdough toast with smashed avocado & white beans, cherry tomatoes  
• Red lentil and tomato soup with whole grain croutons
• Homemade muesli bars - oats, nut and sunflower seed muesli bars
• Meze plate – wholemeal flat breads, falafel, hummus, cucumber and cauliflower pickles
• MILO Plant Based Energy Smoothie with fortified soy milk, oats and banana

*When eaten as part of a healthy diet containing a variety of foods.