The Vegan Food Pyramid
So what do vegans eat? This vegan food pyramid will not only provide some guidelines for you, but will give you some of the true basics of good nutrition.
The information the pyramid provides will give you an overview of all the important aspects of vegan nutrition so that you can make informed decisions when you shop and plan meals.
Keep in mind that serving sizes will vary from person to person. A rough guide is that one serving is equal to about one fistful - maybe a little more.
So here's the vegan food pyramid. Below it you'll find a short explanation of each food group and how it contributes to your overall health. Be sure to check out the easy vegan recipes and the raw vegan recipes, where you'll find some great ideas for putting this guide to use!
Click on a section of the Vegan Food Guide to learn more about it!
Okay! Let's break this down!
Essentials
Although they take up the smallest part of the vegan food pyramid, we can't manage without these essentials!
The Omegas (3,6, and 9) are fatty acids that help to regulate the inflammatory cycle in the body. Inflammatory cycle? Believe it or not, inflammation can actually be a good thing sometimes. It helps to protect body tissue when it is wounded or infected so it can heal properly.
The problem is that the American diet contains a lot more Omega 6 than Omega 3. Omega 6, found in soybean, sunflower, canola, and corn oils, tends to promote inflammation. When inflammation goes unchecked it can cause all sorts of problems and degenerative diseases.
So the Omega to focus on is Omega 3, and that's why it is deliberately included on the vegan food pyramid.
This fatty acid reduces inflammation and helps promote healthy brain, eye, and nervous system functioning. The best sources of Omega 3 are Walnuts, flaxseed, flaxseed oil, leafy greens and hemp seed.
Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy brain and nervous system functioning as well as for the formation of red blood cells. Many people think that it is present in meat, but it's actually manufactured in our bodies by bacteria on the meat.
These bacteria are also present on unwashed vegetables, but since that's not always such a safe choice these days, vegans need to make sure that they can get it from alternative sources. It is a good idea to take a Vitamin B supplement every day. Or you could throw a little vegetarian Brewers Yeast into a sensational vegan smoothie!
Vitamin D is essential for the proper absorption of calcium and for promoting bone health and strength. Vitamin D is not present in many foods so it is best to take it as a supplement. Vegans take Vitamin D2 which not animal-based. Vitamin D3 comes from the lanolin of sheep's wool and is not considered vegan.
Another easy way to get a good dose of Vitamin D (and lose a little stress in the process!) is to sit out in the sun, preferably before 10 in the morning or after 4 in the afternoon. Of course a busy person might not have the time so maybe you could just take the supplement!
Protein
Protein is essential for maintaining health basically because it's what your body is made of. Inside your body, your cells are continually building and using proteins to perform all kinds of functions from hormone secretion to blood pressure maintenance to growing hair.
When people ask, "Well, what do vegans eat?" they are most often wondering about how protein fits into the vegan food pyramid. It's a common misconception that getting enough protein is a problem in vegan nutrition mostly because it is generally not understood that what we actually need are amino acids - the stuff our bodies use to make proteins.
There are 21 amino acids that we need. Thirteen of these can be manufactured by our bodies. The other eight we need to obtain from our food and they are known as the essential amino acids.
Most animal products contain all the essential amino acids and are considered complete proteins. The problem with animal protein is that we ingest it in a form we can't use. Our bodies have to break it down which is extra work - and that ages us faster.
Plant proteins come in a form that is easier for our bodies to break down and a lot fewer of the proteins are wasted. Most plant proteins do not contain all of the essential amino acids so it is necessary for vegans to combine foods to get a complete protein. Most of the time this is done by combining a legume with a grain.
The best vegan sources of protein include legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, fermented soy products, and our vegan food pyramid superstar, hemp which is a complete plant protein!
Notice that I have not said much about soy, which is thought to be the big protein source for vegans and vegetarians. That's because processed soy is actually bad for you! It is only healthy in fermented form!
For more information about the dangers of processed soy click here.
Calcium
The big myth about Calcium is that you can only get it from dairy products. In fact oranges, sesame seeds, seaweed (Yes, seaweed - It's actually quite delicious!), and many dark green leafy vegetables contain as much or more calcium than milk.
In addition, milk and other dairy products clog up the body with mucous which makes the absorption of any calcium the milk may have in it, very difficult.
Eating dark leafy greens is the best way to get your calcium, but it is also possible to get it through calcium-fortified foods and drinks like orange juice or rice milk. Although soy milk is fortified with calcium, I don't recommend it due to the dangers of processed soy.
Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and Veggies are one of the biggest parts of the vegan food pyramid and a healthy diet. These foods contain most of the vitamins and minerals that serve as the body's building blocks.
The vegan food pyramid suggests that you get 3-5 servings a day (preferably more of the veggies), and it is important whenever possible to buy organic.
Now, most people understand that organic crops are not sprayed with pesticides, but that's just the beginning of the story.
You see, we are experiencing a soil crisis nowadays that is truly unprecedented. Conventional farming overuses soil until all the nutrients in it are gone. When the soil is depleted, so are the plants that grow in it.
Did you know that in order to get the nutrition of one peach grown 50 years ago, you'd have to consume 26 peaches today? That's because conventional farming does not deal with any part of the crop below the ground. They just spray what's above the ground.
Organic food, though is all about the soil. Concern for the soil means that the plants grown in it are filled with nutrients. And when the plants are filled with nutrients, so are the people who eat them!
You can get more than enough greens by putting them in a delicious green smoothie. You can also check out the Recipes page for quick and easy ways to get your full compliment of this yummy food group!
For more information about buying organic, and some great recommendations about healthy living in general, please visit my friends at thenaturalguide.com.
Whole Grains
Whole Grains are the foundation of the vegan food pyramid, with an emphasis on whole. Whole grains provide fiber and nutrients for the body. They also make us feel full and give us energy to burn.
This food group includes whole grain breads and flours, cereals, and whole grain pasta.
Although there are serving recommendations indicated for the whole grain category, they are pretty broad. You know your own body and metabolism and should decide for yourself what feels right. (Personally, if I ate 6 servings of whole grains a day, I'd blow up like a balloon!)
Keep in Mind:
Although these are not part of the vegan food pyramid, they are still important in maintaining overall health.
Acidophilus is important for maintaining a healthy digestive tract. These "friendly" bacteria populate the intestines and help to keep harmful bacteria and yeast (candida) at bay. It is important to keep their population healthy and to replenish them after a course of antibiotics.
Most probiotics are cultured using milk products, but there are a few vegan and vegetarian brands. I personally would recommend Daily Dophilus. Grown on flax, it is relatively inexpensive and works well to "maintain the plumbing!"
Iodine is also essential for healthy Thyroid functioning. The best source of iodine is seaweed. You can take a kelp supplement, or throw a little dulse into a green smoothie.
Body Ph balance can be a good indicator of overall health. A vegan diet promotes alkalinity, but you can help it along by eating a lot of greens, drinking fresh lemon in water and using organic apple cider vinegar in your salad dressing.
Tips:
Understanding the vegan food pyramid helps you become a better label reader! When you are perusing the labels of pre-packaged foods, make sure you recognize and can pronounce all the ingredients!
Here are some things you will want to avoid:
- Saturated and Trans Fats (basically if you see the words partially hydrogenated anywhere, run away!)
- White foods like white potatoes, white rice, and white flour - these are all calories and no nutrition!
- Refined sugar in all its sneaky forms, particularly high fructose corn syrup. Learn more about bad sugars and not so bad sugars on the Natural Sugar Substitutes page.
- Chemical sugar substitutes like aspartame (Nutra-Sweet), saccharine (Sweet 'n Low), or sucralose (Splenda). More information about these horrible additives can also be found on the Natural Sugar Substitutes page.
Okay, those are the basics of the vegan food pyramid. Now that you have a sense of how it all works, check out the easy vegan recipes pages or the vegan diet plan to get started!
Other Resources
The nutritional basics of the vegan food pyramid can not only be the basis for great health and well-being, it may also promote longevity. For more information about this expanding new field, please visit my friends at Secrets of Longevity. This site has plenty of high quality longevity articles and tips on the best methods to naturally help you with life span development.
For more information on vegan nutrition, please visit my friends at Vegan Nutritionista. This site has a lot of great articles about how vegan nutrition can improve your health and help the environment.
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