Vegan nutrition

Vegan nutrition refers to the nutritional and human health aspects of vegan diets. A well-planned vegan diet is suitable to meet all recommendations for nutrients in every stage of human life.^[1] Vegan diets tend to be higher in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, and phytochemicals; and lower in calories, saturated fat, iron, cholesterol, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B₁₂.^[2]

Researchers agree that those on a vegan diet should take a vitamin B₁₂ dietary supplement.^[1]^[3]

^ ^a ^b Melina, Vesanto; Craig, Winston; Levin, Susan (1 May 2015). "Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets" (PDF). Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 115 (5): 1970–1980. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025. ISSN 2212-2672. PMID 27886704. S2CID 4984228. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
^ Craig, Winston J (May 2009). "Health effects of vegan diets". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 89 (5): 1627S–1633S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736N. PMID 19279075. Vegan diets are usually higher in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins C and E, iron, and phytochemicals, and they tend to be lower in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol, long-chain n–3 (omega-3) fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B-12. ... A vegan diet appears to be useful for increasing the intake of protective nutrients and phytochemicals and for minimizing the intake of dietary factors implicated in several chronic diseases.
^
Mangels, Reed; Messina, Virginia; and Messina, Mark. "Vitamin B₁₂ (Cobalamin)," The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2011, pp. 181–192.
- Mangels, Reed. "Vitamin B₁₂ in the Vegan Diet", Vegetarian Resource Group, accessed December 17, 2012: "Vitamin B₁₂ is needed for cell division and blood formation. Neither plants nor animals make vitamin B₁₂. Bacteria are responsible for producing vitamin B₁₂. Animals get their vitamin B₁₂ from eating foods contaminated with vitamin B₁₂ and then the animal becomes a source of vitamin B₁₂. Plant foods do not contain vitamin B₁₂ except when they are contaminated by microorganisms or have vitamin B₁₂ added to them. Thus, vegans need to look to fortified foods or supplements to get vitamin B₁₂ in their diet."
- "Vitamin B₁₂", Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, accessed December 17, 2012.
- Norris, Jack. "Vitamin B₁₂: Are you getting it?", Vegan Outreach, July 26, 2006: "Contrary to the many rumors, there are no reliable, unfortified plant sources of vitamin B₁₂ ... [There is an] overwhelming consensus in the mainstream nutrition community, as well as among vegan health professionals, that vitamin B₁₂ fortified foods or supplements are necessary for the optimal health of vegans, and even vegetarians in many cases. Luckily, vitamin B₁₂ is made by bacteria such that it does not need to be obtained from animal products."

[melina-1] Melina, Vesanto; Craig, Winston; Levin, Susan (1 May 2015). "Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets" (PDF). Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 115 (5): 1970–1980. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025. ISSN 2212-2672. PMID 27886704. S2CID 4984228. Retrieved 26 January 2019.

[CraigMay2009-2] Craig, Winston J (May 2009). "Health effects of vegan diets". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 89 (5): 1627S–1633S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736N. PMID 19279075. Vegan diets are usually higher in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins C and E, iron, and phytochemicals, and they tend to be lower in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol, long-chain n–3 (omega-3) fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B-12. ... A vegan diet appears to be useful for increasing the intake of protective nutrients and phytochemicals and for minimizing the intake of dietary factors implicated in several chronic diseases.

[B12-3] Mangels, Reed; Messina, Virginia; and Messina, Mark. "Vitamin B₁₂ (Cobalamin)," The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2011, pp. 181–192.
Mangels, Reed. "Vitamin B₁₂ in the Vegan Diet", Vegetarian Resource Group, accessed December 17, 2012: "Vitamin B₁₂ is needed for cell division and blood formation. Neither plants nor animals make vitamin B₁₂. Bacteria are responsible for producing vitamin B₁₂. Animals get their vitamin B₁₂ from eating foods contaminated with vitamin B₁₂ and then the animal becomes a source of vitamin B₁₂. Plant foods do not contain vitamin B₁₂ except when they are contaminated by microorganisms or have vitamin B₁₂ added to them. Thus, vegans need to look to fortified foods or supplements to get vitamin B₁₂ in their diet."

"Vitamin B₁₂", Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, accessed December 17, 2012.

Norris, Jack. "Vitamin B₁₂: Are you getting it?", Vegan Outreach, July 26, 2006: "Contrary to the many rumors, there are no reliable, unfortified plant sources of vitamin B₁₂ ... [There is an] overwhelming consensus in the mainstream nutrition community, as well as among vegan health professionals, that vitamin B₁₂ fortified foods or supplements are necessary for the optimal health of vegans, and even vegetarians in many cases. Luckily, vitamin B₁₂ is made by bacteria such that it does not need to be obtained from animal products."

[4] Mangels, Reed. "Vitamin B₁₂ in the Vegan Diet", Vegetarian Resource Group, accessed December 17, 2012: "Vitamin B₁₂ is needed for cell division and blood formation. Neither plants nor animals make vitamin B₁₂. Bacteria are responsible for producing vitamin B₁₂. Animals get their vitamin B₁₂ from eating foods contaminated with vitamin B₁₂ and then the animal becomes a source of vitamin B₁₂. Plant foods do not contain vitamin B₁₂ except when they are contaminated by microorganisms or have vitamin B₁₂ added to them. Thus, vegans need to look to fortified foods or supplements to get vitamin B₁₂ in their diet."

[5] "Vitamin B₁₂", Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, accessed December 17, 2012.

[6] Norris, Jack. "Vitamin B₁₂: Are you getting it?", Vegan Outreach, July 26, 2006: "Contrary to the many rumors, there are no reliable, unfortified plant sources of vitamin B₁₂ ... [There is an] overwhelming consensus in the mainstream nutrition community, as well as among vegan health professionals, that vitamin B₁₂ fortified foods or supplements are necessary for the optimal health of vegans, and even vegetarians in many cases. Luckily, vitamin B₁₂ is made by bacteria such that it does not need to be obtained from animal products."

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