May 09, 2016 · Written by Foodtolive Team
Interesting Vegan Nutrition Facts You Should Know
A properly developed vegan nutrition plan will ensure that your body remains strong and resistant to bacteria and viruses. Going vegan is a great choice for your personal health and wellbeing of the planet as a whole.
Many people argue against embracing meat-free eating, claiming that this kind of meal plan won’t provide a person with all the necessary nutrients. Today we’ll help you bust this myth by offering a few interesting facts about vegan nutrition:
- A vegan diet provides a sufficient amount of proteins.
We need proteins because our bodies use them as building blocks to repair and grow new cells. Proteins are a group of varied amino acids and each has a unique role in the body. Animal products contain all the vital amino acids, while plant-based foods only have a few of them.
However, grains and legumes contain different types of amino acids, and combining them creates the ‘complete’ protein your body needs. As these elements are stored in the liver, you don’t have to consume both these food groups simultaneously. You just need to eat a bit of both every day and your body will get all the proteins it needs. The required daily dose for an adult is 0.4 g per 1 pound of body weight.Sponsored by Food to live
- Don’t mix fruits with other foods to get the most nutrients.
An interesting fact that few people know is that fruits shouldn’t be eaten alongside other foods, because this affects your digestion and prevents you from absorbing all the nutrients they have to offer.
The melon shouldn’t be combined even with other fruits. The reason for this is its quick digestion. When melon breaks down in your body while it’s still working on digesting other foods, you may suffer heartburn. - Vegans are prone to vitamin B12 deficiency.
This is the biggest drawback of vegan nutrition, and it can be remedied only by taking additional supplements or eating specialized B12 enriched foods (fortified soy products and cereals). Note that many plant-based foods contain folate, a type of B vitamin that masks the symptoms of B12 deficiency. Therefore, you should take the supplement regularly just to be on the safe side. - Eat iodized sea salt every day.
A vegan diet is severely lacking in iodine, an essential component of thyroid hormones. However, you only need a ¼ teaspoon of iodized sea salt to prevent this deficiency.
