The vegan diet

A vegan diet contains only plants ‐ such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits ‐ and foods made from plants.

Vegans don't eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

Healthy eating as a vegan

You should be able to get most of the nutrients you need from eating a varied and balanced vegan diet.

A healthy vegan diet contains:

• plenty of fruit and vegetables
• plenty of starchy foods
• some non-dairy sources of protein, such as beans and pulses
• some dairy alternatives, such as fortified soya drinks
• just a small amount of fatty and sugary foods

See the eatwell plate for more information about a healthy diet. It applies to vegetarians, vegans, people of all ethnic origins and those who are a healthy weight for their height, as well as those who are overweight. The only group it is not suitable for is children under two years of age, because they have different needs.

Getting the right nutrients from a vegan diet

With good planning and an understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs.

If you don't plan your diet properly, you could miss out on essential nutrients, such as calcium, iron and vitamin B12.

Vegans who are pregnant or breastfeeding

During pregnancy and when breastfeeding, women who follow a vegan diet need to make sure they get enough vitamins and minerals for their child to develop healthily.

See vegetarian and vegan mums-to-be for more information.

If you're bringing up your baby or child on a vegan diet, you need to ensure they get a wide variety of foods to provide the energy and vitamins they need for growth.

See vegetarian and vegan babies and children for more information.

Vegan sources of calcium and vitamin D

Calcium is needed for strong and healthy bones and teeth. Non-vegans get most of their calcium from dairy foods (milk, cheese and yoghurt), but vegans can get it from other foods.

Good sources of calcium for vegans include:

• fortified soya, rice and oat drinks
• calcium-set tofu
• sesame seeds and tahini
• pulses
• brown and white bread (in the UK calcium is added to white and brown flour by law)
• dried fruit such as raisins, prunes, figs and dried apricots

The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Vegan sources of vitamin D are:

• exposure to summer sunshine ‐ remember to cover up or protect your skin before it starts to turn red or burn (see vitamin D and sunlight)
• fortified fat spreads, breakfast cereals and soya drinks (with vitamin D added)
• vitamin D supplements

Read the label to ensure the vitamin D used in a product is not of animal origin.

Vegan sources of iron

Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells. A vegan diet can be high in iron, although iron from plant-based food is absorbed by the body less well than iron from meat.

Good sources of iron for vegans are:

• pulses
• wholemeal bread and flour
• breakfast cereals fortified with iron
• dark-green leafy vegetables such as watercress, broccoli and spring greens
• nuts
• dried fruits such as apricots, prunes and figs

Vegan sources of Vitamin B12

The body needs vitamin B12 to maintain healthy blood and a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in foods from animal sources. Sources for vegans are therefore limited and a vitamin B12 supplement may be needed.

Sources of vitamin B12 for vegans include:

• breakfast cereals fortified with B12
• soya drinks fortified with vitamin B12
• yeast extract such as Marmite, which is fortified with vitamin B12

Vegan sources of omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids, primarily those found in oily fish, can help maintain a healthy heart and reduce the risk of heart disease when eaten as part of a healthy diet.

Sources of omega-3 fatty acids suitable for vegans include:

• flaxseed (linseed) oil
• rapeseed oil
• soya oil and soya-based foods, such as tofu
• walnuts

Evidence suggests that plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids may not have the same benefits in reducing the risk of heart disease as those in oily fish.

However, if you follow a vegan diet you can still look after your heart by eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day, by cutting down on food that is high in saturated fat and watching how much salt you eat.