Hi Sue,

I am currently a quasi-vegetarian (I eat fish & dairy products). Do you know of a concise guide that I could use to educate myself about the appropriate nutritional step in becoming a healthy vegan?

Hello,

The best approach to going vegan, is to do it in moderation, in small, incremental steps. Becoming a vegan means eliminating all animal products from your diet, including eggs, dairy, and fish as well as meat and poultry.

Becoming a vegan requires a greater commitment to being informed than does going vegetarian. For example, you need to know that no plant source can provide you with vitamin D or B12, however, all of the other nutrients that animal based food provide, can be found to some extent in plant foods. You need to become aware of what those sources are. As you increase your knowledge, begin to make the changes. Perhaps start by eliminating dairy, and seeing how well you succeed in incorporating appropriate amounts of calcium and vitamin D in your diet from plant sources. If you make changes one at a time, and give yourself a chance to incorporate each one, you are more apt to be successful in becoming a nutritionally sound vegan.

In making your dietary changes some nutrients to be aware of in particular include:

Folate: Found in kale and leafy green vegetables. Especially important for pregnant women, or those planning a pregnancy.

Vitamin D: If you do not eat dairy or egg products, and you live in a northern climate, you will need to get a fortification source of vitamin D in the winter, either in food or from a supplement.

Calcium: Plant sources contain calcium, but in less bioavailable form, and often contain absorption inhibitors. Therefore, most vegans consume less calcium than their non-vegan peers. However, studies have found no evidence that the low levels of calcium intake by vegans caused any health problems. It is postulated that their lower intake of protein (excessive amounts are linked to calcium loss) may be the reason.

Iron: The form of iron found in plant foods, known as non-heme iron, is affected by enhancers and inhibitors in its absorption. Foods high in tannins or caffeine inhibit iron's absorption. Foods high in Vitamin C enhance it.

Vitamin B-12: You only need minute amounts each day. B 12 is found only in animal products, but there is little evidence of deficiencies in vegans. Vegans should take a supplement containing B12 just to ensure they get the necessary amount.

Protein: Quality is more an issue than quantity. Over the course of the day, you need to eat foods that contain complimentary proteins that will make up a complete protein, i.e. one that contains all the essential amino acids.

Going vegan requires more knowledge than you can get from a simple email response, as I see you are aware by your request for a reference book. You can find a good book to order by going to The Vegetarian Resource Group at http://www.vrg.org and then clicking on Vegan Handbook. You will see a great deal of information about the book including a picture, a sample page, a full list of the contents, and a word from the author. You can order on-line with free shipping. It sounds like a worthwhile investment.

Good luck with your changes! Thank you for writing,

Sincerely,
Sue Gilbert