Veganuary is an annual challenge run by a UK non profit organisation that promotes and educates about veganism by encouraging people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January. With over 600,000 people signing up this year, we want to help those taking part look after their nutrition.
During Veganuary, you may have drastically changed your diet. If you have cut both dairy and meat out of your diet, you are going to have to ensure you get the same vitamins and minerals from your new plant-based diet.
Protein…
When you tell someone you’re following a vegan diet, everyone’s first question is protein. It’s a complete myth that vegans are deficient in protein, in fact there are loads of really tasty vegan protein sources!
When following a vegan diet you should eat a varied diet of plant-based foods to get the required amount of protein. A rough maintenance is around 60g of protein. Simply start including high-protein foods, such as tofu, tempeh, lentils, nuts, seeds, and quinoa in your daily meals.
Tofu can be cooked in many amazing ways. You can turn it into some amazing stir frys, or even turn it into some fishless fish!
Getting enough iron
Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles, which helps battle fatigue,
There is a misconception that a vegan diet is missing iron, however vegans are no more likely to develop iron deficiency anemia than anyone else. It is important to understand how much iron you need, typically women require 14mg of iron per day, while men require 7mg.
There are loads of good plant sources of iron. Simply adding foods like lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, dried apricots and figs, raisins, or quinoa to your diet will help you hit your daily iron target. In fact, even breakfast cereals are fortified with iron!
If you are struggling to hit your iron target, or suffer with anemia, using an iron supplement can help you hit your recommended dose.
Vegan sources of omega-3
Taking part in Veganuary means no animal products whatsoever, which does mean not consuming fish. Fish is well known for being our main source of omega-3, however there are some amazing sources of vegan omega-3.
Omega-3’s help build and maintain a healthy body and brain. Brain cells with high levels of omega-3 in their membranes are thought to be better at communicating with other cells, an important process for brain function.
To get omega-3 into your diet you can try chia seeds, brussel sprouts, hemp seeds, or even walnuts. There are also a number of amazing vegan omega-3 supplements available on the market, which get their omega from algae.
Will I need to supplement?
A common question among new and old vegans alike is, do I need to take supplements? Well luckily enough for you, at Vegums, we’re sort of experts on this.
To bridge any gaps you may in your diet, a multivitamin is a great place to start. The primary role of a multivitamin is to fill the gap of any vitamins or minerals that you miss from your diet, so choosing the right one is important.
To ensure you get a fully rounded diet, we recommend a multivitamin containing a strong amount of B12, ensuring you keep your body’s blood and nerve cells healthy. It also helps make DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells.
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