Vegan Nutrition | Vegan iron

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Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world. The good news is that you can get all the iron you need from a vegan diet because there are lots of plant foods containing good amounts of this mineral. 

Your daily iron intake

In the UK, it is recommended that most adults have a dietary iron intake of 8.7mg (milligrams) per day. However, those who menstruate should aim for a higher intake of 14.8mg per day.

Sources of iron

Good plant sources of iron include lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, cashew nuts, chia seeds, ground linseed, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, kale, dried apricots and figs, raisins, quinoa and fortified breakfast cereal.

There are lots of factors that affect the amount of iron your body can absorb from your diet. The most important factor is your body’s need for iron: more is absorbed when your body is short of iron, and less is absorbed when your stores are full. Tea, coffee and some substances in plant foods may make it difficult for your body to absorb iron. On the other hand, vitamin C increases iron absorption. Good sources of vitamin C include pepper, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kiwifruit, oranges, strawberries, pineapple, grapefruit and orange juice.

Need some inspiration?

Try the following meal suggestions to help combine iron-rich foods with vitamin C:

• Top porridge with ground linseed and raisins, and serve with orange juice
• Eat a kiwifruit after a lentil curry
• Add broccoli to a tofu stir-fry
• Add pepper to a bean chilli

Take-away tips

• Good sources of iron include lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, cashew nuts, chia seeds, ground linseed, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, kale, dried apricots, dried figs, raisins, quinoa and fortified breakfast cereal
• Ensure that your daily diet contains plenty of iron-rich foods
• If you are eating a food rich in iron, add a good source of vitamin C to help your body absorb the iron, such as pepper, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kiwi fruit, oranges, strawberries, pineapple, grapefruit or orange juice
• Avoid drinking tea or coffee with meals

Need more information? Read our detailed PDF.

You can compare your diet to our guidelines using the free VNutrition app. Please note – our VNutrition app requires an update to ensure its compatible on the latest devices, therefore it is temporarily unavailable. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. In the meantime, please visit our meal planning checklist, which can help you to ensure that your nutrition is on track. 

These are general guidelines about nutrition. If you have concerns about your diet, please talk to your doctor about seeing a dietitian.

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Iron – Vegan Health

by Jack Norris, RD

Contents

• Summary
• Dietary Reference Intakes for Iron
• Iron Content of Plant Foods
• Daily Value
• Vitamin C Content of Plant Foods
• Functions of Iron
• Iron Deficiency
• Athletes
• Screening for Iron Status
• Treatment for Iron Deficiency
• Iron Absorption
• Iron Status of Vegetarians
• Iron RDA and Vegetarians
• Iron and Chronic Disease
• Hemochromatosis
• Bibliography

Summary

Iron is plentiful in many plant foods, but it’s less absorbable than iron in meat. Vegetarian athletes and people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or menstruating should pay attention to their iron needs.

If someone suspects they have iron deficiency, they should be screened by a physician. A wide range of serious diseases can cause iron deficiency, via internal bleeding, and a physician should determine if additional testing is warranted (Pasricha). It’s important to correct iron deficiency in order to prevent increased manganese absorption (more info: Manganese).

People with milder forms of iron deficiency should add more high-iron foods and follow these recommendations for increasing plant iron absorption.

• Adding vitamin C at meals (see chart of foods below)
• Avoiding tea and possibly coffee, red wine, and cocoa within an hour of meals
• Avoiding calcium supplements at meals

Serious cases of iron deficiency are treated with high-dose oral or parenteral iron which is normally effective (Pasricha) but should be administered under the supervision of a physician. Physicians sometimes recommend eating meat to vegetarian clients who have iron deficiency. Meat-eaters with anemia are normally treated with iron therapy rather than being told to eat more meat; similarly, vegetarians can be treated with supplemental iron and vitamin C.

On average, vegetarians have lower iron stores than meat-eaters, but this might be largely a function of reduced inflammation. The iron from meat has been associated with an increased risk of mortality, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colon cancer.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Iron

The table below lists the Dietary Reference Intakes for iron.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for Iron

Iron Content of Plant Foods

The table below shows a range of plant foods including those richest in iron.

Iron Content of Plant Foods

Food	Preparation	Serving	mg
Grape Nuts cereal		1/2 C	16
Total cereal—whole grain		1/2 C	8.0
Molasses		2 T	3.8
Lentils	boiled	1/2 C	3.3
Spinach	chopped, boiled	1/2 C	3.2
Kidney beans	boiled	1/2 C	2.6
Garbanzo beans	boiled	1/2 C	2.4
Swiss chard	chopped, boiled	1/2 C	2.0
Edamame		1/2 C	1.8
Pinto beans	boiled	1/2 C	1.8
Tempeh	cooked	3 oz	1.5
Dried figs	dried, raw	1/2 C	1. 5
Soymilk		1 C	1.0 – 1.5
Rice—white, enriched	cooked	1/2 C	1.4
Raisins		1/2 C	1.4
Almonds	roasted	1/4 C	1.3
Peas – green	boiled	1/2 C	1.2
Pistachios	dry roasted	1/4 C	1.2
Sunflower seeds	dry roasted	1/4 C	1.2
Collard greens	chopped, boiled	1/2 C	1.1
Oatmeal	cooked	1/2 C	1.0
Walnuts	chopped	1/4 C	0.9
Tomatoes	cooked	1/2 C	0.8
Tofu		3 oz	0.8
Sweet potato	baked, w/skin	1/2 C	0.7
Rice—white, unenriched	cooked	1/2 C	0. 7
Hummus		2 T	0.7
Bread—whole wheat		1 slice	0.7
Peanut butter		2 T	0.6
Kale	chopped, boiled	1/2 C	0.6
Broccoli	chopped, boiled	1/2 C	0.5
Rice—brown	cooked	1/2 C	0.5
Taken from the USDA National Nutrient Database or food labels.

Daily Value

In the United States, iron amounts listed on a nutrition label are a percentage of the Daily Value for iron which is 18 mg/day. For example, 25% of the Daily Value = .25 x 18 mg = 4.5 mg.

Vitamin C Content of Plant Foods

Eating foods high in vitamin C with meals increases the absorption of plant iron. The table below shows the common plant foods that are high in vitamin C.

Vitamin C in Foods

Food	Preparation	Serving	mg
Orange juice		cup	80
Grapefruit juice		cup	80
Oranges		small	50
Broccoli	chopped, cooked	1/2 cup	50
Strawberries	whole berries	1 cup	85
Grapefruit		1/2 fruit	40-50
Yellow peppers	chopped	1/4 cup	70
Red peppers	chopped	1/4 cup	50
Also found in other green leafy vegetables (kale, collards, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts), green bell peppers, and cauliflower.

Functions of Iron

Iron’s primary function in the body is binding oxygen. Over half of the body’s iron is part of the hemoglobin in red blood cells which transports oxygen throughout the body (Dev, 2017). Iron is also a component of myoglobin that utilizes oxygen in the heart and skeletal muscles. Iron is part of the enzyme, NADH dehydrogenase, which is part of the electron transport chain that produces ATP for energy. Iron is involved in DNA synthesis. Iron’s pro-oxidation properties are used by the immune system to destroy bacteria.

Iron Deficiency

Iron is stored on the ferritin protein and transported on the transferrin protein; both are used in the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

Pasricha et al. (2021) divide the signs and symptoms of iron deficiency into the three progressive stages of low iron stores, iron deficiency, and anemia:

• Low iron stores are marked by serum ferritin of 15–30 μg/l with a transferrin saturation of >20%. This stage of deficiency is either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic with physical fatigue or reduced cognitive function.
• Iron deficiency is marked by a transferrin saturation of < 20% and low reticulocyte hemoglobin. It can be further divided into two types:
  • Absolute iron deficiency is marked by serum ferritin of < 15-30 µg/l; it can be asymptomatic or involve fatigue, poor concentration, dizziness, tinnitus, headache, pica, or restless leg syndrome.
  • Functional iron deficiency is marked by normal or increased serum ferritin (30–100 µg/l) with systemic inflammation and some of the symptoms of iron deficiency.
• Iron deficiency anemia is marked by a reduced mean cell volume (MCV) and hemoglobin concentration. The World Health Organization defines anemia as a hemoglobin level of < 120 g/l for non-pregnant females ≥15 years old, < 110 g/l in pregnancy, and < 130 g/l for males ≥15 years old.

Other consequences of iron deficiency include koilonychia (spoon-shaped nails where the outer edges are raised) , soft nails, glossitis, cheilitis (dermatitis at the corner of the mouth), mood changes, muscle weakness, and impaired immunity (EFSA), and hair loss.

The European Food Safety Authority provides a more comprehensive set of markers for iron deficiency for a variety of age groups (EFSA, Appendix B). There are many types of anemia, including B12-deficient anemia, which should be considered when determining the cause of anemia-like symptoms.

Athletes

Iron deficiency, with or without anemia, can impair muscle function and limit work capacity. Performance has been shown to improve with iron supplementation in athletes who are iron-deficient but not anemic (American Dietetic Association, 2009; Lukaski, 2004).

The average requirement for iron may be 30–70% higher for those who engage in regular, intense endurance exercise, especially running. This can be due to periods of rapid growth, training at high altitudes, menstrual blood loss, foot-strike hemolysis, intravascular hemolysis, injury, and increased losses in sweat, urine, and feces. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that vegetarian athletes be screened regularly and aim for iron intakes above the RDA (Thomas, 2016).

Screening for Iron Status

Iron status is easily assessed through blood tests ordered by a physician. Due to concerns with both iron deficiency from menstruation and hemochromatosis (especially among men), it’s prudent to speak to a physician about having iron levels tested at least once during early adulthood. Iron deficiency can be a sign of internal bleeding.

Treatment for Iron Deficiency

Vegans with milder forms of iron deficiency should add high-iron foods and vitamin C to meals while avoiding tea, and possibly coffee, red wine, and cocoa within an hour of meals. More serious cases of iron deficiency are treated with high-dose oral or parenteral iron which is normally effective (Pasricha) but should be administered only under the supervision of a physician.

Iron supplementation can reduce fatigue in premenopausal women (Vaucher, 2012; Verdon, 2003) and improve cognition in adolescent girls with mild iron deficiency.

The tolerable upper limit (UL) for iron is 40 mg for ages ≤ 13 and 45 mg for ages >13. The UL is based on gastrointestinal distress (Institute of Medicine, 2001). The UL is not intended for medically supervised iron therapy. Longterm iron supplementation of < 20 mg/day was not associated with an increased risk of colon cancer among women (Lee, 2004).

Iron Absorption

Iron in foods is categorized as heme and non-heme.

Heme iron comes attached to the heme molecule. Meat is the only natural source of heme iron. The average heme iron content of various cooked meats is 65% for beef, 39% for pork, and 26% for chicken and fish (Balder, 2006). Heme iron is absorbed at a rate of about 25% (EFSA, 2015). The plant-based Impossible Burger is the only plant food that contains heme iron; the heme is produced by a genetically modified yeast (Impossible Foods).

Non-heme iron absorption ranges from approximately 0.7–23% (Collings, 2013). Single-meal laboratory experiments show that absorption of non-heme iron can be reduced by phytates in legumes and whole grains and polyphenols in many herbal teas, black tea, green tea, cocoa, and red wine (Hurrell, 1999). Avoiding herbal tea within an hour of a meal can ameliorate the impact (Ahmad, 2017). Calcium supplements have also been shown to reduce iron absorption although their long-term impact on iron status appear to be minimal (Minihane, 1998; Abioye, 2021).

Siegenberg, et al. (1991) found: various doses of phytate can reduce iron absorption by 10–50%; 50 mg of vitamin C can counteract phytate; 150 mg of vitamin C can increase iron absorption to almost 30%; in the presence of a large dose of tannic acid, 100 mg of vitamin C can increase iron absorption from 2% to 8%.

A high percentage of Indian children were cured of anemia using ​100 mg of vitamin C at two daily meals for 60 days (Seshadri, 1985). Researchers used 500 mg of vitamin C twice daily after meals to increase hemoglobin and serum ferritin in Indian vegetarians; vitamin C was more effective than iron supplements (Sharma, 1995).

The body can adapt to solely relying on non-heme iron. Serum ferritin is the main determinant of non-heme iron absorption: as ferritin decreases, non-heme iron absorption increases (Collings, 2013). When iron absorption decreases, ferritin excretion also decreases (Hunt, 1999).

Cooking tomato sauce in an iron skillet increased the amount of iron in the sauce and improved iron status among Brazilian teenagers and young adult lacto-ovo-vegetarians (Quintaes, 2007). The researchers considered both the acidic and water-based qualities of the tomato sauce to be important.

Beta carotene reduces the inhibitory effects of polyphenols and phytates in iron-rich grains (Garcı́a-Casal, 1998; García-Casal, 2000; Layrisse, 2000). See our chart of food high in beta carotene.

An in vitro study found that garlic and onions might increase iron absorption from grains, but this hasn’t been tested in humans (Gautam, 2010).

Studies show that among vegetarians (including vegans), most men surpass the iron RDA of 8 mg from food while many women aged 19-50 don’t fully meet the RDA of 18 mg from food alone (Mangels, 2023).

Depending on the cutoff used, vegetarian adults and children can have a higher prevalence of iron deficiency (Haider, 2018; Gorczyca, 2013). Body mass, inflammation, and insulin resistance increase serum ferritin; adjusting for these factors ameliorated the differences between the prevalence of iron deficiency in meat-eating and vegetarian men and non-menstruating women, but not menstruating women (Slywitch, 2021).

It’s not unusual for premenopausal vegetarian women and teenage girls to have iron deficiency and sometimes anemia; it’s important that they eat iron-rich foods with a source of vitamin C at meals.

Iron RDA and Vegetarians

The Institute of Medicine (2001, p. 351) says the “requirement for iron is 1.8 times higher for vegetarians.” The Institute of Medicine bases this view on the following two clinical trials.

Hunt and Roughead (1999) performed a crossover study in which participants spent 8 weeks on a typical lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet and 8 weeks on an omnivorous diet. Iron absorption on the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet was 1.1% compared to 3.8% on the omnivorous diet.

Cook et al. (1991) conducted a clinical trial to study iron absorption among people eating different types of meals: typical, with iron absorption enhancers, and with iron absorption inhibitors. Non-heme iron from meals was absorbed at the rates of 7.2%, 13.5%, and 2.5%, respectively. Over the course of two weeks, average absorption rates were 7.4%, 8.0%, and 3.4%, respectively. The authors say that although iron absorption from meals can vary up to 20-fold, depending on enhancers and inhibitors, population surveys haven’t demonstrated a clear relationship between their intake and iron status.

Because these trials don’t account for the body adapting its iron absorption in response to body stores, they can’t be used to determine needs for vegetarians. Longterm prospective studies on vegetarians are needed to accurately determine their iron needs but there have been none to date.

Iron and Chronic Disease

Iron is a pro-oxidant molecule. In high amounts, it could be a contributor to chronic disease. Because vegetarians have lower iron absorption and stores, their diets could be protective with respect to iron.

The association between serum ferritin levels and chronic disease is confounded by possible reverse causation due to inflammation increasing serum ferritin levels. Studying heme iron intake can be confounded by heme iron being a marker for diets higher in meat and lower in plant foods.

Regardless of the actual cause, research has associated high heme iron intakes or elevated serum ferritin with a higher risk for mortality, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular mortality, and colon cancer. The research is detailed below.

Mortality and iron intake: A 9-year prospective analysis of the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) data found significant trends between higher heme iron intake and an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (Wang, 2021). A 12-year prospective analysis of NHANES II data for people age 30–70 found that iron intake >18 mg/day was associated with increased mortality, but only when combined with elevated transferrin saturation (Mainous, 2004).

Mortality and iron stores: A 12–16 year prospective analysis of NHANES II data found no relationship for mortality among white men, white women, or black men when comparing serum ferritin levels of 100-200 µg/l or >200 µg/l with 50-100 µg/l (Sempos, 2000). A 12–18 year prospective analysis of NHANES III data found no relationship between serum ferritin and mortality (Kim, 2012; Menke, 2011).

Type 2 diabetes and iron intake: A meta-analysis of prospective studies found that higher intakes of heme iron (5 studies) and iron stores (6 studies) were strongly associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes (Bao, 2012). There was no association for higher intakes of non-heme iron.

Type 2 diabetes and iron stores: There’s evidence that the beta cells of the pancreas, which produce insulin, are particularly susceptible to oxidation from iron due to their weak antioxidant defense mechanisms. Six male meat-eaters were given phlebotomies to reduce their serum ferritin levels and their insulin sensitivity increased (Hua, 2001).

Cardiovascular disease and iron intake: A meta-analysis of prospective studies found an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality when comparing highest versus lowest heme iron intake (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.01–1. 39) and for each 1 mg increase in heme iron intake (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.17–1.33). There were no significant findings for non-heme or total iron intake. Some of the individual studies adjusted for dietary factors known to contribute to cardiovascular disease (Han, 2020).

Cancer and iron intake: A 9-year prospective analysis of the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) data found significant trends between higher non-heme iron intake and a lower risk for cancer mortality (Wang, 2021). A meta-analysis of 5 cohort studies found a significant and consistent, but modest, increase in the risk of colon cancer associated with heme iron intake (highest vs. lowest category: RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06-1.32; Bastide, 2011).

Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder in which someone absorbs abnormally large amounts of iron, resulting in serum ferritin levels of >300 ng/ml in men, 200-300 ng/ml in postmenopausal women, and >200 ng/ml in premenopausal women (CDC, 2013). Less than 1% of people are homozygous for the hemochromatosis gene. Symptoms, especially for men, normally start to present around age 40–60 and include joint pain, fatigue, abdominal pain, and impotence. If untreated, hemochromatosis can result in liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, heart failure, and other problems.

Last updated January 2023

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Are vegetarians and vegans iron deficient?

A well-planned, plant-based diet provides sufficient iron.

People who eat plant foods are no more likely than meat eaters to suffer from iron deficiency anemia.

Among people of all dietary preferences, there are those who are deficient in iron, and this is not always due to the fact that they do not get enough iron from food.

Getting enough iron from your diet is important, but the absorption and utilization of iron depends on a number of other factors.

There are two types of iron in foods. Heme and non-heme. Heme iron is found in red meat. About 40% of the iron found in meat is heme, and 60% is non-heme, this type of iron is also found in plants.

Iron absorption is greatly enhanced in the presence of vitamin C. This process is inhibited by tannic acid found in tea and nuts; calcium, which is abundant in dairy products; oxylates, which are found in green leafy vegetables, especially in sorrel and spinach; phytates found in whole grains and legumes.

Heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body, mainly because, unlike non-heme iron, it does not depend on the presence of vitamin C. Fortunately, many vegetables and fruits are high in vitamin C, so if vegetarians and vegans eat a lot of fruits and vegetables By getting vitamin C along with iron, iron absorption is not a problem for them.

It is important for vegetarians and vegans to get plenty of iron from a variety of plant foods, due to the slower absorption rate of non-heme iron. This does not mean that we should eat meat. This means that the diet should be varied and balanced, because nutrients are better absorbed and used by our body in the presence of other nutrients.

Food should include a wide range of vegetables and fruits, as well as whole grains and legumes, nuts, and other sources of tannic acid that promote iron absorption. Whole grain yeast bread contains less phytates than unleavened bread, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t eat it. This means that we must combine it with other products.

It is best for vegetarians and vegans to get most of their iron from whole foods rather than relying on supplements or iron-fortified foods that are poorly absorbed and can cause constipation.

Whether we eat meat or not, a diet high in refined grains and flours, unhealthy foods low in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables can lead to iron deficiency.

Good digestion, as well as having enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach, is also an important factor in iron absorption. If you have a good appetite, it usually means you have enough stomach acid to digest your food (which is why you should only eat when you’re hungry).

Fortunately, plant foods tend to promote a healthy appetite and good digestion.

Age is an important factor in iron absorption. Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to developing iron deficiency due to the poor diet typical of adolescents, combined with the onset of menstruation. Pregnant women are also vulnerable, and in general, pre-menopausal women are more likely to be iron deficient than post-menopausal women.

Adolescent girls who lead a vegetarian lifestyle are even more vulnerable because, having given up meat, they do not always monitor the presence of vegetable sources of iron in their diet.

Older people are also susceptible to iron deficiency because they usually cannot eat much. They may lose interest in food, not have easy access to food, or find it difficult to cook for themselves. In addition, their body absorbs nutrients worse. Iron deficiency may be just one of many age-related problems.

But age-related iron deficiency is not inevitable. Studies have shown that older people who eat healthy foods stay in good physical shape for a long time, are less likely to become incapacitated and disinterested in healthy food, and are less likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies.

Iron-rich plant foods: beans, peas and lentils, dried fruits like prunes and apricots, green vegetables, nuts and seeds, seaweed like kelp and nori, soy and soy products like tempeh and tofu, whole grains.

Source

Nutrients most important for vegans

A vegan diet contains nutrients that require special attention. The most common vitamin B deficiency is ₁₂ and D, as well as iodine, so you need to carefully consider where the body will receive them from. Vegans also need to pay attention to the intake of sufficient amounts of calcium, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A. Obtaining the required amount of proteins (including all essential amino acids), vitamin B ₂ , iron and zinc is ensured if the menu is based on the principle of balance (the use of different products from all groups of products of plant origin), as well as other principles of plant nutrition indicated above.

Vitamin B ₁₂

Vegan sources of vitamin B ₁₂ are dietary supplements and foods fortified with this vitamin. None of the non-fortified food products of non-animal origin contain vitamin B ₁₂ in a form digestible for the body. Examples of foods fortified with vitamin B ₁₂ are the corresponding vegetable drinks and yeast flakes.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D can be produced to some extent by the human body when exposed to sunlight. In our latitudes, this can only be expected in the summer months, in other cases, the best sources are certainly nutritional supplements. Although vitamin D is added, for example, to fortified vegetable drinks, the amounts contained in it are not sufficient to meet the requirement. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, drinking only water fortified with vitamin D (and other drinks with no or minimal fatty acids) does not help replenish the body’s stores.

Therefore, it is recommended to take vitamin D oil as a dietary supplement throughout the year.

Lichen-derived vitamin D ₃ and vitamin D ₂ are suitable for vegans.

Iodine

Vegans have three good sources of iodine: seaweed, iodized salt, and iodine supplements. If none of these three are included in the daily diet, vegans’ iodine intake may be deficient and likely to be only one-third to one-half of the recommended amount.

The amount in algae can vary greatly by species and also within a particular species, so the iodine content of a particular product should be known to avoid both over- and under-nutrition. Due to the high variability in iodine content, it is not recommended to rely solely on algae for iodine.

For a large part of the world’s population, the problem of getting enough iodine has been solved by the use of iodized salt, and salt iodization is mandatory in many countries. If you add salt, then you should give preference to the iodized version. However, since people generally consume too much salt, this may not be the best way to meet their iodine needs. Thus, iodine supplements are the most convenient and easy solution for vegans, as they contain a certain amount of iodine and thus prevent excessive salt intake.

Iron

When iron is obtained, all groups of plant products work as a single whole. Legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains are good sources of iron, and fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C help you absorb non-heme iron better when eaten at the same meal as iron-rich foods. People at risk of iron deficiency are advised to avoid drinking tea, coffee, and cocoa with meals, as the compounds they contain interfere with iron absorption. It should also be borne in mind that iron in plant products is absorbed worse, and, therefore, the need for iron may be slightly higher than in omnivorous people. The best sources of plant-based iron are seeds, legumes, raisins, bread, whole grains, buckwheat, and strawberries.

Calcium

Calcium is found in almost all plant foods, although mostly in small amounts. Vegans can meet their calcium needs by eating calcium-rich plants. Although the calcium content can be significant in the case of some plants, it should be borne in mind that they may contain compounds that hinder the absorption of calcium. Consuming fortified plant-based drinks and tofu enriched with calcium salts makes it easier to get enough calcium. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium.

Most green leafy vegetables, broccoli, almonds and other nuts, tahini, sesame and chia seeds, figs, oranges, tangerines, white beans, soybeans, chickpeas contain calcium.

Selenium

The content of selenium in products depends on the growing soil. Since the soils in northern Europe are quite poor in selenium, local vegans are encouraged to eat a few Brazil nuts a day to ensure the required amount. Sunflower seeds are also a good source of selenium.

Zinc

The best sources of zinc are those plant parts from which new life begins, such as legumes, nuts, seeds and cereals. There are compounds in plants that impair the body’s absorption of zinc, so the recommended zinc intake for vegans is slightly higher (25-30%) than for an omnivore.

Essential Fatty Acids

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an essential omega-3 fatty acid found in plant-based foods. The daily requirement of ALA is covered by about one tablespoon of ground flaxseed or whole chia or hemp seeds, a handful of walnuts, or 2-3 tablespoons of canola oil added during cooking. The human body uses ALA to produce the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The efficiency of converting ALA to long-chain fatty acids (EPA and DHA) depends on sex, age and individual characteristics, as well as nutrition. Low energy content in food, inadequate intake of proteins, vitamin B ₆ , biotin, calcium, copper, magnesium or zinc, as well as high levels of linoleic acid (LA, omega-6 fatty acids) and trans fats in the diet impair the synthesis of EPA and DHA. Because vegetarian menus can be high in LA (from nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetable oils), limiting omega-6-rich oils to achieve an optimal ratio of omega fatty acids and promote the conversion of ALA to long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is essential. (sunflower, corn, soybean, safflower oil), tropical oils high in saturated fatty acids (coconut, palm and palm kernel oils) and trans fats. DHA is an essential component of nerve cells and retinal membranes, so consuming the right amount of DHA is especially important during pregnancy and lactation, as well as for brain health in old age, so vegans are advised to consume 2-3 times a week 250 mg of microalgae oil, rich in DHA. 9Carrots and sweet potatoes, as well as dark green leafy vegetables such as cabbage and all kinds of green, red, dark yellow fruits and vegetables. If they are not included in the menu on a regular basis, you may not be getting enough vitamin A. Also, be aware that the body needs fats to absorb beta-carotene.

Proteins, incl. essential amino acids

The protein content of plant foods is generally lower than that of animal foods. In addition, the digestibility of plant proteins is worse than that of animal proteins due to some compounds found in plants. Therefore, during periods of increased need for protein (pregnancy, breastfeeding), it is especially important to pay attention to sufficient protein intake. It is recommended to vary the different plant protein sources to ensure that you are getting enough of the various essential amino acids. The richest sources of protein for vegetarians, including essential amino acids, are legumes (beans, peas, lentils, soybeans), nuts and seeds, cereals, buckwheat and quinoa. With a balanced and varied diet, getting enough protein and all the essential amino acids will not be a problem for vegans.

Vitamin B ₂

A balanced and varied plant-based diet usually contains sufficient vitamin B ₂ . The best sources of most B vitamins are yeast flakes, the best sources of vitamin B ₂ are mushrooms, almonds, cashews, green leafy vegetables, broccoli and fortified vegetable drinks.

Fiber

Vegetarian meals based on high-fiber natural foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables (including legumes), berries and nuts usually contain sufficient fiber. However, the high fiber content of plant foods and some other substances may interfere with the absorption of proteins and/or the absorption of certain minerals.