How do I avoid nutrient deficiency as a vegan? (Part 1)

October 18, 2015 Ashley 0 Comments

Where do you get your…?

A summer ago, I got asked for the first time the annoying question all vegans get.

I remember writing this article about it, buying some extra beans and tofu (just in case), and calling it a day.

Little did I know, however, there’s a litany of other “Where do you get your…”s (which we’ll henceforth abbreviate as WDYGY) I’d been ignoring. But the thing is, while I couldn’t answer these questions half the time, I didn’t get why I needed to. I was doing alright. My nails grew like Wolverine. My hair was going full on Rapunzel compared to the year before. I had energy to run for an hour at a time. WTF did I need to prove?
It wasn’t till this past year (when I started giving an eff about the ill effects the animal agriculture industry’s having on the planet) that it occurred to me. If I can give a few educated replies to peeps about how it’s not only possible, but totally easy, to meet all your nutriment needs on a vegan diet… then mayhaps a few more will consider it as an option for a lifestyle change. I mean, I couldn’t do that before because I was lazy-smart about my dietary switch. I just listened to a bunch of vegans who were smarter, healthier, and sexier than I was – and did whatever they had in common. But I was lazy about researching how it managed to work so well. So, for the sake of you folk on the fence, here are some of those things I added into my diet when I made the swap. And for the sake of us both, now we can know why.

Without further adieu, here’s how I manage to remain fit ‘n healthy on a diet sans animal contributions.

Q: WDYGY…. Calcium and iron and other stuff?

A: In chia seeds (in part.)

These tiny little seeds are amazing.

And not just ‘cause they’re the gelatinous version of those freeze dried towels you used to throw in water and watch transform into a house sized dragon as a kid. (They do thicken up a soup or dessert r’ill nicely, though.) However, magic tricks aside, they’re also a fantastic source of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, boron, niacin, and pro’lly a bunch other fun stuff too. With all the running and kicking I do, you’d think I’d fracture a bone given my no milk diet, right? Wrong. And TBH, even I couldn’t answer you why until I realized that it was the chia seeds doing half the work. The other half? Broken up into some other calcium infused foods you’ll read below… plus the fact that I don’t eat much salt (which rapes your system of calcium) and I do do a shiz load of weight bearing cardio to keep my frame nice ‘n strong. I’ll keep this in mind as I continue shoving this stuff in with my fruit in the morning and soup at night. And, no – it’s not my only source of calcium and iron.

Q: WDYGY… Omega 3?

A: In flax seeds and flax seed oil.

These two are a great source of omega-3 – another thing I get asked about a lot and dunno how to answer. I also dump these seeds in my soup at night, but admittedly I use the oil less. Mayhaps I should start changing that, though, as the experts tend to say the oil’s a better O-3 source than the plain seeds. (Don’t knock the seeds altogether, though; they’re a great source’a fiber.)

Q: WDYGY… even more iron, calcium, and omega 3?

A: In leafy greens.

Greens, like flax, also have omega 3. And iron. And calcium. (I’m told the chia seeds from above also are decent iron sources, but just for the haters, I’ll cheers you with an extra dose of Popeye’s fave pre-workout drank.) I tend to rotate my spinach, kale, and chard – adding a bit to my soup in the evenings, or snacking on it while I dance around in my kitchen, impatiently waiting for my hot, delicious slop to finish cooking.

Q: WDYGY… B12?

A: Plant based milks and mushrooms.

(This officially makes three reasons to love mushrooms.)

I had no idea that coconut milk, soy milk, and mushrooms were high in B12, but guess what? They are. If my phallic fungus loving doesn’t meet my requirements, then my Amy’s addiction (she makes plant based milk subs) sure will. Hate both’a those things, aspiring vegans? Then mayhaps try rice milk in lieu. And if any kinda milk ain’t your thang, there’s tofurkey, vegan yogurt, vegan cheese, soy burgers, and… something called “tempeh”, which we’ll cover in the next and final chapter on the grand finale, big question: Protein.

(Click to continue reading here.)

(Ya know, in case the giant hyperlink above didn’t tip you off.)