How to Maintain a Balanced Vegan Diet

Adopting a vegan lifestyle can be a rewarding journey. It’s a path that promotes compassion, health, and sustainability. All great things! 

That being said, choosing a plant-based diet is not without its challenges. In a society geared toward omnivores, maintaining a balanced vegan diet can be a little tricky. It requires careful planning and a good understanding of nutrition. It’s certainly not impossible, though, and we think it’s totally worth the extra effort. 

In this article, we’ll provide practical tips and tricks that will help ensure your body is getting everything it needs to stay happy and healthy eating only plants. 

Essential Nutrients for a Balanced Vegan Diet

Maintaining a balanced vegan diet requires careful planning. It’s crucial to ensure you’re getting all the essential nutrients your body needs.

Some nutrients are more challenging to obtain from plant-based foods, namely the following: 

• Protein
• Vitamin B12
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Iron
• Calcium

While slightly more difficult to obtain on a plant-based diet, with the right knowledge and strategies, you can meet your body’s needs for the above nutrients. Let’s talk about each. 

Protein

Protein is a vital nutrient for our bodies. It’s essential for building and repairing tissues, making enzymes, and supporting immune function.

Contrary to popular belief, you actually can get plenty of protein from plant-based foods. Legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and soy products are all awesome sources that you can easily incorporate into your diet on a daily basis.

In addition to the above protein-loaded vegan whole foods, there are an increasing number of products on the market that aim to supplement a vegan diet with extra protein. While these manufactured options can be a useful tool in maintaining a balanced diet, here at Tasteful Kitchen, we encourage you to do your best to get most of your essential nutrients from whole foods. Check out our post on Whole Foods vs Vegan Substitutes for more information.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is crucial for nerve function and the production of red blood cells. It’s predominantly found in animal products, so it’s a little trickier to get enough of it on a plant-based diet.

Not to worry, though. There are fortified foods and supplements that can help vegans meet their B12 needs. And plenty of them. Just make sure you’re purchasing quality products that are FDA-approved. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for brain health. Fish is a common source, but vegans can get Omega-3s from flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, and a myriad of other whole plant foods.

Algal oil supplements are also a viable option. They provide DHA and EPA, the same types of Omega-3s found in fish! Again. Read your labels, and don’t waste your dollars on products that are not FDA-approved.

Iron and Calcium

Last on our list (but no less important) are iron and calcium. Iron is essential for oxygen transport in the body, while calcium is crucial for bone health. Both can be found in plant foods, but their absorption can be tricky.

We can get around that, though. Science tells us that pairing iron-rich foods with Vitamin C is a great way to help your body absorb iron more effectively. When it comes to calcium, it’s crucial to get enough Vitamin D (from sunlight or supplements). Your body needs Vitamin D to absorb calcium properly. 

Meal Planning

Now that you have a general idea of the specific nutrients that can be hard (but certainly not impossible) to get from plants alone, let’s dive into why meal planning is so important for vegans in particular. 

Meal planning is key to maintaining a balanced vegan diet. It helps ensure you’re getting a variety of nutrients and also prevents mealtime stress and giving into less-than-healthy cravings. 

Start by creating a weekly meal plan that includes a mix of grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Do your best to make sure every meal provides a healthy punch of all of the essential nutrients listed above. If you can’t get it all in one meal, just make sure you’re getting it all at some point throughout the day. 

If you want a little help getting started on your meal-planning journey, consider meeting with a licensed dietitian or nutritionist. They will help you create a meal plan that’s just right for your specific body. 

Consider Meal Prepping

Once you have a meal plan in place, you might want to consider meal prepping. It can be a real game-changer, saving time, reducing stress, and helping you stay on track with your nutritional goals.

Try dedicating a few hours each week to prepping ingredients and meals. This can include chopping vegetables, cooking grains and legumes, and/or preparing easy grab-and-go meals for your busiest days. Anything that will make your life easier when mealtime rolls around. 

Remember to plan for snacks, too. They can help fill nutritional gaps and keep your energy levels steady throughout the day.

A Side Note on Hidden Animal Products

If you want to be vegan (or at least steer toward a more plant-based lifestyle), it’s time to start taking labels seriously. So many processed foods contain hidden animal-derived ingredients, an important fact to keep in mind when planning out your weekly meals and/or dining out. Here are a few of the main culprits: 

• Dressings and sauces – Worcestershire sauce and sauces containing fish sauce or similar ingredients are great examples. Always read the label.
• Chips – Some chips will contain milk powder, cheese powder, or other “natural flavorings” that may not be vegan. So keep an eye out. 
• Marshmallows and candy – Confections like marshmallows and candy often contain gelatin (from horse hooves) and/or non-vegan food colorings. 
• Non-dairy ice creams – Many non-dairy ice creams contain egg, casein, and/or whey, none of which are vegan. So keep an eye on your labels!
• Certain bread – Many breads contain L. Cysteine, an amino acid that enhances texture. It is not vegan.

To sum things up, lots of seemingly vegan products actually contain sneaky animal products. So, always read ingredient labels, especially on processed foods. Look out for ingredients like gelatin, whey, casein, and L. Cysteine. When in doubt, opt for whole foods.

Overcoming Common Vegan Diet Challenges

A plant-based diet can be a little more limiting than other ways of eating and carries some challenges outside of “just” getting the right nutrients into your body. People often struggle (especially in the beginning) with cravings, dining out, eating while traveling, and certain social situations. Let’s talk about each. 

Managing Cravings

Most vegans struggle with cravings for non-vegan foods, at least initially. It’s hard to give up meat, dairy, honey, Worcestershire sauce, etc., if you’ve been eating them for your whole life. 

Cravings can be managed, however, by finding vegan alternatives or simply by focusing on the reasons why you chose a vegan lifestyle in the first place. Check out our post on Why Veganism Matters to learn about some of the common reasons people choose to go vegan. 

Dining Out and Traveling as a Vegan

Dining out and traveling can feel like a hurtle as a vegan, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little research and planning, you can enjoy a variety of delicious meals pretty much anywhere you go.

Before dining out, check the restaurant’s menu online for vegan options*. When traveling, research vegan-friendly restaurants ahead of time and consider packing some vegan snacks, just in case. 

*Be mindful of menu items. A dish may look vegan, but you could find that it contains animal-derived ingredients such as Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, or honey. When in doubt, ask for an ingredients list from the chef. 

Dealing with Social Situations

Social situations can sometimes be challenging for vegans. It’s common to face questions or even criticism about your dietary choices.

Remember, it’s okay to politely decline non-vegan food. If you’re comfortable (and it feels appropriate), you can even use these situations as an opportunity to educate others about veganism. Having trouble finding the words? Point them to our blog! 

Tools for Vegan Diet Maintenance: Apps and Websites

There are lots of apps and websites out there that can help vegans meet their nutritional needs and find the support they need to maintain their plant-based lifestyle. Here are some of our favorites: 

• Happy Cow – To help you find vegan-friendly dining options wherever you go. 
• SO Vegan – For a rich library of vegan recipes. 
• Vegan Scanner – An app that allows you to scan food labels and make sure the item you are purchasing is fully vegan. 
• Veggly – An online dating platform for vegans and vegetarians.  
• Reddit – Reddit is a great place for vegans to find support from like-minded people. 

Nutritional tracking apps can also be a valuable tool. They allow you to log your food intake and monitor your nutrient levels.

In addition to apps, there are numerous online resources and communities that offer support, recipes, and advice for maintaining a vegan diet.

Conclusion

We get it. You’re a little concerned about maintaining a vegan diet while still taking care of your nutritional needs. While it’s a little trickier to get your body all of the nutrients required to maintain a healthy, happy body, it is far from impossible. 

By educating yourself on what your specific body needs, taking steps to meal plan/prep, and embracing tools aimed to help vegans achieve their goals and find support in their communities, a healthy, balanced, plant-based lifestyle is just around the corner. Happy munching!

Related Reads

• Top 10 Nutrient-Rich Vegan Superfoods
• Whole Foods vs. Vegan Substitutes in a Plant-Based Diet
• The Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet
• Why Veganism Matters