The main take home message of previous notes on ‘Blue Zones’ diet from Dan Buettner was that plant-based diet together with healthy life style (exercise, stress management, enough sleep, etc) may lead to longer and healthier life. To follow up the topic, major nutritional facts of plant-based diet and their role in healthier life is explored in this note.

Plant-based diet have been popular in recent years because it may reduce the risk of chronic illness like cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

“appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

American Dietetic association Statement

The Mayo Clinic Nutrition and Healthy Living classifies vegetarian diet into 5 categories from some fish & meat to strictly plant-based diet. While considering any plant-based dietary plans, it’s essential to plan carefully to include missing but essential nutritional needs through nutrient fortified foods & food supplements, if necessary.

Health Benefits

According to the Harvard Medical School guide, plant-based diet has less transfat & cholesterol and more dietary fibers, folic acids, potassium, magnesium, vitamins C & E, and plant chemicals including carotenoids and flavonoids. Therefore, people consuming such diets tend to have lower level of LDL cholesterol, lower blood pressure & lower body mass index (BMI) associated with chronic illness.

Health Risks

One of the concerns for adopting to a plant-based diet lifestyle is that they lack of essential proteins, minerals & vitamins found from animal sources. However with extra planning plant-based diet could supply enough nutritional needs. While making a plant-based dietary plan, it is essential to pay attention to the the following nutrients:

• Protein: Protein helps maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. Various plant sources provide enough proteins through peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, seeds, nuts, soy products and whole grains (eg. Oat, barley, wheat, brown rice etc). This should supplemented with daily products.
• Vitamin B12: Vitamin B-12 is necessary to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. Because vitamin b12 is found in animal products, vegetarian could supplement this through dairy foods & egg. Or simply use cereals or other food fortified with vitamin B12 or simply take vitamin 12 supplement. Its deficiency may cause neurological problems and pernicious anemia.
• Iron & Zinc: While Iron is a crucial component of red blood cells, zinc is an essential of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and proteins formation. Although vegetarian diet provides enough iron however, they may not be easily absorbed. It is essential to eat foods rich in vitamin C (eg.  strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli) to help their absorption. Sources of Zinc include whole grains, seeds, beans, nuts, legumes & wheat germ.
• Omega-3: Omega-3 fatty acids are important for heart health. Vegetarian diet without fish and egg don’t supply required EPA & DHA fall acids. However, these can be supplemented with flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil and soy.
• Iodine: Iodine is a component in thyroid hormones, which help regulate metabolism, growth and function of key organs. It’s deficiency may cause goiter. Take 1/4 teaspoonful of iodized salt daily.
• Calcium & vitamin D: Calcium & vitamin D are important to build & maintain strong teeth and bones. These can be obtained from dark vegetables (eg. turnip, kale, broccoli) and calcium-enriched products like cereals, soy milk, tofu etc.

Resource Links

• Becoming a vegetarian | Harvard Women’s Health watch
• Vegetarian diet: How to get the best nutrition | Mayo Clinic
• Eating vegetarian | USDA Nutrition.gov

While preparing this note, I have taken contents liberally from listed resource links. Cover photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash