Thanks to everyone who forwarded to me your list of ingredients in your favorite green smoothie. There's still lots of time to get yours in, so please e-mail them to me at healthygirlskitchen@gmail.com.
A few short weeks ago I asked everyone to submit their most pressing plant-based diet question. You all answered and we are lucky enough that Julieanna Hever, the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-based Nutrition has responded to our top three concerns.
A few short weeks ago I asked everyone to submit their most pressing plant-based diet question. You all answered and we are lucky enough that Julieanna Hever, the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-based Nutrition has responded to our top three concerns.
(1) Children on a Plant-based diet.
Q: How can I make sure that my children are getting their nutritional and calorie needs met on a plant-based diet? Specifically, protein, fat, vitamin B12, iron, Omega 3s, vitamin D. Do children need supplements? Is it okay for children to eat meat or dairy on occasion?
A: By placing your children on a whole food, plant-based diet, you are providing them with a huge advantage over the typical Standard American Diet. Most kids eat between zero and very few whole plant foods and are therefore depriving themselves of essential nutrients, including antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals that their bodies require for optimal growth and good long-term health. As long as you offer them whole foods, and not refined/processed products, as the majority of their calories, they will get all the protein, fat, and carbs their bodies require. If they do not consume any animal products, then supplement them with vitamin B12 from either fortified plant-based milks, nutritional yeast or a supplement. I give my kids a B12-fortified gum that I order online and they love, so it makes it easy. I recommend a plant-based diet, which means that a tiny bit of animal products technically may not be harmful. The issue with kids, however, is that they eat very little overall. Thus, every bite counts. I would rather your kids take in those calories from more beans, leafy greens, other veggies, fruit, and whole grains so they get the most nutritional bang for their caloric buck! But, as a Mom of little ones, I understand the challenges of every day life. Just provide these healthful options to your children and make them delicious so that it is easy for them to make the right choices as often as possible.
(2) Adults on a Plant-based diet.
Q: How do I know if I am getting enough of the right balance of nutrients? Vitamin B12, zinc, iron, calcium, vitamin D? Should I supplement? We had a lot of readers asking questions specific to calcium. How can they get it from food? If they should supplement, what is the best way?
A: As a society, we have become obsessed with nutrients, worrying we are getting enough of everything. The truth is there are probably thousands of compounds in foods that we have yet to discover...should we worry about those too? Ultimately, the problem with our diets today is that we are overfed and undernourished. We consume way too many refined foods, stripped of their naturally-occurring goodness. If we stick to eating close to nature, from whole plant foods, it is impossible to not achieve adequate nutrition.
The only micronutrient that is not available in plants is vitamin B12 (and that is because microorganisms make the vitamin and we wash it from our produce). So everyone who avoids animal products needs to fortify with B12 (as above either via fortified plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, or supplement). Also, we get vitamin D from the sun primarily. However, because so many factors come into play with vitamin D production and absorption (including variables such as latitude and weather of where you live, body fat, skin color, etc.), it is responsible for everyone (from herbivores to omnivores) to test their vitamin D levels and determine whether you are in normal range. The best way to increase your vitamin D production is regular sun exposure, during peak hours (10:00 am to 2:00 pm), for a few minutes, wearing no sunscreen (except on your face), with as little clothes as possible so as to not offend your neighbors.
In terms of calcium, this is a popular question because people equate calcium consumption with bone health, thanks to the brilliant marketing campaign of the dairy industry. First of all, bone metabolism is multi-factorial and requires many nutrients in addition to calcium, including vitamins D, K, and C, magnesium, protein, and omega 3 fatty acids. Exercise may be the most critical factor in optimizing bone health. I do not recommend supplementing calcium...instead find it in foods such as leafy greens (especially collard greens and kale), sesame seeds, tahini, dried figs, calcium-set tofu, almonds, and fortified plant milks. Most plant-based milks contain the exact amount of calcium as dairy milk...only the calcium in plant milk is not also packaged along with dairy�s undesirables like steroids, hormones, pesticides, herbicides, veterinary medicine residues, antibiotic residues, additives, and synthetic preservatives.
(3) The Protein Question
Q: What is the right amount of protein? How do I know if I am getting enough? What if, due to a medical condition, someone cannot eat beans or tofu?
A: According to the USDA�s Recommended Daily Allowance, adults require 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Children and pregnant and lactating women need slightly more. If you are eating enough calories, and those calories are coming from whole plant foods, then you are getting enough protein. In fact, if not consuming refined foods, it is impossible to notoverconsumption, which is taxing on the kidneys, and can help promote chronic disease development. Just because we need protein for optimal health does not mean that more is better."
Wow.
Thanks Julieanna!
I do want to add my own personal thoughts and experiences on question number 2. Since I am not a doctor or professional nutritionist of any kind, I won't recommend that you do this, but here are my thoughts:
DON'T GUESS. Just have your doctor do the necessary blood tests once a year to tell you what you are deficient in. You may be surprised, or not. I have done this once a year for the past three years and I am currently supplementing with Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and iron. That may be the price I have to pay for otherwise exceptional health and low cholesterol. It's totally worth it. I'd rather do this than be overweight and develop heart disease and diabetes.
Got other concerns? Check out Julieanna's book:
Have you had your blood tested lately? Are you supplementing with anything right now? What has your experience been?
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