1. Whole Grains- Since the anti-carb movement, the grains food group has gotten a bad reputation. In reality, grains provide many essential vitamins and minerals. Whole grains are complex carbohydrates; they are what we condsider, "good carbs." On the other side, "bad carbs" or "empty carbs" relate to refined carbs- foods like white bread, white rice, enriched flour and sugar which have been highly processed to the point where there are little to no nutrients left. Complex carbs are what your body needs to help produce energy. Non-refined carbs contain a complete source of carbohydrates and that include natural sugars and most importantly, fiber.

 

Recommended 6-11 servings [½ cup]

 

Grains to prepare: Brown rice, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, steel-cut oats, spelt, rye, amaranth, wheat berries, bulgar, 

 

Prepared grains: cereal, bread, granola and granola bars, crackers and pasta

 

Notes: When purchasing prepared grains, be sure to read the ingredient and nutrition labels. Many companies sneak in added sugar, oils and preservatives, or claim their product to be "whole grain" or "whole wheat," but are not. 

 

 

2. Vegetables- Vegetables are nutrient-dense foods for two main reasons. First, they are rich in nutrients your body needs: vitamins and minerals, fiber, protein, and special disease-fighting nutrients called phytochemicals. Second, they don’t contain any cholesterol or animal fat at all. Dark leafy greens are important for calcium. Raw vegetables contain the most nutrients, because heating or cooking them breaks them down; this can strip away some of its nutrients, but cooked vegetables are usually easier to digest. Both raw and cooked vegetables are important to your diet! Certain vegetables reap more health benefits when cooked than raw, and vice versa. At first, it may seem hard to fit in a ton of vegetables, but once you get used to building your meals around vegetables instead of using them as side dishes, it gets a lot easier. 

 

Recommended 3 or more servings, preferably a lot more [ ½ cup cooked veggies, 1 cup cooked greens or 2 cups raw greens, 6oz juice]

 

Dark Leafy Greens: Spinach, arugula, kale, collards, swiss chard, cabbage, bok choy, turnip greens, romaine lettuce

 

These vegetables are rich in Vitmains A, C, & K, iron, potassium, and often times calcium. Leafy greens have been know to reduce the risk of such illnesses as Heart Disease and Cancer. Chlorophyll, which is responsible for the green pigmentation of these vegetables, provides major health benefits. Some include: tissue growth & repair, neutralizing pollution of air we inhale, helping to carry oxygen to cells, normalizing blood pressure, detoxifying the liver and purifying the blood.

 

Other Vegetables: carrots, cucumbers, brussels sprouts, beets, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, mushrooms, sweet potato, zucchini, radish, tomatoes, asparagus, bell peppers, snap peas, onions, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, seaweed, eggplant, corn, hot peppers.

 

 

3. Legumes- These guys are LOADED with protein. Legumes—all types of beans, peas, and lentils—are great sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. Not only are legumes free of cholesterol and animal fat (like all foods from plant sources), but they also help reduce cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar. When cooking beans, they take to whatever flavors you add to them. When you prepare beans (if canned) make sure you rinse them really well. If they’re dried beans, they need to be soaked overnight before cooking. Legumes also include nuts and seeds.

 

Recommended 2-3 servings [1/4 cup nuts, 2T seeds, ½ cooked beans]

 

Beans- Chickpea/garbanzo, lentils, black, kidney, pinto, canellini/white/navy, fava, soybeans/edamame/tofu/tempeh, and lima.

 

Nuts and seeds- Almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds/pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, hemp seeds

 

Notes: For all nuts and seeds, look for either raw or dry roasted, unsalted. Many nuts and seeds are roasted in hydrogenated oils and loaded with salt, diminishing their many health benefits and adding unnecessary saturated fats. 

 

You can also find many of these nuts in the form of nut butters. In store, they can run pretty expensive, so you're better off buying raw nuts and making your own nut butter at home.

 

 

4. Fruit- Like vegetables, fruit provides many vitamins and minerals, too. Fruit is loaded with fiber, vitamins (especially vitamin C), minerals, and phytochemicals—which again, are special disease-fighting compounds found in plants. Choose whole fruit over fruit juice, which has more calories and less fiber. Whole raw fruit is a great choice for a quick snack or blended into a smoothie.

 

Recommended 3 or more servings [1/4 cup dried fruit, 1 medium piece whole fruit, 6oz juice]

 

Fresh fruit: Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, watermelon, dates, pears, avocados, clementines, canteloupe, honeydew melon, mangoes, pears, grapefruit, plums, cherries, pineapple, papaya, figs, kiwi, apricots, peaches, pomegranate, lemons, limes, nectarines.

 

Dried druit: Raisins, prunes, dried apricots, dried figs

 

Notes: It's important to remember that while dried fruit is always a better choice than candy, fresh fruit is always a better choice over dried fruit. The drying process that fruit goes through causes an increase in sugar and calories. Enjoy dried fruit in moderation, but be mindful of serving sizes.

 

 

Added Supplements

 

It's important to remember that as a vegan, you will need to add a reliable source of vitamin B12 to your diet. Vitamin B12 is a vitamin found primarily in animal foods, and its deficiency can cause cause anemia and nervous system damage. Vitamin B12 cannot be made by animals or plants, but only by microorganisms, like bacteria. When plant foods are fermented with the use of B12-producing bacteria, they end up containing B12. Otherwise, they usually don't. Sea plants are an exception to the fermented plant rule since they can contain small amounts of B12 from contact with microorganisms in the ocean. Although animals cannot make vitamin B12, they are able to store B12 in their liver and muscles. The storage of B12 by animals explains why animal foods are the primary food sources of dietary B12.

 

It's very easy to add the vitamin to your diet as a vegan. Vitamin B12 can be found in fortified cereals, fortified plant milks (like soy and almond), some veggie burgers, or any common multivitamin or vitamin B12 supplement.