Planning a nutritionally balanced plant-based meal

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Evidence continues to mount for the health and environmental benefits of plant-based diets.

Plant-based diets are associated with:

• lower rates of cardiovascular disease

• lower rates of many cancers

• lower rates of diabetes

• lower blood pressure

• reduced mortality rates

• fewer greenhouse gas emissions

If you are considering adopting a plant-based diet, it is important to ensure you do not compromise your nutrition in the process. Plant-based diets, including vegan diets, can be nutritionally adequate but often require a little more planning.

Nutrients that can be trickier to get on a plant-based diet include:

• iron

• calcium

• omega-3 fats

• vitamin B12

Contrary to popular belief, protein is rarely lacking in plant-based diets.

Here is a foolproof guide to assembling a nutritionally balanced plant-based meal.

Step one - start with an iron and protein-rich food.

• Legumes - chickpeas, lentils, baked beans, black beans, kidney beans

• Tofu - look for a firm, calcium-set tofu for a calcium boost

• Tempeh

• Textured Vegetable Protein - click here to see my previous post on how to cook with TVP

• Nuts and seeds - prioritise omega-3 rich nuts and seeds such as walnuts, linseeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds

Step two - add some healthy carbohydrates

• Rice - look for higher fibre and/or low GI options such as brown rice, basmati rice and black rice

• Potato or sweet potato

• Pasta - look for higher fibre or lower GI options such as wholemeal pasta or Pulse pasta

• Barley

• Quinoa

• Corn

• Wholegrain bread/wrap

Step three - fill half your plate with vegetables

This could be salad vegetables, cooked vegetables or frozen vegetables.

Putting it all together

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Need some inspiration? Click below for some delicious plant-based recipes.

• Sweet potato burritos

• Chickpea curry

• Minestrone

• Tofu and vegetable stir-fry

• Chickpea and vegetable tray bake

• Buddha Bowl

A word about vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is only found in foods of animal origin - meat, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy products. Vitamin B12 is involved in DNA synthesis, energy production and your central nervous system. Some plant-based foods are fortified with vitamin B12. If you consume very little of these foods, you should speak to your GP or an accredited practicing dietitian about supplementation.

In short.

With a little bit of planning, plant-based meals provide all the nutrition you need!

Need some help ensuring your diet is nutritionally adequate?

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References

Le LT, Sabaté J. Beyond meatless, the health effects of vegan diets: findings from the Adventist cohorts. Nutrients. 2014 May 27;6(6):2131-47.

Willett, W., Rockström, J., Loken, B., Springmann, M., Lang, T., Vermeulen, S., Garnett, T., Tilman, D., DeClerck, F., Wood, A., Jonell, M., Clark, M., Gordon, L. J., Fanzo, J., Hawkes, C., Zurayk, R., Rivera, J. A., De Vries, W., Majele Sibanda, L., Afshin, A., … Murray, C. J. L. (2019). Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. Lancet (London, England), 3), 447–492.