Opting For A Plant-Based Diet

Thinking of taking the Veganuary pledge? Find out what nutrients you should be thinking of and how to get them.

Whether it’s for concerns about the environment, animal welfare, or just wanting to try to be healthier, increasing numbers of people are choosing a diet that minimises animal produce or cuts it out entirely. More recently, cutting out animal produce entirely is something that has been actively promoted by the charity Veganuary, which asks people to take a pledge to try veganism for one month.

But regardless of whether you choose to be vegan or plant-based (vegans avoid all animal-based products), if you are used to a ‘meat and two veg’ diet, making the switch can require a bit of thought and research. This is not to say that a diet that includes animal products is automatically healthier than a plant-based diet, but there are some nutrients that will need to be included either through fortified foods or supplements.

Fortunately, there is plenty of information freely available online, as well as a wide selection of recipes for inspiration, and it is possible to make some like-for-like switches.

Registered nutritional therapist Claire Hider, from Vital Spark Nutrition, has been vegan for several years and sees both vegan and non-vegan clients.

“Most of my clients are really positive that they’ve made the switch, and I see a lot of people who simply want a quick check to make sure their new diet is as nutritious as possible,” she says.

Hider says that for any client who is not eating animal protein, she would want to make sure that they know about good sources of plant-based protein such as nuts, pulses, beans and quinoa.

Protein