Worried about plant-based nutrition? A comprehensive starter guide

Plant-based Crash Course (Part 2 of 3)

Nov 07, 2022

This is Part 2 of our 3-part crash course. It is a long piece of reading for you to enjoy at your own pace. It may be helpful to bookmark this page for future reference.

“I need a lot of protein for my workouts which I can't get on a plant-based diet”
“I have to eat too many carbs on a plant-based diet. It will make me fat!”
“I don’t get enough iron and feel tired every day…”
“Eating plant-based is unhealthy because I’m missing too many nutrients!”

Do these concerns sound familiar?

Because we have spent so many years on a meat-centric diet, a significant overhaul of our existing habits would require new knowledge, practice, and importantly, time. Indeed, given our busy lifestyle in the modern world and all the conflicting information out there, it can be really tiring to decide what’s actually good for us.

We believe that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars or hundreds of hours on a nutritional course just to start eating healthy. We want to you understand nutrition in a simple, digestible manner. We look to build a house of knowledge on concrete foundations, so you can feel confident about your future choices.

First, it’s about the “whole”

Our body is a complex, integrated system in that the “whole” is more than the sum of its “parts”. Our organs do not just work individually, but with each other together to maintain the whole balance.

Similarly, what we eat as a whole, and on a higher level, our overall lifestyle, is much more important than the pursuit of individual nutrients.

An easy rule of thumb

If you feel overwhelmed (as most of us do) by all the careful planning and nutritional consideration for every meal, we have an easy rule of thumb that is widely adopted in the plant-based world:

(Illustration taken from our Plantwise App)

If you visualise your plate in terms of the volume of food on it, a quick way of eating balanced is to have 50% vegetables and fruits, 25% whole grains, and 25% beans, lentils, nuts and seeds that are rich in protein.

Of course, our dishes will not always neatly fold into this structure as we cook the different items together. In Part 3 of our course, I will show you some of our own balanced formulae for cooking different dishes.

Now, let’s dive deeper into the macro and micronutrients our bodies need.

Calories

A calorie is simply the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius at sea level. Calories can be a polarising subject in the plant-based community. Some people do not wish to see it, while many others care about it for healthy weight management. If this is something you rather not think about, please skip ahead to the next section.

Unless you are trying to lose weight, eating enough calories to match your body’s energy expenditure is key to maintaining your energy level as well as getting sufficient nutrients that your body needs.

Your daily calorie needs are mainly influenced by your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your activity level. BMR measures how much energy you expend at rest. It is influenced by your age, weight, biological sex, and height. For example, a 25-year-old male who is 180cm tall and weighs 80kg has a BMR of 1650 calories a day. If they exercised 4-5 times a week, their daily calorie needs will be around 2500 calories. The more physically active a person is, the more calories they would need to consume to maintain the same weight.

Macronutrients - Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fats

Carbohydrates

Our body is naturally designed to use carbohydrates as the primary source of fuel. The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is the main source of energy for our cells, tissues, and organs.

Depending on their molecular structure, carbohydrates are divided into simple carbs (such as sugar) and complex carbs (starch and fibre):

Sugars are simple carbohydrates due to their simple structure. They are found naturally in common food, such as fruits (fructose), table sugar (sucrose) and dairy products (lactose).
Starches are complex carbohydrates, containing three or more sugars. They are a healthy and critical source of energy as our body breaks them down into glucose. Resistant starch functions like fibre and is great for controlling blood sugar, lowering blood cholesterol, improving insulin sensitivity, reducing fat storage
Fibre is a complex carbohydrate that the body does not digest directly. Fibre is extremely important to our gut health (further explored in the Fibre section below).

The USDA recommends that we consume 45% to 65% of our daily calories from carbohydrates.

“Wait…aren’t carbs bad for you?”

What matters is the quality of the carbohydrates we consume. We prefer carbs from whole foods that are rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. At the same time, we want to avoid added sugars and carbs from refined foods that have been processed, including white rice, white bread, and white pasta. The refining process strips away a lot of the protein, fibre, and other key nutrients. The remaining carbs are digested quickly, spiking blood sugar. This leaves you feeling hungry, leading to overeating and weight gain.

“I heard low-carb, high-fat is better.”

Some weight-loss programmes promote a low-carb, high-fat diet that puts your body into ketosis. There are numerous health risks associated with doing this, as the diet is typically deficient in fibre, vitamins, and minerals but high in saturated fats. Even for inducing weight loss, studies show that low-carb diets appear no more effective than other calorie-restrictive diets or low-fat vegetarian diets.

Healthy sources of carbohydrates include whole grains, beans, lentils, peas, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, squash, and corn.

Protein

Protein is in every cell of the body. It makes up the enzymes, membranes, and haemoglobin that make the body function. While there are around 20,000 different proteins throughout the body, each protein is made up of a unique sequence of 20 different building blocks called amino acids. When we consume protein, whether it’s from a plant or an animal, the body breaks it down into amino acids. The amino acids are then resequenced into a new protein when required.

Of the 20 amino acids, there are 9 essential amino acids that our body cannot make and must come from food. The good news is that we could easily achieve the required intake of all of the essential amino acids by eating a variety of plant-based foods throughout the day.

“I’m worried I’m not getting enough protein.”

The World Resources Institute finds that the average person in more than 90% of the world’s countries consumed more protein than they require. In the US, Canada, and Europe, people are on average consuming 80% more than their requirement.

For 98% of the population, 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight is sufficient. On a plant-based lifestyle, it would actually be difficult to be deficient in protein as you eat enough calories. Indeed, the largest animals on earth, like elephants and hippos, do not eat meat yet enjoy sufficient protein to support their large muscles. In fact, the British Heart Foundation highlights that plant-based proteins are more preferable to animal-based proteins (such as meat and dairy) for longevity.

Once we hit our required level, the body has no use for extra protein but to expend it as energy or store it as fat. Excess protein could in fact lead to adverse health effects in the long term, placing a burden on our bones, kidneys, and liver.

Protein-rich plant-based foods include whole grains, tofu, lentils, beans, and nuts.

Fats

The body needs dietary fats to help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (e.g. vitamins A, D, and K) and minerals. The body cannot on its own make the essential fatty acids and therefore needs to acquire them from food.

Fats can be divided into saturated and unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are further divided into two due to their structure: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (e.g. omega-3). We will look into polyunsaturated fats in the Omega section below.

Decreasing the saturated fats in our diet helps reduce the risks of heart disease and type-2 diabetes. The NHS recommends that men do consume no more than 30 grams of saturated fats and women no more than 20 grams per day.

While animal-based products tend to contain more protein, they are also packed with saturated fats and cholesterol. In contrast, a whole-food, plant-based diet naturally promotes unsaturated fats over saturated fats.

It should be noted that a gram of fat contains more than double the calories (9 kCal) of a gram of carbohydrate or protein (4 kCal). Any fats we do not expend as energy gets stored as body fat.

Healthy plant-based sources of fats include nuts, seeds, broad beans, edamame, tofu, avocados, and quinoa.

A Closer Look - Fibre, Cholesterol, Omega

Fibre

Fibre is a complex carbohydrate found in plant-based foods. It regulates bowel habits, helps prevent constipation, and promotes healthy gut bacteria. A high-fibre diet helps prevent heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease.

The NHS recommends that we consume at least 30 grams of fibre every day, a level 90% of adults in the UK fail. It should be noted that no fibre is found in animal meats (including fish, dairy, and eggs).

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in cell membranes and is required for the normal functioning of the body. Our liver produces all of the cholesterol the body requires, meaning we do not need to consume any cholesterol from our diet.

A high blood cholesterol level can lead to heart disease. This is because fat and cholesterol are deposited in the blood vessels, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through. As cholesterol is only found in animal products, eating them can result in excessive cholesterol consumption.

Omega (polyunsaturated fats)

Omega-3 and omega-6 are also essential fatty acids of polyunsaturated fats. They are essential to growth, reproduction, heart health, and protection against chronic diseases.

Omega-3 is anti-inflammatory, and omega-6 is pro-inflammatory. It is the ratio between omega 3 and omega 6 that is important to watch. Most people consume too much omega-6 versus omega-3 on a Western Diet at around 20:1. This high omega-6/omega-3 ratio promotes the development of many diseases. However, on a plant-based diet, this ratio is around 1:1 to up to 3:1.

Vitamins

Vitamin A is crucial for growth, vision, and the immune system. Provitamin carotenoids in fruits and vegetables can be converted into vitamin A.

Great sources of vitamin A include butternut squash, melons, lettuce, spinach, peppers, sweet potatoes, and carrots

Vitamin E protects the red blood cells from damage due to oxidation. A deficiency in vitamin E can lead to many chronic diseases (e.g. heart disease and cancer). Vitamin E is also important to immune function and keeping the blood vessels smooth.

Great sources of vitamin E include butternut squash, kale, spinach, pine nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and quinoa

Vitamin K is crucial for blood clotting, which kicks off the healing process when we get a wound. Vitamin K also helps strengthen the bone and lowers the rate of bone fractures.

Great sources of vitamin K include asparagus, broccoli, kale, lettuces, cabbages, leeks, and spring onions

Vitamin C is vital for immune function. It acts as an antioxidant. It helps protein metabolism and iron absorption.

Plenty of fruits and vegetables offer high amounts of vitamin C, including citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, leafy greens, cabbages, and tomatoes

Vitamin D maintains the blood levels of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. It helps maintain muscle function, bones and teeth, and our immune system. Importantly, vitamin D works with calcium to break down old bones and build new ones.

We produce Vitamin D ourselves when our skin is exposed to sunlight, which is why spending a short period outdoors every day would boost our health. Preformed vitamin D only comes from animal products such as fatty fish and beef liver, but many plant-based foods such as plant-based drinks are fortified with it.

By just spending 15 minutes in the sun every day, we can get a significant vitamin D boost.

B vitamins are coenzymes that help release energy from carbohydrates, protein, and fat in the body. They also contribute to the functioning of the nervous system and the immune system

Vitamin B12 is made by microorganisms, bacteria and fungi. Given today's hygiene standard, we would not come across B12 in plant-based food. Fortunately, most plant-based drinks from supermarkets are fortified with B12, Vitamin D, and calcium. People on a completely plant-based diet would benefit from daily supplementation of Vitamin B12.

Many plant-based drinks are fortified with Vitamin D, B12, and calcium. Vita

Key Minerals - Iron, Calcium, Zinc

Iron

Iron plays a crucial role in transporting oxygen around the body. They are needed to make haemoglobin in red blood cells that carry oxygen to the cells. Iron deficiency can lead to fatigue and dizziness.

The World Health Organisation estimates that nearly one-third of all women of reproductive age suffer from anaemia, which is most commonly caused by iron deficiency due to blood loss during menstruation.

Whole grains and legumes have phytates that reduce the absorption of iron by the body. However, eating vitamin C-rich food in the same meal would negate this issue. For example, having vitamin C-rich vegetables in the same meal would greatly enhance your iron absorption. It is better to avoid drinking tea and coffee at the same time as the meal, as tannic acids from tea and coffee will also reduce iron absorption.

Plenty of plant-based whole foods such as beans, lentils, leafy greens, spinach, asparagus, nuts, seeds, and whole grains contain high amounts of iron.

Calcium

Calcium is stored in the bones and teeth, playing a critical role in bone formation, blood clotting, energy-yielding metabolism, muscle contraction, and neurotransmission.

Our bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt over time, with a 15% turnover in bone mass each year. Therefore, a good diet and regular exercise can play a key role in strengthening and making our bones.

There are plenty of plant-based whole foods naturally rich in calcium to meet your daily requirement. Most plant-based drinks sold in supermarkets are also fortified with calcium. Do remember to shake the drink before pouring, as calcium can sink to the bottom of the carton.

Great sources of calcium include kale, spinach, pak choi, tofu, almonds, chia seeds, beans peas, lentils, wholemeal bread, and fortified plant-based drinks

Zinc

Zinc plays a crucial role in protein synthesis, DNA creation, immune function, healing, and cell division.

Zinc from plants is less absorbed than from animal products due to the higher levels of phytates in plants, especially in legumes and whole grains. It is better to target 50% higher than the recommended intake to make up for the absorption gap. It is also a good idea to add citric acid to the meal as it reduces the binding of zinc by phytates, allowing you to absorb zinc better.

Great sources of zinc include beans, peas, lentils, cashews, almonds, chia seeds, tofu, quinoa, rolled oats, and wild rice

Well done on getting to this part of the article, as that was a lot of information to take in! Do not worry if you cannot remember it all, as you can always refer back to this page in the future. If you have any questions or want to share some personal tips, please leave a comment below!

Plantwise 🌱

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