Vegan Food Pyramid: 7 Amazing Facts To Know

Grains, fruits, beans, vegetables, nuts, and herbs are all regarded as vegan food. The vegan food pyramid¹ is a way to teach people who are trying to turn into veganism about the amount and what they should intake to maintain all the nutrients in their bodies.

Grains and vegetables are the two largest food groups present in the vegan food pyramid.

1. All About Vegan Food Pyramid: 7 Amazing Facts to Know

1.1 What is A Vegan?

The diet for vegans is a bit different as compared to vegetarians. Vegetarians avoid poultry, meat, and fish, whereas vegans are vegetarians and avoid animal products and the by-products made from animal products². Vegans do not take things like eggs, dairy products, honey, silk, fur, leather, wool, cosmetics, etc.

1.2 What All Things Come Under a Vegan Food Pyramid?

Everything obtained from plants comes under a vegan food pyramid. Things like grains, beans, vegetables, nuts, and all types of fruits can all be counted under the vegan food.

It is recommended that a vegan should have at least 6 servings of protein in his diet. It is the basic need of your body to get proper nutrients. Proteins are essential for every human body.

1.3 What Do We Need to Include in Our Daily Vegan Food Pyramid Plate?

• Always try to include vegetables and fruits on your plate. At least ½ of your plate should be full of fruits and vegetables.
• Wholegrain foods such as oats, spelled wheat, rye, barley, millet, and rice, should be included in your vegan food plate. At least ¼ of your food plate should contain any of these.
• Always remember to include proteins from plant sources. At least ¼ of your food plate should be full of protein-rich foods³ obtained from plant sources.

1.4 How Can Vegan Food Help in Weight Loss?

Generally, foods directly obtained from plants are known to have fewer fats and calories than other processed foods⁴. It is a fact that you can lose weight easily if you intake fewer calories than you burn in a day. This will eventually lead to weight loss, and with a vegan diet, it can be much easier.

1.5 Things to Know About the Vegan Food Pyramid

According to the Vegan Food Pyramid following things are a must in your diet:

Fruits And Vegetables

At the lower part of the pyramid are the foods that ought to be the stars of all your meals. Always try to have at any rate 2 servings of berries a day, three servings of different natural products (like a banana, peach, and apple), more than 3 servings of greens/cruciferous vegetables, for example, kale and broccoli, and more than 3 servings of different vegetables like capsicum and zucchini.

Unrefined Whole Grains

Since we do not have carbs in our diet, whole-grain foods are vital to have a balanced and healthy diet. It is recommended for a vegan person to aim for more than three servings of whole-grain foods in a day.

High Fat Plant Foods

Regarding fats, focus on 3 servings each day of nourishments like avocados, nuts, seeds, and oils. These food sources contain great measures of fats. But are known for the quantity of fiber, nutrients, and minerals in them. Have a go at adding a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to a cut apple – a tasty and simple snack that will fulfill your entire food fat requirements.

Legumes

For your body’s protein needs, focus on more than three servings of vegetables, including natural tofu or tempeh, every day. Black beans, also known as kidney beans, chickpeas, and red kidney beans, are largely extraordinary decisions – they are rich in protein, fiber, iron, and other significant supplements. Hummus is likewise a simple and heavenly approach to sneaking more vegetables into your eating routine – particularly for the more youthful ones.

Processed Foods

Attempt to keep the measure of processed foods like cakes, bread rolls, vegan fast foods, and soft drinks. And so forth to a base, if possible for you, then keep it under 1 serving a day.

Plant-Based Milk

To meet your day-by-day calcium needs, it is suggested to add calcium-invigorated plant-based milk to your daily diet. Try to have at least 1.5 cups of plant-based milk a day containing 150mg of calcium per 100 ml.

1.6 Other Food Items from the Vegan Food Pyramid

• Potatoes
• Spinach
• Pineapple
• Banana
• Beans
• Almond or soy milk
• Flax seeds
• Chia seeds
• Walnuts
• Berries
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Red bell peppers
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Oats
• Tofu
• Pumpkin seeds
• Brussel sprouts
• Avocadoes
• Oils
• Sugar

1.7 Other Important Nutrients In Vegan Food Pyramid

Good planning in every diet plan is essential for counting the nutrients in your diet. For this fact, it doesn’t matter if you are a vegetarian, non-vegetarian, or vegan. It is important to have a good diet plan. Because a good diet plan helps in fulfilling the needs of different nutrients in your body.

Vitamin B12

People eating according to the vegan food pyramid ought to see an appropriate source of vitamin B12. A person following a vegan diet can take dietary enhancements like tablets, drops, or utilize vitamin B12-rich toothpaste.

Some plant-based food sources are full of vitamin B12. These incorporate different soya items, muesli, cornflakes, organic product juices, and meat options.

Calcium

It is very important to see your body’s calcium needs. So you need to take care of your diet and should have calcium-rich food like dark green vegetables, nuts, seeds, citrus fruits, raisins, tofu, etc.

Vitamin D

Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D.

Iron

Iron deficiency is found in most people all over the world. Because our body cannot produce iron independently, it is essential to intake iron through our diet and include some in the vegan food pyramid. Iron-rich food⁵ includes amaranth, quinoa, whole wheat, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, almonds, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.

2. Conclusion

So, here there is all about the vegan food pyramid and a vegan diet. You can use this information for your daily diet, and it can be beneficial for you to maintain a healthy diet.

1. Haddad, Ella H., Joan Sabaté, and Crystal G. Whitten. “Vegetarian food guide pyramid: a conceptual framework.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 70.3 (1999): 615S-619S. ↩︎
2. Kouba, Maryline. “Quality of organic animal products.” Livestock production science 80.1-2 (2003): 33-40. ↩︎
3. Best, Rachael L., and Katherine M. Appleton. “The consumption of protein-rich foods in older adults: An exploratory focus group study.” Journal of Nutrition Education and behavior 45.6 (2013): 751-755. ↩︎
4. Monteiro, Carlos A., et al. “Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them.” Public health nutrition 22.5 (2019): 936-941. ↩︎
5. Cruz-Góngora, Vanessa de la, Salvador Villalpando, and Teresa Shamah-Levy. “Prevalence of anemia and consumption of iron-rich food groups in Mexican children and adolescents: Ensanut MC 2016.” Salud publica de Mexico 60 (2018): 291-300. ↩︎

Last Updated on April 20, 2024 by laibaarif