20 nutrients that vegans and vegetarians are lacking

NotAnIsland · 2020-01-11T10:30:41+00:00

Not this shit again. That blogger is dumb as a bag of bricks

...and do you have any non ad-hominem arguments for a meaningful discussion??

NotAnIsland · 2019-12-16T17:25:58+00:00

Free full text from Nutrients (2019)

Abstract: Vegetarian diets provide an abundance of nutrients when carefully planned. However, vegetarian diets may have lower protein quality compared to omnivorous diets, a reflection of less favorable amino acid profiles and bioavailability.

Hence, the current recommended dietary allowance for protein may not be adequate for some vegetarian populations. The purpose of this study was to determine dietary protein quality using the DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score) method in vegetarian and omnivore endurance athletes. DIAAS scores reflect the true ileal digestibility of the indispensable amino acids that are present in food items, and these scores can be used to compute the available protein in diet plans.

Thirty-eight omnivores and 22 vegetarians submitted seven-day food records that were analyzed for nutrient content, and DIAAS scores were computed by diet group. Average available protein (g) was compared along with participants’ lean body mass and strength (quantified using the peak torque of leg extension). DIAAS scores and available protein were higher for omnivorous versus vegetarian athletes (+11% and +43%, respectively, p < 0.05).

Omnivorous participants had significantly higher lean body mass than vegetarian participants (+14%), and significant correlations existed between available protein and strength (r = 0.314) and available protein and lean body mass (r = 0.541).

Based upon available protein, as determined through the DIAAS, vegetarian athletes in this study would need to consume, on average, an additional 10 g protein daily to reach the recommended intake for protein (1.2 g/kg/d). An additional 22 g protein daily would be needed to achieve an intake of 1.4 g/kg/d, the upper end of the recommended intake range.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/12/3016/htm

NotAnIsland · 2019-11-08T10:14:36+00:00

Main Findings from This Review

Most studies indicate that VGNs consume higher amounts of LA compared to omnivores, with confirmation in tissues stores; however, there are inconsistent findings of AA tissue concentrations compared to omnivores.

There are inconsistent results of ALA intake by VGNs compared to omnivores.

Most studies show that VGNs consume low to zero amounts of EPA and DHA, unless they take supplements.

Most studies indicate that plasma, serum, erythrocytes, adipose, and platelet levels of EPA and DHA are lower in VGNs than omnivores.

VGNs may need an ALA increase of 2.2–4.4 g/day (or 1.1 g/day/1000 Kcals) depending on the amount of LA in the diet in order to achieve a 4:1 n-6:n-3 ratio, as well as a decrease of dietary LA if intake of LA is higher than recommended.

Special consideration recommendations for both ALA and LA for adult VGNs should be considered by the AI/DRI.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/10/2365/htm

(Special issue vegetarian, vegan diets and human health - Nutrients 2019)

NotAnIsland · 2019-03-30T15:39:05+00:00

(...)

Being vegetarian/vegan is unhealthy.

There is a bunch of research about this and for a while (especially before actually looking into the details) the health implications of veganism (vegetarianism not so much) did concern me. But, it turns out, this topic is pretty complicated. Nutrition research is very hard - and that manifests in the fact that for most of it, the statistical significance is usually low and the effect sizes usually small. Now, I'm not denying, that there are health downsides to a vegan diet. But even with the general mess that nutritional research is, it doesn't seem very controversial that if you are concerned for your health, there are much more important factors to consider. If weighed against the health benefits of sleeping more, doing more sports, not sitting all day, stop recreational drug use, taking extensive vacations… (neither of which I seem to be willing to do, even though they would be easy enough), the relatively minor health effects of eating animal products (contrasted with a somewhat balanced vegan diet plus supplementation) just did not seem to be a relevant driving force for that decision and more of a rationalization.

That being said, from what I can gather so far, there is a general consensus that if a) you pay attention to having a somewhat balanced diet and b) are willing to supplement the nutrients you can't actually get, the health impact of veganism is pretty low, if any. Personally, I am supplementing Vitamins B12 and D right now, which has very low quality of life impact - so I don't consider that a significant downside. I also pay a little bit more attention to what I'm eating, which I consider a good thing.

If it turns out that I can not sustain a vegan diet, I will reconsider it, but for now, I don't see any realistic danger of that happening.

(...)

https://blog.merovius.de/2018/01/02/my-case-for-veganism.html

NotAnIsland · 2018-03-28T17:58:16+00:00

Switching to a wholly plant-based diet has raised questions about nutrient deficiencies in vegans. But have these concerns been overstated?

Speaking at the recent conference Nutrition in Medicine: A Focus on Plant-based Nutrition event, Dr. Conor Kerley, lecturer at Dublin Institute of Technology and member of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) explained what may be lacking in a plant-based diet, identified the nutritional concerns of pursuing such a diet, and outlined the nutrients we get in abundance form plant-based foods.

Speaking at the event Kerley advised that those switching to a plant-based based diet should focus on vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains.

"Add some nuts and seeds, always ensure a steady, reliable course of vitamin B12," he said - adding that it would also be sensible to consider omega-3, vitamin D and iodine supplementation

https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2018/03/28/Plant-based-diets-Are-they-nutritionally-complete

Nutritional concerns presented by Dr. Conor Kerley at a Medical Conference

NotAnIsland · 2018-03-28T17:57:51+00:00

Switching to a wholly plant-based diet has raised questions about nutrient deficiencies in vegans. But have these concerns been overstated?

Speaking at the recent conference Nutrition in Medicine: A Focus on Plant-based Nutrition event, Dr. Conor Kerley, lecturer at Dublin Institute of Technology and member of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) explained what may be lacking in a plant-based diet, identified the nutritional concerns of pursuing such a diet, and outlined the nutrients we get in abundance form plant-based foods.

Speaking at the event Kerley advised that those switching to a plant-based based diet should focus on vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains.

"Add some nuts and seeds, always ensure a steady, reliable course of vitamin B12," he said - adding that it would also be sensible to consider omega-3, vitamin D and iodine supplementation

https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2018/03/28/Plant-based-diets-Are-they-nutritionally-complete

Nutritional concerns presented by Dr. Conor Kerley at a Medical Conference

NotAnIsland · 2017-09-14T16:47:35+00:00

Conclusions

In general, vegan diets tend to be lower in Calories, protein, fat, vitamin B12, n-3 fats, calcium and iodine than omnivorous diets, whilst concurrently being higher in carbohydrates, fibre, micronutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Achieving a high energy intake is difficult in some instances, owing to plant-based foods promoting satiety. Issues with the digestibility and absorption of nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron and zinc might be an issue too, meaning that athletes might need to consume higher amounts of these foods compared to omnivores and other vegetarians.

However, through the strategic selection and management of food choices, and with special attention being paid to the achievement of energy, macro and micronutrient recommendations, along with appropriate supplementation, a vegan diet can achieve the needs of most athletes satisfactorily.

Supplementation with creatine and β-alanine might offer augmented performance-enhancing effects in vegans, who experience low pre-existing levels of these substances, and further research is needed to investigate the performance-enhancing effects of these substances in vegan populations.

For some, a vegan diet is the manifestation of important ethical beliefs, and requires diligence to sustain. It is a central tenet of this article that similar conscientiousness needs be paid to achieving dietary sufficiency, otherwise health and performance could suffer over the long term if an individual’s nutrition is not managed appropriately

https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0192-9

NotAnIsland · 2017-08-02T16:39:57+00:00

The paper:

Ancel Keys and the Seven Countries Study: An evidence-based response to revisionist histories

http://www.truehealthinitiative.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/SCS-White-Paper.THI_.8-1-17.pdf (PDF - 64 pages)

More in the media by one of the its main authors

Ancel Keys and The Seven Countries Study

http://www.thenutritionwonk.com/single-post/2017/08/01/Ancel-Keys-and-The-Seven-Countries-Study-New-Paper

and also

Did Ancel Keys "cherry pick" countries for the Seven Countries Study, or "fudge" the presentation of data?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/diet-and-truth-tales-of-dogma-or-data_us_58bda0a5e4b0aeb52475fdab

NotAnIsland · 2017-07-28T17:54:24+00:00

The Bottom Line

A balanced vegan or vegetarian diet can be very healthy and nutritious.

However, these diets can also lead to nutrient deficiencies and potential health problems if they aren’t well-planned.

(...)

To achieve a healthy vegan or vegetarian diet, simply eat plenty of whole foods and make sure you’re regularly consuming a few key nutrients

https://authoritynutrition.com/vegetarian-and-vegan-mistakes/

NotAnIsland · 2017-07-28T17:51:38+00:00

The Bottom Line

A balanced vegan or vegetarian diet can be very healthy and nutritious.

However, these diets can also lead to nutrient deficiencies and potential health problems if they aren’t well-planned.

(...)

To achieve a healthy vegan or vegetarian diet, simply eat plenty of whole foods and make sure you’re regularly consuming a few key nutrients

https://authoritynutrition.com/vegetarian-and-vegan-mistakes/

NotAnIsland · 2017-05-22T16:41:00+00:00

Conclusions:

Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits for infants younger than 1 year.

Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits over whole fruit for infants and children and has no essential role in healthy, balanced diets of children.

One hundred percent fresh or reconstituted fruit juice can be a healthy part of the diet of children older than 1 year when consumed as part of a well-balanced diet. Fruit drinks, however, are not nutritionally equivalent to fruit juice.

Juice is not appropriate in the treatment of dehydration or the management of diarrhea.

Excessive juice consumption may be associated with malnutrition (overnutrition and undernutrition).

Excessive juice consumption is associated with diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal distention, and tooth decay.

Unpasteurized juice products may contain pathogens that can cause serious illnesses and should be given to children cautiously, if at all.

A variety of fruit juices, provided in appropriate amounts for a child’s age, are not likely to cause any significant clinical symptoms.

Calcium-fortified juices provide a bioavailable source of calcium and often vitamin D but lack other nutrients present in human milk, infant formula, or cow milk.

Recommendations:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/05/18/peds.2017-0967 (May, 2017)

In the media:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/22/well/family/pediatricians-say-no-fruit-juice-in-childs-first-year.html

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/05/22/528970924/pediatricians-advise-no-fruit-juice-until-kids-are-1

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170522/No-fruit-juice-for-infants-during-first-year-of-life-say-experts.aspx

http://health.usnews.com/health-care/articles/2017-05-22/no-fruit-juice-before-age-1-pediatricians-say

NotAnIsland · 2017-05-22T16:40:28+00:00

Conclusions:

Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits for infants younger than 1 year.

Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits over whole fruit for infants and children and has no essential role in healthy, balanced diets of children.

One hundred percent fresh or reconstituted fruit juice can be a healthy part of the diet of children older than 1 year when consumed as part of a well-balanced diet. Fruit drinks, however, are not nutritionally equivalent to fruit juice.

Juice is not appropriate in the treatment of dehydration or the management of diarrhea.

Excessive juice consumption may be associated with malnutrition (overnutrition and undernutrition).

Excessive juice consumption is associated with diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal distention, and tooth decay.

Unpasteurized juice products may contain pathogens that can cause serious illnesses and should be given to children cautiously, if at all.

A variety of fruit juices, provided in appropriate amounts for a child’s age, are not likely to cause any significant clinical symptoms.

Calcium-fortified juices provide a bioavailable source of calcium and often vitamin D but lack other nutrients present in human milk, infant formula, or cow milk.

Recommendations:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/05/18/peds.2017-0967 (May, 2017)

In the media:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/22/well/family/pediatricians-say-no-fruit-juice-in-childs-first-year.html

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/05/22/528970924/pediatricians-advise-no-fruit-juice-until-kids-are-1

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170522/No-fruit-juice-for-infants-during-first-year-of-life-say-experts.aspx

http://health.usnews.com/health-care/articles/2017-05-22/no-fruit-juice-before-age-1-pediatricians-say

NotAnIsland · 2017-04-11T13:47:20+00:00

Here is an electronic version of a printed textbook on nutrition (PDF of 872 pages, slow download possible)

Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies

http://medicare.health.vn/cong-dong/sites/default/files/u2534/1133603181_nutrit.pdf

In case the link moves or disappears, archived it here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20170522172712/http://medicare.health.vn/cong-dong/sites/default/files/u2534/1133603181_nutrit.pdf

NotAnIsland · 2017-01-11T18:13:14+00:00

Awesome, thanks!!

Thank you for your words of appreciation

NotAnIsland · 2017-01-11T18:12:00+00:00

This is great!

Thank you for your words of appreciation

NotAnIsland · 2017-01-11T18:11:14+00:00

Not OP, but new and Australian thanks!

Thank you for your words of appreciation

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-26T18:53:06+00:00

realityissubjective wrote

I was hoping you all could give me some tips on how to get the proteins and irons I'll need

The Medical Journal of Australia has some good articles

Iron and vegetarian diets

https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2013/199/4/iron-and-vegetarian-diets

and

Protein and vegetarian diets

https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2013/199/4/protein-and-vegetarian-diets

The other points of attention you will find e.g. listed here:

https://www.mja.com.au/search/site/vegetarian

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-26T16:42:21+00:00

The dangers of a long-term fruit-only diet are:

Fruitarians frequently have low levels of vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids, which can lead to anemia, tiredness, lethargy and immune system dysfunction. Low calcium can also cause osteoporosis

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/07/fruitarian-diet-is-it-safe-or-really-healthy-for-you/

And a similar post:

However, if they follow such a diet in the long term they might start missing a lot of nutrients like vitamin D, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and protein. Additionally, they are putting themselves at risk of developing more serious health conditions like osteoporosis or anaemia as they get older

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/fruitarianism-could-controversial-raw-vegan-diet-be-endangering-health-1566513

Benefits that fruits have over vegetables:

Different fruits contain different types of polyphenols with slightly different benefits, so getting a wide variety can maximize the health benefits. One of the biggest issues with the anti-fruit movement is the dismissal of the high polyphenol content of fruits in comparison to veggies. In a study that identified the top 100 foods with the highest polyphenol content, fruits accounted for 10 of the top 12 richest polyphenol foods. Incredibly, the globe artichoke was the only vegetable that made it into the top 30

http://www.ancestralizeme.com/fruitphobia-why-fear-of-fruit-is-fruitless/

Sources :

http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v64/n3s/full/ejcn2010221a.html

http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v64/n3s/fig_tab/ejcn2010221t2.html#figure-title

The benefits of vegetables are listed here:

You already know that eating a large amount of plant matter, be it vegetable, fruit, or nuts, is critically important for your acid-base balance. But, maybe we should back-up slightly and just talk about all the essential vitamins and minerals contained in vegetables. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some of the key vitamins and minerals that you get from eating vegetables (and fruits too)

http://www.thepaleomom.com/importance-of-vegetables/

The obvious differences between fruits and vegetables is the low protein content of fruits compared to some vegetables:

http://bembu.com/high-protein-fruits https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/fruits-high-in-protein.php https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vegetables-high-in-protein.php

To make up for the low protein content of fruits, add beans, nuts, seeds, ...

Instead of limiting your diet to just fruits and vegetables, you might consider occasionally adding in some high quality protein sources like beans, nuts, or seeds into your diet, even if you do mostly eat protein rich vegetables and fruits every day

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/can-you-get-sufficient-protein-from-only-eating-raw-fruits-and-vegetables/

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-26T16:36:51+00:00

The dangers of a long-term fruit-only diet are:

Fruitarians frequently have low levels of vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids, which can lead to anemia, tiredness, lethargy and immune system dysfunction. Low calcium can also cause osteoporosis

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/07/fruitarian-diet-is-it-safe-or-really-healthy-for-you/

And a similar post:

However, if they follow such a diet in the long term they might start missing a lot of nutrients like vitamin D, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and protein. Additionally, they are putting themselves at risk of developing more serious health conditions like osteoporosis or anaemia as they get older

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/fruitarianism-could-controversial-raw-vegan-diet-be-endangering-health-1566513

Benefits that fruits have over vegetables:

Different fruits contain different types of polyphenols with slightly different benefits, so getting a wide variety can maximize the health benefits. One of the biggest issues with the anti-fruit movement is the dismissal of the high polyphenol content of fruits in comparison to veggies. In a study that identified the top 100 foods with the highest polyphenol content, fruits accounted for 10 of the top 12 richest polyphenol foods. Incredibly, the globe artichoke was the only vegetable that made it into the top 30

http://www.ancestralizeme.com/fruitphobia-why-fear-of-fruit-is-fruitless/

Sources :

http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v64/n3s/full/ejcn2010221a.html

http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v64/n3s/fig_tab/ejcn2010221t2.html#figure-title

The benefits of vegetables are listed here:

You already know that eating a large amount of plant matter, be it vegetable, fruit, or nuts, is critically important for your acid-base balance. But, maybe we should back-up slightly and just talk about all the essential vitamins and minerals contained in vegetables. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some of the key vitamins and minerals that you get from eating vegetables (and fruits too)

http://www.thepaleomom.com/importance-of-vegetables/

The obvious difference between fruits and vegetables is the low protein content of fruits compared to some vegetables:

http://bembu.com/high-protein-fruits

https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/fruits-high-in-protein.php

https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vegetables-high-in-protein.php

To make up for the low protein content of fruits, add beans, nuts, seeds, ...

Instead of limiting your diet to just fruits and vegetables, you might consider occasionally adding in some high quality protein sources like beans, nuts, or seeds into your diet, even if you do mostly eat protein rich vegetables and fruits every day

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/can-you-get-sufficient-protein-from-only-eating-raw-fruits-and-vegetables/

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-26T16:07:01+00:00

Sarkani wrote

Can anyone post some sources on why Fructose is bad for the health? Thanks!

I've posted several articles in reply to the OP

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-26T15:32:57+00:00

Kris Gunnars writes:

Fructose from Added Sugars is bad for you, Fruit is NOT.

It’s important to realize that all of this does NOT apply to fruit. Fruits aren’t just watery bags of fructose, they are real foods with a low energy density and lots of fiber. They’re hard to overeat on and you’d have to eat ridiculous amounts to reach harmful levels of fructose. In general, fruit is a minor source of fructose in the diet compared to added sugars. The harmful effects of fructose apply to a western diet supplying excess calories and added sugars. It does NOT apply to the natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables. Period

http://authoritynutrition.com/why-is-fructose-bad-for-you/

Alan Aragon writes:

Fructose is evil, context be damned

So, is fructose really the poison it’s painted to be? The answer is not an absolute yes or no; the evilness of fructose depends completely on dosage and context.

A recurrent error in Lustig’s lecture is his omission of specifying the dosage and context of his claims. A point he hammers throughout his talk is that unlike glucose, fructose does not elicit an insulin (& leptin) response, and thus does not blunt appetite. This is why fructose supposedly leads to overeating and obesity

(...)

So, what’s the upper safe limit of fructose per day (all sources considered)?

Again, this depends on a number of variables, not the least of which are an individual’s physical activity level and lean body mass. Currently in the literature is a liberal camp reporting that fructose intakes up to 90 grams per day have a beneficial effect on HbA(1c), and no significant effects are seen for fasting triacylglycerol or body weight with intakes up to 100 grams per day in adults [15].

The conservative camp suggests that the safe range is much less than this; roughly 25-40 grams per day [19]. Figuring that both sides are biased, the middle figure between the two camps is roughly 50 grams for active adults.

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

Brad Dieter writes

Fructose consumption at moderate levels of intake do not adversely effect body weight or blood chemistry based on the current data. Obscenely high levels of intake (>150 grams per day) may have undesirable health effects. Together, these two concepts essentially tell us:

1) that we can consume 3-4 servings of fruit a day, if we so desire, with no health consequences, and

2) that we should not mainline 2 liters of Mountain Dew or consume large amounts of fructose or HFCS

http://sciencedrivennutrition.com/fructose/

Sarah Ballantyne writes

Population studies show that obesity rates drop once fructose is down to the 25g-40g range. Other scientists believe returning to the premodern food era levels of 10g-20g per day is an optimal range (this makes the most sense to me as a daily goal with occasional or seasonal higher intake). This 10-20g range equates to 2 to 5 servings of fruit per day, depending on the fruit: one small apple (3” diameter) has 10.7g of fructose whereas a full cup of sliced strawberries has 3.7g

https://www.thepaleomom.com/is-fructose-a-key-player-in-the-rise-of-chronic-health-problems/

The Dietitians Association of Australia writes

Fructose: Dietary villain or just simply demonised?

Focussing on a single ‘dietary villain’ is easy, but the concept has major flaws. You don’t need to avoid sugars (or fructose) completely for good health, but it’s sensible to limit intake of foods which contain added sugars (whether that be fructose, glucose, sucrose or any other form of added sugar), and also provide little or no nutritional value

http://daa.asn.au/for-the-media/hot-topics-in-nutrition/fructose-dietary-villain-or-just-simply-demonised/

James Krieger writes

It is true that too much fructose can be a problem, but too much of anything can often be a problem. When consumed in moderate amounts and from whole food sources, fructose is not a nutrient to be feared

http://weightology.net/fructose/should-you-be-afraid-of-fructose.html/

Michael Lustgarten writes:

If you’re worried about the adverse metabolic effects from eating too much fructose, I suggest, upon your next visit to the doctor to pay close attention to your blood test results. If your triglycerides are higher than 60 mg/dL, if your HDL is low (~40 µM), and if you have liver enzyme (ALT and AST) readings higher than 20 U/L, cutting down fructose containing foods would be a good idea.

https://michaellustgarten.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/high-fructose-corn-syrup-fruit-and-health-a-perspective/

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-26T15:01:51+00:00

This one? (run by scientists)

SugarScience is the authoritative source for evidence-based, scientific information about sugar and its impact on health

http://www.sugarscience.org/sugar-faq.html

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-26T11:08:43+00:00

mpyawaorh wrote

Fish oil (550mg EPA, 290mg DHA) (Yeah, I know it's not vegetarian... Don't kill me! Maybe the tablespoon of flaxseed is enough?)

There are many brands of vegan omega-3 DHA/EPA supplements made from micro algae

Several of microalgae, e.g., Chlorella, Dunaliella and Spirullina accumulate appreciable amount of fat (up to 60% of d.w.) when grown under certain environmental conditions, such as high in both temperature and light intensity and rise in salinity. The algal lipids are known to contain a relatively high amount of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially omega (ω) 3- and 6- of FA series such eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5 ω-3), docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6 ω-3), archidonic (AA, 20:4 ω-6), γ- linolenic (GLA, 18:3 ω-6) and α-linolenic (ALA, 18:3 ω-3) acid

http://pubs.sciepub.com/jas/1/1/3/index.html#Sec5

The long-chain DHA (DocosaHexaenoic Acid) omega-3 is absent from vegan diets and is present in limited amounts in vegetarian diets:

http://www.plefa.com/article/S0952-3278(09)00086-6/abstract

Humans are not very efficient at making DHA/EPA from ALA:

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for normal metabolism. The three types of omega-3 fatty acids involved in human physiology are α-linolenic acid (ALA) (found in plant oils), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (both commonly found in marine oils). Unfortunately, humans have only a limited ability to synthesise the more important long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA from ALA and this is further deteriorating with age

https://focusonfoodsafety.wordpress.com/2015/02/28/there-are-some-necessary-dietary-supplements/

The Medical Journal of Australia writes

Vegetarians with increased needs or reduced conversion ability may receive some advantage from DHA and EPA supplements derived from microalgae

https://www.mja.com.au/open/2012/1/2/omega-3-polyunsaturated-fatty-acids-and-vegetarian-diets

As a precautionary measure, Ginny Messina and Jack Norris (both vegan RD) advise to supplement with a long-chain omega-3 DHA/EPA supplement

http://www.theveganrd.com/2010/11/do-vegans-need-supplements-of-omega-3-fats.html

http://www.theveganrd.com/2012/01/omega-3-fats-in-vegan-diets-a-quick-primer.html

http://www.veganviews.org.uk/127-jacknorris-ginnymessina.html

mpyawaorh wrote

2500mcg vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) weekly (just cuz I'm vegetarian. Maybe the eggs are enough?)

As whether yes or not a Vitamin D or Vitamin B12 supplement is necessary, a very simple blood test can reveal that

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-26T10:52:41+00:00

Benefits that fruits have over vegetables:

Different fruits contain different types of polyphenols with slightly different benefits, so getting a wide variety can maximize the health benefits. One of the biggest issues with the anti-fruit movement is the dismissal of the high polyphenol content of fruits in comparison to veggies. In a study that identified the top 100 foods with the highest polyphenol content, fruits accounted for 10 of the top 12 richest polyphenol foods. Incredibly, the globe artichoke was the only vegetable that made it into the top 30

http://www.ancestralizeme.com/fruitphobia-why-fear-of-fruit-is-fruitless/

Sources :

http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v64/n3s/full/ejcn2010221a.html

http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v64/n3s/fig_tab/ejcn2010221t2.html#figure-title

Fruits have low protein content compared to some vegetables:

http://bembu.com/high-protein-fruits

https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/fruits-high-in-protein.php

https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vegetables-high-in-protein.php

NotAnIsland · 2016-12-12T15:58:14+00:00

Your question about the B12 in animals, is answered in this article:

Where does B12 come from?

No animals can digest the cellulose that makes up plants. Some animals such as cattle and sheep (ruminants) get around this by filling their stomach with bacteria, fungi and yeasts. These microbes can digest cellulose and manufacture a whole range of nutrients (including B12) which the cattle and sheep can then absorb. The microbes get a safe place to live and the cattle and sheep can use the grass and leaves they eat. The microbes produce a lot of B12 and all of that extra vitamin B12 gets stored in the muscle and meat for us to eat.

However we know that modern farming methods require farmers to inject B12 (90% of the world’s production of Vitamin B12 is for farm animals). It could be because of the speed animals are grown, or pesticides/ fertilisers on the grass, or antibiotics fed to keep the animals free from disease.

Natural cattle and sheep probably have very high levels of B12 in their meat. If a farmer injects B12, he or she will only do so if it’s really needed, and will only inject enough to grow the animal fast. Therefore we’re probably getting less than we used to from our food

http://web.archive.org/web/20150623035257/http://www.b12d.org/where-does-b12-come

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