Is veganism healthy? How to eat a healthy vegan diet 

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• Definition of veganism: what is a vegan diet?
• Is the vegan diet the healthiest?
• How to eat a healthy vegan diet
• Take our vegan quiz

Definition of veganism: what is a vegan diet? 

A vegan diet is a plant-based diet which excludes all animal products. That means cutting out:

• honey
• dairy
• eggs 
• meat
• and fish. 

Small amounts of animal products such as lactose, gelatine and egg are also often added to many ready-made foods, so there may be other foods you need to exclude if veganism is your goal.

Is the vegan diet the healthiest?

When it comes to your heart health, balanced plant-based diets have been shown to have benefits. One example of this is a healthy vegan diet, and another is a Mediterranean diet.  

These approaches include many of the foods we should all be eating more of, such as:  

• fruits and vegetables  
• beans, lentils and other pulses  
• wholegrains  
• nuts and seeds.  

And a vegan diet cuts out some of the unhealthy products that we should all be having less of for our health, such as: 

• fatty red and processed meats 
• high-fat dairy. 

A vegan diet is not a shortcut to health.

But there’s a big but: to reap the health benefits, your vegan diet should be well-balanced.

A vegan diet is not a shortcut to health and there is no benefit to a poorly balanced diet that is high in sugar, saturated fat and salt.  

With a growing market for vegan products, there’s an increasing range of vegan ready meals, takeaways and meat alternatives that are not necessarily healthy.

So, plan your vegan meals carefully and look at the traffic light system on the labels of vegan foods that you buy. 

Some essential nutrients, such as iron, calcium, vitamin B12 and iodine, are easier to get from animal products.

So, if you are embracing veganism, it’s worth considering how to include these in your diet. See our simple tips in the section below. 

• Use our healthy recipe finder to search for vegan recipes. 

How to eat a healthy vegan diet 

Like all healthy diets, you should try to avoid foods that are high in salt, sugar and saturated fat. 

There are also some essential nutrients that can often be lacking from a vegan diet, so you’ll need to think carefully about how to get these in a balanced way:  

Vitamin B12 

Vitamin B12 is important as it makes red blood cells, helps keep the nervous system healthy and helps release energy from food. 

Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in big amounts in foods from animal sources.

So, vegans should consume 2 to 3 portions a day of fortified foods, such as non-dairy milks and breakfast cereals. Choose a wholegrain cereal with no added sugar and check the label to make sure it has added vitamin B12. 

Vitamin B12 is also found in nutritional yeast powders and yeast extracts such as Marmite, but these products can contain a lot of salt, so use them sparingly.

Otherwise, taking a B12 supplement is recommended. 

Vitamin D 

Vitamin D helps your body to maintain the right amounts of calcium and phosphate.

Like most people in the UK, you should consider taking a supplement of vitamin D during the autumn and winter months – make sure that yours is suitable for vegans. 

Iodine 

Iodine (which is important for your thyroid) can be found in some plant foods such as bread, nuts, fruit and vegetables. But the amounts are smaller than in fish, shellfish and dairy products. 

 Seaweed supplements are best avoided.

An iodine supplement may be needed but talk to your GP or a health professional such as a registered dietitian first, as too much iodine can cause problems.  

Seaweed supplements are best avoided as they can provide unreliable amounts and sometimes too much iodine. 

Calcium 

Calcium is needed for strong teeth and bones, for your blood to clot and for your heart to beat. 

Vegan sources of calcium include: 

• fortified products like plant-based dairy alternatives, breakfast cereals and wholemeal bread  
• green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and okra (but not spinach)  
• sesame seeds and tahini  
• calcium-set tofu  
• beans  
• dried fruit. 

Iron 

Iron is important for the production of red blood cells.  

Good sources of iron for vegans are:  

• dark green, leafy vegetables  
• nuts  
• dried fruit  
• pulses 
• wholemeal bread and breakfast cereals fortified with iron. 

Zinc 

Zinc helps your body to grow and repair itself and helps support a healthy immune system.  

Although meat and seafood are some of the biggest sources of zinc, vegans can gain zinc from: 

• bread and wheatgerm  
• tofu 
• pulses such as beans and lentils.  

Too much zinc can be harmful, so seek advice from a qualified professional before taking supplements. 

Selenium 

Selenium can help your immune system work properly and help prevent damage to cells and tissues.  

Although it’s found in meat, fish and seafood, there are vegan sources, including Brazil nuts and tofu. 

Omega-3 

Omega-3 healthy fats have been linked to a healthy heart, as has oily fish, which is rich in omega-3.   

We do not know for sure whether plant sources of omega-3 have the same benefits in reducing the risk of heart disease as those in oily fish.  

Vegan foods that are high in plant-based omega-3s include: 

• flaxseed (linseed) 
• rapeseed oil  
• walnuts 
• and soya foods such as tofu. 

Protein 

Eating a variety of foods that contain protein, such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and grains, will help to ensure you get the quantity and range of amino acids you need.  

You do not have to worry about eating these foods in specific combinations, as long as you include a variety of them in your diet. 

• Learn more about how to get protein without the meat.  

Take our vegan quiz

How much do you know about a healthy vegan diet? Test how much you’ve been paying attention to the information on this page by challenging yourself with our fun, quick quiz:

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