Methodology for a Nutritionally Complete Vegan Diet

A healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition are foundational for success. Good health not only improves our physical performance and stamina but also increases our capacity to think critically and deal with stress. As our health and vitality improve, our confidence grows and our experience becomes incrementally more satisfying. With this in mind, eqhq is committed to providing a comprehensive methodology to develop a nutritionally complete vegan diet. At a minimum, a comprehensive diet addresses 3 fundamental areas: micro-nutrients, macro-nutrients, and water intake / hydration.

Note, our body creates many nutrients on its own, but those it cannot make, are called “essential,” and must be obtained through our diet.

MICRO-NUTRIENTS

Micro-nutrients are the vitamins and minerals that organisms require throughout life to orchestrate a range of physiological functions and to maintain health. Vitamins are essential organic compounds that are required for growth and a properly functioning metabolism. Minerals are inorganic elements or compounds that naturally occur in the earth and are required for a variety of bodily functions including building and maintaining bones and nerves, creating hormones, and the absorption of vitamins. While there is much consensus, scientists still debate over an exhaustive list of which minerals are essential. Notwithstanding, minerals that are required in greater amounts in the body are referred to as macro-minerals and those that are required in lesser amounts are called trace minerals. Humans generally require less than 100mg per day of most micro-nutrients.

We have compiled a collection of 9 plant-based foods (vegan; vg) that provide the full spectrum of essential micro-nutrients (vitamins & minerals) required for proper human function. (See below for downloadable spreadsheet; last updated 8/28/21) We have provided nutritional guides discussing each food in greater depth and are in the process of developing convenient, delicious recipes in an attached database. Regularly incorporating these 9 foods into our meals will help ensure that our nutritional needs are being met, particularly for those of us pursuing a vegan diet. For those of us who consume animal products, nutritional guides have also been provided for chicken, eggs, and fish.

MACRO-NUTRIENTS

Macro-nutrients are compounds that the body uses in much greater amounts for a variety of purposes including providing energy, building cells and tissues, and storing micro-nutrients and toxins. Macro-nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Macro-nutrients are generally not considered essential because they must be broken down to their constituent parts before they can be used and the body can often create/obtain the constituent parts from other sources. Albeit, the various types of macro-nutrients have specific benefits and should be consumed responsibly to maximize a person’s physical needs and goals. Being knowledgeable about how macro-nutrients function and break down in our body is an invaluable tool when making food choices. Furthermore, it is important to be aware that macro- and micro-nutrients are not independent of each other; every food we consume is composed of both in various degrees. We should be conscious of how nutritionally dense our food is; even when adequate calories are consumed, it is quite possible to create nutritional deficiencies and disease from long term imbalances in consumption.

Carbohydrates are carbon-based compounds that are broken down to glucose, a primary energy source for the body. Glucose is used by mitochondria in the cell to create ATP which fuels many cellular functions. Carbohydrates are classified as simple or complex depending on the amount of time/effort they require to be broken down. Simple carbohydrates are relatively easy for the body to break down, and include products such as agave, molasses, table sugar, and fructose. Complex carbohydrates typically take longer to break down, and include savory products such as rice, pasta, bread, and starchy vegetables. It is important to note that when commercially processed, complex carbohydrates can be made to release glucose quickly, like simple carbohydrates i.e. white bread, white pasta, white rice. Glucose is an advantageous energy source for the body because it can be digested and converted to energy relatively quickly and because it can be efficiently moved around the body through the circulatory system to where it is required locally. Excess can also be stored in the liver and muscles in a readily available form called glycogen for short term energy reserves. Due to these and other reasons the body prioritizes the use of carbohydrates/glucose as an energy source.

Proteins are composed of amino acids (some of which are essential) and are used by the body to build and repair cells and tissues. Proteins can also be used to create glucose through the process of gluconeogenesis. When we consume protein, our bodies must break it down to the constituent amino acids before use. A human body cannot directly use protein consumed from a plant or animal to create human cells or tissues. All essential amino acids in a human diet can be obtained in healthy amounts from plants; humans do not require animal products for protein and/or amino acids.

Fats also serve as an energy source, act as a carrier for fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, K, & E, and provide insulation/protection to the body when stored as adipose tissue. As an energy source, the body prioritizes glucose for approx. 20 minutes, or until depletion. Converting glucose to fat for energy storage is inefficient and the body can store fat indefinitely in fat cells. Saturated and trans fats are generally considered unhealthy, are solid at room temperature due to being saturated with hydrogen, and can be found in foods such as meat, dairy, and processed/hydrogenated oils. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered healthier options, are liquid at room temperature due to not being saturated with hydrogen, and are found in foods and oils made from peanuts, olives, walnuts, flaxseed, soybeans, & sunflower seeds. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have been associated with improved cardiovascular health and cholesterol levels and the latter also provide both essential fatty acids- Omega-3s and Omega-6s.

Our collection of 9 foods was chosen to support a ketogenic diet, and is relatively low in carbohydrates. A ketogenic diet is meant to keep your body in ketosis, a state in which our body has used it’s glucose/glycogen stores and is primarily burning fat as an energy source, instead of carbohydrates. Additional carbohydrates can be incorporated into our diet as desired.

WATER

While we can survive without food for 5 or so weeks, without water, we survive for about 3 to 5 days. An essential nutrient, our bodies contain close to 70% water which is involved in nearly every bodily process, including transporting the other nutrients. As we lose water through sweating and other processes, the drop in water in our blood activates the hypothalamus in our brain to make us thirsty. It is important to drink enough to cover our total water loss, not just enough to quench our thirst or wet a dry mouth, to perform at full capacity. Drinking proper amounts of water can also help control overeating, as it can provide a feeling of fullness and because thirst is often treated by consuming products with calories. We should aim to drink at least half a gallon (64 ounces) or 8 x 8 ounce glasses of water each day.

Although there is a huge industry around mineral, alkaline, and fortified water beverages, they are unnecessary if we are getting adequate nutrition from our diet. These products may also contain forms of minerals that have limited bio-accessibility or are in amounts inadequate to provide benefit. Furthermore, there are concerns that such products can cause or exacerbate certain health problems such as metabolic alkalosis, Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), and kidney stones.

Rather than additives, we should focus on the purity of the water we consume, and the intention/gratitude we have in consuming it. There are many contaminants that may be found in our water supply including bacteria/microorganisms, microplastics, heavy metals, and other environmental toxins. Additionally, although many plastic water bottles are marketed as bpa-free (bpa is a chemical used in plastic production that has been popularized for having negative health consequences), there are many other harmful chemicals and micro-plastics that can still leach into said products. Click HERE to read our article on purifying water at home!

***NOTE: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.