There is a wide variety of vegan foods – some of which you may not even know. We’ll show you how to recognize vegan foods and which ones are particularly important.
This is how you recognize vegan food
Vegan foods are free from animal ingredients and are usually specially labelled. Fruit and vegetables don’t need to be labeled – they’re vegan by nature.
Important vegan foods
A balanced diet is important for everyone – including vegans. With a diet without animal products, you have to make sure that you consume certain vitamins and minerals that are otherwise found in meat and eggs, for example. Because some substances are found in high concentrations mainly in foods of animal origin. Therefore, you should pay attention to the following nutrients:
Legumes, nuts and seeds are a good source of protein. They also contain many vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B2, vitamin B3 and calcium.
Vitamin C not only strengthens the immune system, but also promotes iron absorption. So if you eat foods that are particularly rich in iron, such as oatmeal, lentils or Brussels sprouts, you should also take vitamin C at the same time to better process the iron – for example with paprika or a glass of water with lemon juice.
Omega-3 fatty acids are not only found in fish, but are also found in linseed oil, hemp oil, walnut oil and rapeseed oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly important for the brain and eyes. They also reduce the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin D is found in many types of fish and in egg yolks. Porcini mushrooms, chanterelles and button mushrooms are a good vegan alternative. However, with sufficient exposure to sunlight, the human body can produce its entire vitamin D requirement itself. Therefore, you should be outdoors every day.
Vitamin B12 is mainly found in meat, fish and dairy products. Vitamin B12 can only be found in animal-free foods in fermented plant-based foods such as sauerkraut and beer and the alga chlorella – but very little. Many vegans therefore resort to vitamin supplements.
