Who are the real nutritional heavy weights?

Sep 17
4 min read

Get ready to be astonished…amazed…flabbergasted, even! What you have been taught all your life about the best nutritional sources is…WRONG! Dairy is not your only source for calcium and oranges are not the big guns when it comes to vitamin C. It turns out some foods have really, really good PR departments and others don’t. But, as we’ve seen time and again…the person who yells the loudest isn’t necessarily the one who is right. So, let’s take a closer look at what may be your best sources for some of the essential nutrients you need for good health.

Vitamin C

Show of hands…who thinks oranges have this one covered? You can put those hands down now. Oranges don’t even rank in the top 15¹ best sources of vitamin C. With aggressive marketing beginning in the early 20^th century, the Florida Citrus Exchange has spent a whole lot of money trying to convince us that oranges are essential to the diet when it comes to vitamin C. And they did a great job, too. I would be willing to bet just about anyone you ask would put oranges first when it comes to this vitamin. However…they would be wrong. Ounce for ounce, you can get more vitamin C from strawberries, pineapples, bell peppers and even Brussels sprouts! If you love oranges, go ahead and eat them, by all means, but if it’s a powerhouse of vitamin C you’re after, then there are at least 15 better sources.

Calcium

Dairy farmers have a huge lobby, and a huge budget, and they’ve been using these to convince the world that our bones will turn to dust, and we’ll all have osteoporosis if we don’t consume dairy and lots of it. This simply is not true. Dairy is an excellent source of calcium, but it is by no means the only one out there. People who consume a plant-based diet are not destined to be deficient in calcium because they don’t consume dairy. In fact, they may be getting more calcium in their diet than people who do eat dairy because foods like almonds, leafy greens (kale, bok choy, broccoli), seeds (poppy and sesame) and soy are good dietary sources of calcium and vegans tend to eat a lot of these foods. Even oranges can help provide calcium in a plant-based diet.

Iron

Cattle farmers also have a very powerful lobby and a crazy large budget, and they want us all to think that if we don’t eat red meat anemia is right around the corner, and with it fatigue, weakness, hair loss, and worse…heart failure and renal failure²! Anemia is serious but red meat isn’t the only answer…it may not even be the best answer.

The plant world is filled with excellent sources of dietary iron. For heme iron, which is more easily absorbed, there are plant-based options like beans, lentils, tofu, dark leafy greens (spinach, kale), fortified cereals, and dried fruits, with nuts being a great option for non-heme iron. To maximize iron absorption from plant sources, consume them with vitamin C-rich foods – see Vitamin C above. Be aware that consuming iron-rich foods with tea or coffee can limit the absorption of iron into your bloodstream.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Salmon and other fatty fish have this one cornered with eggs not very far behind! As you’ve probably already guessed…there are also excellent sources of omega 3s available in a plant-based diet. Omega 3s and other Alpha-Lipoic Acids (ALA) are complex and beyond the scope of this blog, but an excellent reference is sited below³ if you would like to learn more about them. For the purposes of this article, you can stop feeling like you need to consume fish and eggs or risk a whole host of health issues including skin irritations, cardiovascular disease and arthritis⁴. There are so many delicious ways to get enough Omega 3s and other essential fatty acids in your plant-based diet by including foods like flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, spinach, edamame, and Brussels sprouts, to name just a few!

In conclusion

These are just four of the most vocal sources of potential misinformation out there when it comes to nutrition and a plant-based diet. If you are concerned about a particular nutrient in your diet, talk to a registered dietician, a nutritionist or do a google search but be sure to only visit reputable sources and not the wild west of chat rooms!

One excellent source for helping you ensure you’re getting enough of all your daily nutrients from your plant-base diet is Vegan Outreach. They have registered dieticians on the site who can answer your questions and provide sound, science-based nutritional guidance.

So, don’t believe all the hyped-up PR misinformation out there. But remember…according to the Tofu Marketing Board, if you don’t eat enough tofu, your ears will fall off⁴.

I hope this blog has helped you find your way to plant-based eating. Remember…the goal is not to be perfect. Do the best you can and enjoy the journey! Sign up for vegcurious to be delivered right to your inbox at vegcurious.ca.

Note: It is strongly recommended that you consult with your primary care physician before making any changes to your diet. This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to recommend or endorse any particular product, diet or eating plan.

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