It’s often questioned whether a vegetarian diet will provide sufficient nutrients to create a healthy balanced diet. In short, the answer is yes! A well balanced vegetarian diet will meet all healthy eating recommendations and is nutritionally adequate for all population groups. This article outlines the key considerations for living a healthy, meat-free life.

A healthy vegetarian diet is derived mainly from plant-based foods. It includes a wide variety of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Meat is excluded, however, depending on varying cultural beliefs and/or preferences, dairy products and/or eggs are consumed. The different types of vegetarian eating are as follows;

Yes! There's an entire section dedicated to vegetarian recipes and you'll also find all of our breakfast options are meat-free. In addition to this, many of our recipes can be easily adapted to suit a plant-based diet.

Your priority should be to make sure you're getting adequate protein with your meals, which is definitely possible on a vegan diet. It’s important to keep in mind that some vegetarian and vegan sources of protein also contain carbohydrates, such as legumes and lentils. This means there might be an overlap between your complex carbohydrates and protein on your balanced plate.

If you’re having lentils or legumes as your protein source, there are a couple of ways you can balance your plate.

A well-planned vegetarian diet will provide all essential nutrients for general health and wellbeing. However, it does take a little more effort and consideration to ensure that you (and your family) are getting all the nutrients you require.

Proteins are formed from smaller components called amino acids and are generally referred to as the ‘building blocks of life’. This is because they help your body grow, maintain and repair itself. Most of these amino acids can be made in the body, but there are nine ‘essential’ amino acids that can only be obtained through the diet. These are found in varying amounts in vegetarian food sources, so it’s important to include the following foods regularly in your diet:

Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells and the transportation of oxygen in the body. A vegetarian diet can be high in iron, however, the type of iron (non-haem) available in plant-based food is absorbed at a much lower rate than iron from meat (haem). Due to this, higher quantities are required to meet our daily requirements. Consumption of the following foods will help you to meet your recommended iron intakes:

Extra tips to increase non-haem iron absorption

Calcium is required to maintain healthy bones and teeth and is, therefore, an essential nutrient for all population groups. Inadequate intakes can lead to the weakening of bones and an increased risk of osteoporosis. Calcium is also important for blood clotting, and nerve and muscle function. You can find high amounts of calcium in the following foods:

Extra tips to increase your calcium absorption

Vitamin D is required for the absorption of calcium and phosphate, which are minerals required for healthy bones, teeth and muscles. It also plays a role in immunity and our brain function.

Vitamin D is generally known as the ‘sunshine’ vitamin as our largest source of this vitamin comes from UV sunlight rays. This can be of concern in winter, as we generally spend less time in the sun. Vitamin D can also be obtained through dietary sources of eggs, mushrooms and fortified margarine and breakfast cereals. However, a supplement may still be required in autumn and winter months to meet recommended daily intakes.

Like amino acids, there are some essential fatty acids we cannot make in the body. We, therefore, need to rely on dietary sources to meet our daily requirements. Omega 3 is one of these fatty acids and is required for general health and to reduce inflammation in the body. To boost your Omega 3 intake, include the following foods in your diet:

It’s vital we get the right balance of Omega 3 to 6 in our diet. Omega-6 isn’t bad per se, but it's sometimes seen as bad because of the sources we get it from - largely processed vegetable oils (sunflower, corn, canola and soybean) and margarine. We would advise replacing these with oils that are high in omega 3 (e.g. flaxseed, chia, cold-pressed rapeseed oil).

Vitamin B12 is required for cell division, red blood cell formation and maintenance of the nervous system. B12 is generally only available from animal sources however it’s also fortified in some foods. Dietary sources include:

Supplementation of vitamin B12 may be required if these foods are not consumed regularly. However, we would advise you to discuss this with your GP first.

As outlined in the paragraphs above, there are some nutrients that are harder to obtain on a vegetarian diet. They are as follows:

If you're concerned about whether you or a family member should be on a supplement, we advise you to consult your GP or medical practitioner.

*Vitamin D requires both magnesium and vitamin K2 to be effective. While there are a number of plant-based sources of magnesium, vitamin K2 is only available in meat and dairy sources. For this reason, a combined vitamin D/vitamin K2 supplement would be advisable.

Most Second Nature breakfast recipes cater to a vegetarian style of eating.

Note: there are many other Second Nature recipes that can be adapted to suit a vegetarian diet.

You can also read our article on 'Vegan resources and recipes' for more inspiration.