Vegan Food Guide

Food Group
Servings per day

 Choose mainly whole grains.
Good examples are brown rice, barley, quinoa, millet, oats, wheat & kamut berries are, as well as whole grain breads and cereals.

Eat a wide variety of colorful vegetables.
Include raw vegetables each day.
Green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of folate; many are rich in calcium too!

Select an assortment of fruits, including those rich in vitamin C.
Good choices are citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, guava, papaya, cantaloupe, and mangos.

2-3 servings

1 cup (240 mL) cooked legume (beans,
   lentils, dried peas)
½ cup (120 mL) firm tofu or tempeh
1 serving veggie “meats” (1 burger or
   wiener, 2-3 lunch slices)
3 Tbsp (45 mL) nut or seed butter
¼ c (60 mL) nuts & seeds
2 cups (480 mL) soymilk

For maximum benefit, eat a wide range of these protein-rich foods.
Eating vegetables or fruits rich in vitamin C along with these foods increases iron absorption. 
Nuts and seeds provide vitamin E & minerals.

½ cup (120 mL) fortified soymilk
¼ cup (60 mL) firm calcium-set tofu 
½ cup (120 mL) calcium-fortified
  orange juice 
¼ cup (60 mL) almonds 
3 Tbsp (45 mL) almond butter
1 cup (240 mL) cooked, or 2 cups (480
  mL) raw, of high calcium greens,
  (kale, collards, Chinese greens,
  broccoli, okra)
1 cup (240 mL) high calcium beans,
  (i.e. soy, white, navy, Great
  Northern, black turtle beans)
¼ cup (60 mL) dry hijiki seaweed 
1 Tbsp (15 mL) blackstrap molasses
5 figs

Get to know your calcium sources!
Many of these foods double as servings from the Vegetable and Bean Groups. Include calcium-rich foods with every meal.
Foods should provide at least 15% of the DV per serving to be included as a serving in this group.  (If a serving provides 10% of the DV, use 1-½ servings.)

Vitamin D to meet recommended intakes

Vitamin D  
Fortified food or supplements supplying
5 mcg /day Vitamin D2 for adults aged
  up to 50;
10 mcg /day 51-70 yrs, or
15 mcg for those aged 70+ years); 
or 
sunshine.

Pay attention to these important nutrients.
The best source of omega-3’s for vegans is flax oil.  Use it in dressings for salads, baked potatoes, vegetables and grains!
Look for foods fortified with vitamin B12.  (Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula nutritional yeast is a good example.)
If you don’t get enough sunshine, be sure to get vitamin D2 from foods or supplements.