Herbalife Korea, a global nutrition company, introduced how to fill the body with nutrients and consume enough protein for a healthy vegan lifestyle.
The number of people pursuing a vegan diet is steadily increasing due to various factors, such as increasing interest in health and the environment, and the rise of ethical consumption. In fact, according to a recent Herbalife Nutrition survey on eating habits of 28,000 people in 30 countries, including Korea, 43% of respondents reduced their meat consumption, and 46% of respondents said vegetarian and meat substitutes He said he had become more open-minded.
Vegan is the most strict vegetarian type among vegetarians. It can be very difficult to get enough of the key nutrients such as protein, zinc, and calcium.
However, a recent report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the vegan diet contains more fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins C and E, iron and phytochemicals than the regular diet, and contains several factors, including: It has advantages. Accordingly, Herbalife Korea is unveiling a way for beginners to eat enough protein and maintain a healthy vegan diet.
Getting key nutrients from alternative sources
Vegans who do not consume dairy products should take extra care to ensure that they are getting sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D from other foods. Calcium is found in calcium-fortified foods such as soy milk and orange juice, as well as green and yellow vegetables and tofu. Mushrooms are also rich in vitamin D.
Animal protein, which is difficult for vegans to consume, is a good source of iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, so vegans must find alternative sources to get enough of these nutrients in their body’s needs. Vitamin B12 is known to be contained only in animal foods such as meat and eggs, and vegans often consume it through fortified foods or health functional foods. On the other hand, zinc can be obtained through oats, beans, nuts, seeds, and tofu.
Get essential amino acids with the right combination of plant protein
Dietary protein is made up of amino acids needed for protein production in the body. Of the 21 amino acids that can be ingested through food, 9 amino acids, also called ‘essential amino acids’, cannot be produced by our body and can only be obtained through diet. The problem is that unlike animal protein, which contains all the essential amino acids, most plant foods, except soy, are missing one or more essential amino acids.
However, this problem can be solved simply by taking advantage of the fact that different plant proteins have different amino acid formulations. It provides all the essential amino acids by consuming a variety of plant proteins through a variety of foods throughout the day.
For example, essential amino acids not found in peas and lentils are found in abundance in whole grains, whereas those not found in whole grains are easily found in soybeans. For this reason, you’ll often see ‘complementary proteins’ such as rice and soy or lentil soup and whole grain bread on a vegan diet.
Therefore, it is also a good idea to get help from foods made with plant protein derived from beans, peas, rice, quinoa, and hemp. Plant protein powder has the advantage of providing high-quality protein, including essential amino acids, with relatively low calories. In addition, since it is in powder form, it is easy to increase the protein content by adding it to protein shakes, oatmeal, soup, etc., and the intake can be adjusted as needed.
