Balancing Your Nutrition with a Plant-Based Diet

One of the most important things to remember about a plant-based diet is that you need 
to focus on getting good nutrition. When you cut back on meat, eggs, and dairy, you are 
losing some key nutrients you used to get from these foods. That doesn’t mean you 
can’t get them from plant-based options – you definitely can! But it does require a little 
extra planning to ensure your diet is healthy and balanced.


Why You Should Focus on Nutrition

There are a few reasons focusing on balance and nutrition is so important with a plant-
based diet. 


Getting All Nutrients from Your Food

In general, it is better to get nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from whole food sources, 
as opposed to supplements and pills. However, when you make a drastic change in 
your diet, this can be harder to do. This is why balancing your plant and focusing on 
nutrition as you switch to a plant-based diet is so important.


Staying Full and Satisfied

Making sure you focus on what nutrients you are getting throughout the day can also 
help you stay full and satisfied. It lets you live your life without focusing too much on 
what and how much you are eating, but without overeating and excessive snacking.


Not Experiencing Fatigue

Fatigue is a common complaint among people who transition to more of a vegetarian or 
vegan diet. This is often just from a difference in vitamins and minerals, protein, fiber, 
and other nutrients that you probably didn’t think much of before.


Veggies with Every Meal

Another super easy way to have more nutrient-dense meals when you are on a plant-
based diet is to add veggies to all your meals and snacks. This allows you to have more 
balance in your meals without thinking too much about it. 

Are you having a burger or sandwich? Add some tomato, lettuce, and onions to it. 
Making a pasta dinner? Add veggies to your sauce, and a side salad to round out your 
meal.


Nutrients You May Be Lacking

When you have less dairy, cheese, chicken, fish, and meat, there are some nutrients 
you won’t get as much. Here are some that you want to focus on in order to have a 
balanced diet:

Protein – If you were on a traditional diet, you probably got most of your protein from 
meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and cheese. Now that you are switching to a more plant-based 
diet, you will need to look for plant-based options for getting these nutrients. This might 
include more beans and legumes, chickpeas, nuts and seeds, and yes – sometimes 
some vegan protein powder.

Iron – Iron is another nutrient that many people are lacking, especially if you stop eating 
red meat. However, you can also get iron from plant-based sources, including 
chickpeas, beans, lentils, cashews, and tofu.

B12 - B-12 is a little more difficult to get when you are on a plant-based diet. Look for 
foods that are fortified, such as certain types of cereal, plant-based milk, and soy milk. 

Omega-3s – Lastly are your omega-3s, which you might have gotten from coldwater 
fish. However, you can still get this nutrient from walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds.


What Makes You Feel Good?

At the end of the day, it all comes down to how you feel. This really is all nutrition 
science is trying to teach you; what balance of nutrients and types of foods make you 
feel good, and which ones make you feel bad. Get rid of any perceived notion you have 
about “good” or “bad” foods because of the types of foods they are, but how they make 
you feel. 

Did it give you more or less energy?
Did it boost your mood or cause anxiety?
Are you happy and satisfied, or stuffed with an upset stomach?
Do you get bloated or constipated, or does it help make you regular?

These and many more things are important to consider when it comes to nutrition and 
its importance.



