Macronutrients
- Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the biggest source of energy for your body, but many, like refined sugar, can be bad for your health. Healthy high-carbohydrate foods include: Lentils, beans, whole grains (breads, cereals, pastas), mangoes, prunes, figs, dried fruit, potatoes, and squash.
- Protein: There is a myth surrounding protein that there are little to no sources of vegan protein, but this is not true at all. In fact, foods like soybeans, amaranth, hemp seeds, and quinoa are considered by many dietic institutions as some of the best sources of protein for humans. This is mainly due to the fact that each has all of the essential amino acids in fairly large amounts (complete proteins). Plus, they don't have all the saturated fat and cholesterol associated with the protein sources in the typical Western omnivorous diet. The following are some high-protein foods, many of which are also good sources of minerals and vitamins: soybeans, buckwheat, quinoa, hemp seeds, amaranth, spirulina, pasta, lentils, beans, nuts, oats, and rice.
- Fat: There are various types of fats, each with their own functions in body. Some good sources of fats include: plant oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, and vegan margarine. Fats are generally easy for most people to include in their diet. Two types of fatty acids you might have to work a little harder towards getting in a healthy ratio are linoleic acid (corn, sunflower, safflower, and soy oils) and alpha-linoleic acid (walnut, flax, soy, canola, and pumpkin seed oils)—they should be consumed in a 3:1 ratio.
