Vegan nutrition refers to the nutritional and human health aspects of vegan diets. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has stated that a vegan diet is suitable to meet all recommendations for nutrients in every stage of human life. Vegan diets tend to be higher in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, and phytochemicals; and lower in calories, saturated fat, iron, cholesterol, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, vitamin B and choline.
Researchers agree that those on a vegan diet should take a vitamin B dietary supplement.Mangels, Reed; Messina, Virginia; and Messina, Mark. "Vitamin B (Cobalamin)," The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2011, pp. 181–192. Mangels, Reed. "Vitamin B in the Vegan Diet", Vegetarian Resource Group, accessed December 17, 2012: "Vitamin B is needed for cell division and blood formation. Neither plants nor animals make vitamin B. Bacteria are responsible for producing vitamin B. Animals get their vitamin B from eating foods contaminated with vitamin B and then the animal becomes a source of vitamin B. Plant foods do not contain vitamin B except when they are contaminated by microorganisms or have vitamin B added to them. Thus, vegans need to look to fortified foods or supplements to get vitamin B in their diet." "Vitamin B", Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, accessed December 17, 2012. Norris, Jack. "Vitamin B: Are you getting it?", Vegan Outreach, July 26, 2006: "Contrary to the many rumors, there are no reliable, unfortified plant sources of vitamin B ... [There is an] overwhelming consensus in the mainstream nutrition community, as well as among vegan health professionals, that vitamin B fortified foods or supplements are necessary for the optimal health of vegans, and even vegetarians in many cases. Luckily, vitamin B is made by bacteria such that it does not need to be obtained from animal products."
Reception
Positions of dietetic and government associations
The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada state that properly planned vegan diets are appropriate for all life stages, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council similarly recognizes a well-planned vegan diet as viable for any age, as does the Victoria Department of Health,"Vegetarian and vegan eating". betterhealth.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 26 June 2023. British Dietetic Association,"British Dietetic Association confirms well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages". bda.uk.com. Retrieved 22 November 2021. British National Health Service,"Plant based, Vegetarian and vegan diets: How to get the best nutrition". ruh.nhs.uk. Retrieved 27 June 2023. British Nutrition Foundation,"Healthy eating for vegetarians and vegans". nutrition.org.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2023. Mayo Clinic, Finnish Food Safety Authority,"Vegan diet". ruokavirasto.fi. Retrieved 11 December 2022. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Italian Society of Human Nutrition, Norwegian Directorate for Health,"Vegetarian and vegan diet - expert opinion from the National Council for Nutrition". helsedirektoratet.no. Retrieved 5 December 2022. and the Portuguese Directorate-General of Health.Silva, Sandra Cristina Gomes; Pinho, João Pedro; Borges, Cátia; Santos, Cristina Teixeira; Santos, Alejandro; Graça, Pedro. (2015). "Guidelines for a Healthy Vegetarian Diet". National Programme for the Promotion of Healthy Eating. Retrieved 5 December 2022. "When appropriately planned, vegetarian diets, including lacto-ovo vegetarian or vegan, are healthy and nutritionally adequate for all cycles of life, and they can be useful in prevention and treatment of some chronic diseases. However, as in any food pattern, vegetarian diets may be inadequate."
The British National Health Service's Eatwell Plate allows for an entirely plant-based diet,"The Eatwell Guide", National Health Service; "The vegan diet", National Health Service. as does the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) MyPlate. The USDA allows tofu to replace meat in the National School Lunch Program. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics adds that well-planned vegan diets are also appropriate for older adults and athletes.
In 2016, the German Society for Nutrition cautioned against a vegan diet for babies, children, and adolescents, and during pregnancy and breastfeeding, due to insufficient data. Erratum in: 63(5): M262 In 2020, the German Society for Nutrition issued an update stating that they do not recommend a vegan diet for babies, children and adolescents, or for pregnancy or breastfeeding, citing insufficient data for these subpopulations.
The Danish Health Authority have advised vegan parents to seek professional dietary advice, noting that "young children who are fed a vegan diet can grow and develop normally if they receive the right supplements to the diet, and the energy content is sufficient. It requires detailed knowledge of diet and nutritional needs. The parents must therefore be encouraged to seek advice from a licensed clinical dietitian to ensure that the child's diet is sufficient.""Ernæring til spædbørn og småbørn– EN HÅNDBOG FOR SUNDHEDSPERSONALE". sst.dk. Retrieved 5 December 2022. The National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland have stated that a well-balanced vegan diet is safe during pregnancy but mothers require the guidance of a nutritional therapist."Eating together - food recommendations for families with children". julkari.fi. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
The State of Israel Ministry of Health advises vegan mothers to consult with a dietitian."Nutrition for Infants in Vegetarian and Vegan Families". health.gov.il. Retrieved 5 December 2022. The Swiss Federal Commission for Nutrition do not recommend vegan diets for pregnant women, infants and children or older adults due to lack of data and risk of certain nutrient deficiencies."Vegan diets: review of nutritional and health benefits and risks (2018)". blv.admin.ch. Retrieved 5 December 2022. The Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium do not recommend a vegan diet during pregnancy, breastfeeding and infancy."Clarification on the vegetalian diet for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women". armb.be. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
The German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI) position paper on vegan diets in 2023 noted that "to ensure an adequate supply of vitamin B, but also of calcium, iron, iodine, zinc, as well as high-quality protein and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA), an in-depth study of the subject of nutrition, time investment, and supplementation, with regard to various nutrients, is required."
The American Heart Association (AHA) gave the vegan diet a 78% score of its alignment with the 2021 AHA Dietary Guidance. They noted that benefits of a vegan diet are its emphasis on fruits, legumes, nuts, vegetables and whole grains which are heart healthy but a key challenge is its restrictive nature and risk of Vitamin B deficiency.
Position of paediatric associations
The position of the Canadian Paediatric Society is that "well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets with appropriate attention to specific nutrient components can provide a healthy alternative lifestyle at all stages of fetal, infant, child and adolescent growth." It is recommended that attention should be given to nutrient intake, particularly protein, vitamins B and D, essential fatty acids (particularly ALA with a focus on sufficient levels of DHA and EPA), iron, zinc, and calcium.
Although position papers from America and Canada have stated that well-planned vegan diets, are suitable for every stage of life, European statements have been more cautious of vegan diets in pregnancy and infancy. The British Paediatric Association (BPA), European Paediatric Association (EPA), European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN), Croatian Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (HDPGHP) and the Italian Society of Paediatrics (SIP) have included strong recommendations to parents that vegan diets should not be adopted by pregnant women and infants without medical or dietetic supervision.
The German Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Polish National Consultant in the Field of Paediatrics and Spanish Paediatric Association do not recommend vegan diets during infancy or childhood and instead advise a balanced omnivorous or lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet to meet nutritional requirements.
The French Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Nutrition Group have stated that a vegan diet is "not recommended for infants, children, and adolescents due to the risk of multiple nutritional deficiencies that are inevitable in the absence of supplements". In 2017, the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics (SIPPS), together with the Italian Federation of Pediatricians (FIMP) and the Italian Society of Perinatal Medicine (SIMP) issued a joint position paper which concluded that vegan diets cannot be recommended for children because the diet leads to deficiencies in vitamin B, calcium, DHA, iron and vitamin D. When these nutrients are missing, it negatively affects children's growth and neurocognitive development."Position Paper SIPPS-FIMP-SIMP: Diete vegetariane in gravidanza ed in età evolutiva". sipps.it. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
The Slovenian Paediatric Society have advised against vegan diets for pregnant and lactating women, newborns, infants, children, and adolescents."Alternative nutrition: literature review". vestnik.szd.si. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
In 2025 the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition published a position paper which concluded that "Current evidence is inconclusive to determine whether a strictly vegan diet supports normal childhood growth, although no significant differences in height or body mass index z-scores were observed compared to omnivorous peers".
Pregnancy, infants and children
According to a 2015 systematic review, there was little evidence available about vegetarian and vegan diets during pregnancy, and a lack of randomized studies meant that the effects of diet could not be distinguished from confounding factors. It concluded: "Within these limits, vegan-vegetarian diets may be considered safe in pregnancy, provided that attention is paid to vitamin and trace element requirements." A daily source of vitamin B is important for pregnant and lactating vegans, as is vitamin D if there are concerns about low sun exposure. A different review found that pregnant vegetarians consumed less zinc than pregnant non-vegetarians, with both groups' intake below recommended levels; however, the review found no significant difference between groups in actual zinc levels in bodily tissues, nor any effect on gestation period or birth weight.
Researchers have reported cases of vitamin B deficiency in lactating vegetarian mothers that were linked to deficiencies and neurological disorders in their children. The UK National Health Service recommends that a physician or registered dietitian should be consulted about taking supplements during pregnancy.
A 2022 French expert consensus paper recommended a minimum of 800 IU and a maximum of 1600 IU of vitamin D per day for vegan children aged 2-18 years.
Public reaction Because of the sensitive nature of pregnancy, vegan diets have attracted significant attention from the media, both positive and negative. Much of the reaction has focused on nutrition.