The Vegan Diet

Vegan refers to a lifestyle that exclude animal products as far as possible from all daily purpose, such as food, clothing, etc. Vegan diet avoids animal products that include meat, egg, milk, butter and all other animal derived ingredients. People, who are following vegan diet, are at high risk of nutrient deficiencies because of excluding two main food groups; animal protein and dairy.

Our bodies need to consume iron to synthesis red blood cells. Iron has to main forms; the heme iron that is found in the animal sources, particularly red meet, and it is well absorbed. The other form is the non-heme iron that is available in the plant sources, and it is less well absorbed. People who depend in the vegetarian food are at high risk of iron deficiency anemia. However, Amanda can overcomes this obstacle by consuming sufficient amount of vegetarian foods that rich in iron, also consuming small doses of vitamin C with the non-heme iron increasing the iron absorption, and she may take iron supplement as well.

The other nutrient deficient that may occur is zinc. Zinc is important to the immune system, hormones synthesis, fat and protein metabolism and cell growth and development. The zinc deficiency can causes multiple problems, such as diarrhea, poor neurological function and decreased the synthesis of thyroid hormone. The zinc …show more content…
Vitamin B12 is important to maintain the nervous system functions. The main sources of vitamin B12 the animal products, and it is not available at the plants sources at all. Thus, she will be at high rick of vitamin B12 deficiency. The vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include general weakness and depression. In the long term, she may suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency anemia and nerve damage. To avoid these consequences, she may daily drink 2 cups of soy milk that is fortified with vitamin B12, and take vitamin B12 supplement as