Where Do Vegans Get Calcium

Decided to become vegan…any tips/suggestions?

I am a 15-year-old girl. I’ve been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for about 5 and a half years now, and I’ve decided that I want to become vegan for ethical reasons. The problem is, I don’t really know where to start. My mom, who has been vegetarian for 20+ years and works for the FDA (she knows a lot about food) is worried that I won’t get enough nutrients, especially calcium. While she’s willing to support me in this transition, she wants me to do my research to make sure I’ll be keeping myself healthy and wants me to see a nutritionist before making the full switch to veganism. I consider my choice very serious, as being vegan is not only a way of eating but a way of life. I’d like some feedback from other vegans on how to make the transition, tips on staying healthy, food ideas, book/other reading suggestions, etc…basically any input you can give. Thank you for all your help!

Smart Mom! It’s always important to check with your doctor before changing your diet.

You may want to check out a couple of books from your library on vegan nutrition, such as Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-based Diet by Brenda Davis, R.D. and Vesanto Melina M.S., R.D. and Vegan Nutrition: Pure and Simple by Michael Klaper, M.D. Also, search “vegan” on amazon.com for more titles.

I have a vegan cookbook called CalciYum! by David and Rachelle Bronfman. It has great recipes high in calcium. Some good plant sources for calcium are almonds, bok choy, collard greens and kale. A lot of soymilk brands are fortified with calcium. Check out the Vegetarian Resource group website below. There is a table listing the amount of calcium in a variety of plant foods…a lot more to choose from! The table of sample menus is helpful, too.

Basically, just try to eat the same things you eat and enjoy now, but replace the dairy and egg ingredients with vegan versions. If you like cheese, try the Tofutti brand. It is the best vegan cheese I’ve had. If you like dessert foods, my favorite cookies are Uncle Eddie’s (baked in California, available at Whole Foods Markets). Trader Joe’s also has their own brand of vegan chocolate chip cookies (I like the oatmeal choc. chip). I’m not sure if you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, but they have some great vegan burritos and enchiladas, too. I love So Delicious non-dairy ice cream…lots of great flavors to choose from. Other vegan ice cream brands are really good, too. If you like eggs, try Tofu Scramble seasoning packet which you mix with tofu…it’s a really good substitute for scrambled eggs.

If you’d like to take a vegan multivitamin, try Veganlife vitamins available from Pangea (website below).

I have been a vegan for 15 years. I am healthy and donate blood to the American Red Cross every 2 to 3 months. I hope this helps. Overall, don’t feel you need to rush yourself. Take as much time as you need to make a healthy transition. And never let yourself go hungry!

T. Colin Campbell, phd – A Delicate Balance

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