It’s essential to make sure you are getting balanced nutrition by including a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables high in phytochemicals to support your immune system and overall health. Below list easy tips and tricks to follow to ensure you are getting most of the nutrients you need when switching to a Paleo plant-based diet.
Calcium: provides healthy muscle function, proper nerve signaling, and builds strong bones. Plant-based source of calcium includes broccoli, dark leafy greens, and calcium-fortified juice.
Fats: having a balanced omega-3 and omega-6 ratio helps to support brain function and skin and heart health. Plant-based fat sources include avocado, coconut, and unprocessed oils.
Vitamin D: helps your body to absorb calcium to encourage bone growth. Sources of vitamin D include fortified plant-based milk. Additionally, vitamin D is best obtained from sun exposure or supplementation.
Iron: an essential mineral that’s critical for the production of red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Sources of iron for those on a Paleo plant-based diet include peas, dark leafy vegetables, and spirulina. It’s important to note that minerals such as calcium can interfere with iron absorption. If you are consuming calcium-fortified juice or taking an iron supplement in the morning, it’s recommended to focus on iron-rich foods during other times of the day. Consume foods rich in vitamin C to enhance absorption of iron. Try squeezing fresh lemon on a dark leafy green salad or adding broccoli and yellow bell peppers to a vegetable stir-fry.
Protein: the human body is made primarily of protein, which plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy bones, muscle, skin, and organs. The best Paleo plant-based sources of protein are walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hemp and chia seeds. Protein sources such as chickpeas, grains, fava beans, lentils, and peanuts are excluded in the Paleo diet and should be avoided.
Vitamin B12: helps to produce red blood cells to prevent anemia. Eat foods fortified with this vitamin along with a B12 supplement.
A balanced and healthy Paleo plant-based diet should consist of the right portions of organic fruits, vegetables, healthy oils, and healthy protein. What does it look like?
Charles Weller
Author