{"id":20108,"date":"2013-06-05T11:59:46","date_gmt":"2013-06-05T15:59:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomeatathlete.com\/?p=20108"},"modified":"2020-04-16T12:51:22","modified_gmt":"2020-04-16T16:51:22","slug":"nutrients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomeatathlete.com\/nutrients\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You Getting the Nutrients You Need from Your Plant-Based Diet?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Though nobody has ever mistaken 4-Hour Body<\/em> author Tim Ferriss for a vegan, we can put his skepticism to good use \u2014 namely, by making sure we eat plenty of the foods that contain the nutrients he claims are hard to get from plants.<\/p>\n

To be fair, we can’t call Tim anti-plant-based diet. Indeed (from The 4-Hour Body<\/i>):<\/p>\n

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I suggest a two-week PPBD (primarily plant-based diet) test after 3-4 months on the Slow-Carb Diet. No matter where you end up afterward, the awareness will lead to better decisions that benefit appearance, performance, and the planet as a whole.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And I especially love what he writes in regards to the all-or-nothing approach many people have towards diet:<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s better for the environment if you locally source a 70% PPBD indefinitely, rather than eat 100% vegan for two months and quit because you find it unsustainable. Some vegans, lost in ideological warfare, also lose sight of the cumulative effects: getting 20% of the population to take a few steps in the right direction will have an infinitely greater positive impact on the world than having 2% of the population following a 100% plant-based diet. To both uninformed meat-eaters and vegetarians — stop ad hominem attacks and focus on the big picture.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

(If you\u2019ve read my post about vegans and paleos<\/a>, it shouldn\u2019t surprise you that I wholeheartedly agree with this last line.)<\/p>\n

Tim goes on, in the same chapter, to give several case studies on the diets of fit vegans, including Scott Jurek<\/a> and Mike Mahler. They\u2019re incredibly valuable, if for nothing more than the recipes provided for protein bars, smoothies, hummus, several dinners, and more. <\/p>\n

Tim gives his reasons for not choosing a plant-based diet, but they\u2019re beside the point of this particular post (might make for a good followup, though!). Here, my assumption is that you, as a No Meat Athlete reader, have your reasons for wanting to eat plant-based, and you\u2019re going to do it, one way or another.<\/p>\n

Which brings me to the question I want to answer with this post (and the help of Tim and vegan R.D. Matt Ruscigno):<\/p>\n

Given that we’re going to eat a 100% plant-based diet<\/a> \u2014 whether for ethical, health, or environmental reasons \u2014 how can we maximize our health through our food choices?<\/b><\/p>\n

In the first of the two \u201cMeatless Machine\u201d chapters in 4-Hour Body<\/i>, Tim provides the following list of foods and supplements for vegans<\/a> to ensure are in your diet (with suggested daily intake amounts), \u201cfor essential insurance against serious health issues\u201d:<\/p>\n