One of the many refrains heard by vegans and vegetarians is the familar “But where do you get your protein?” Over time, though, this is becoming less common, due to the fact that we have proven by example that a meatless existence is not only healthful, but more so than an omnivorous one. This list is not intended to be all-encompassing, but rather a basic primer, created to let people know which plant sources offer particular nutrients. So the next time someone asks you where you get your protein, you can immediately say, “Beans, legumes, seeds and grains. Where do you get your vitamins and minerals?”
Micronutrients
Vitamin A: Green leafy vegetables, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, wheatgrass juice
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Whole grains, nori, wakame, legumes (especially peanuts)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Green vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nutritional yeast, hiziki
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Whole grains (especially brown, black and red rice), posole, masa, nori, wakame, peanuts, nutritional yeast
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid): whole grains, beans, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, nutritional yeast
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Whole grains, leafy green vegetables, dulse, nori, nutritional yeast, carrots, peas, sunflower seeds, walnuts
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin): Current scientific research has concluded that there are no reliable sources of B12 in plant sources, so it is best to take a supplement daily in lozenge form
Biotin: Soybeans, nutritional yeast, whole grains
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid): Citrus fruits, bell peppers, chiles, amaranth, berries, cabbage, parsley, sprouts, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts
Chlorine: Soybeans, whole grains, legumes
Co-Enzyme Q10: Peanuts, spinach
Vitamin D: Sunflower sprouts, fortified soymilk, fortified vegan cereal
Vitamin E: Nuts, seeds, wheat, oats, quinoa, brown, red and black rice, broccoli, cauliflower, dandelion greens, sprouts, asparagus, cucumbers, spinach, wheatgerm oil
Folic acid: Microalgae, sprouts, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nutritional yeast, dates, beans, legumes, mushrooms, oranges, beets, fenugreek and root vegetables
Inositol: Whole grains, nutritional yeast, beans and legumes, especially soybeans)
Vitamin K: Alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, hempseed, blackstrap molasses, dark leafy green vegetables, green tea, kelp, soybeans, oats, rye, wheat
Vitamin P (bioflavonoids): Peppers, buckwheat, black currants
Vitamin U: Green cabbage
Macronutrients
Complex carbohydrates: Found almost exclusively in plant foods. Whole grains, beans, legumes, and vegetables
Protein: Beans, legumes, seeds, grains (especially quinoa and amaranth), leafy green vegetables
Fat: Avocados, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds
Minerals
Boron: Seaweed, alfalfa, unrefined sea salt, nuts, carrots, leafy green vegetables, apples, pears
Calcium: leafy green vegetables, almonds, nutritional yeast, sesame seeds, figs, dandelion greens, wakame, hiziki, kelp, kombu, amaranth, quinoa, oats, beans, legumes, microalgae, fortified soymilk.
Chromium: Seaweed (especially kelp and alaria), whole grains, mushrroms, beets, nutritional yeast, beans, legumes
Copper: Seaweed, whole grains, raisins, apricots, garlic, mushrooms, beets, nuts, leafy green vegetables
Flourine: Seaweed, rye, brown rice, parsley, avocados, cabbage
Germanium: Seaweed, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, aloe vera, ginsing, onions
Iodine: Seaweed and unrefined sea salt
Iron: Seaweed, molasses, whole grains, nuts, beets, sesame, seeds, beans, legumes, prunes, rasins, dates, dried apricots, almonds (taken with a vitamin c source will boost the iron absorption)
Magnesium: Seaweed, whole grains, microalgae, amaranth, beans, legumes, leafy green vegetables
Manganese: Seaweed, whole grains, nuts and seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, avocados
Phosphorous: Seaweed, whole grains, beans, legumes, dried fruit, garlic, nuts, seeds
Potassium: Kelp, dulse, carrot juice, whole grains, beans, legumes, bananas
Selenium: Seaweed, whole grains, beans, legumes, garlic, mushrooms
Silicon: Seaweed, whole grains, bib lettuce, parsnips, dandelion greens, strawberries, celery, cucumbers, apricots, carrots
Sodium: Seaweed, celery, unrefined sea salt
Sulfur: Seaweed, cabbages, beans, legumes, onions, garlic, nettles, soybeans
Vanadium: Seaweed, whole grains, vegetable oils, dill, radishes, green beans
Zinc: Seaweed, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, nettles, soybeans
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