Vegan Daily Nutritional Values

TiahElaine
TiahElaine Posts: 6 Member
I was wondering if anybody has changed/customized their nutritional goals with being Vegan..

I ask because today was my first day recording it and I found that I went over in carbs and sugars, but the carbs that I consumed were complex carbs and the sugar I consumed were from fruit..

Replies

  • fknlardarse
    fknlardarse Posts: 210 Member
    Bump, I'm interested in that too x
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    Just a daily vitamin B12 supplement; otherwise everything else is the same. I considered the MFP level for protein to be fair enough for someone who is not looking to increase muscle volume so my levels have always been high Carbs and lower Fats and Proteins.
  • TiahElaine
    TiahElaine Posts: 6 Member
    Right now my carbs are set at 50% protein 20% and fat 30% and it just feels like something is wrong..
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    - can you define "something"?
  • TiahElaine
    TiahElaine Posts: 6 Member
    it just doesn't add up to me.. i'm just really confused.. not just with those settings, but also my caloric intake.. it's set at just over 1,200 because I don't move about much during the day and yesterday I only had 15 calories left and it said I'm not eating enough, but 15 calories difference isn't exactly a lot and the goal of 1200 is their recommended amount.. so i'm not sure what that should be along with all the rest of it either..
  • FINRat
    FINRat Posts: 2
    Usually a good ratio between macronutrients is carbs 45-55%, protein 25-30% and fat 20-30%. Depending on your goals and lifestyle. I think that 1,200 is too low even if you sit around all day. I've read many diet and fitness books and tried all kinds of calculators for calories and macronutrients and almost all of them never go under 1,500 in calories. Ofcourse if you're very small that might be different. I'm about 5"3 and my caloric intake is 1,500-1650. And that's AFTER excercise or the daily calorie deficit which in my case is about 300.

    I've been vegan/semi-vegan for about six months now and started to go regularly to the gym and have lost couple of inches from my waist without even trying. I don't follow my weight so that I don't know. So the 1,500-1,600 caloric intake is working for me.

    I don't know if you got any help from this, but that's just my experience in these 4-5 years of gathering info on weight loss and fitness. I would recommend to keep the ratios but change the caloric intake to higher so that your goal would be 1,400-,1500. You can always go higher or lower if you're no meeting your goals.
  • VegasaurusRex
    VegasaurusRex Posts: 4 Member
    According to the CDC, the RDA for protein is 10-35% (http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html#How much protein). I know a lot of raw vegans aim for an 80/10/10 ratio, but I wasn't ready to try that just yet, so I set mine to 70/15/15.

    Really, as long as you are eating enough calories and a variety of high quality foods, you're getting enough protein.
  • coccodrillo72
    coccodrillo72 Posts: 94 Member
    Really, as long as you are eating enough calories and a variety of high quality foods, you're getting enough protein.

    Maybe, but vegans should be a little more cautious as far as protein is concerned. Besides we do not know if she is eating enough calories, she did not tell her stats, her training (just that she doesn't move much), her goals. So we have very little information.

    Vegans should remember that plant based proteins are not complete, which means that they do not have all the essential amminoacids in a single source. You have to combine different sources to have all the essential amminoacids (for example: rice and peas, pasta and beans, and so on). A while ago it was recommended to eat different sources within the same meal but now it seems that just having different protein sources in the same day is enough. If you don't, protein synthesis is inhibited.

    For this reason protein requirements in vegetarians and vegans are somewhat HIGHER than in non- vegetarians (especially in children). See for example and reference the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitian of Canada http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2003_ADA_position_paper.pdf
  • coccodrillo72
    coccodrillo72 Posts: 94 Member
    Right now my carbs are set at 50% protein 20% and fat 30% and it just feels like something is wrong..

    Instead of aiming to a set percentage I'd recommend to set macro goals based on your weight and your goals:

    Protein: 1.4 - 2.0 grams per kg of body weight per day (0.63 - 0.9 grams per pound) if you are active or if you are in a caloric deficit (more protein reduces the loss of lean body mass). The "official" RDA of .36 grams per pound of body weight per day (0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight) is the minimum amount of protein required to avoid progressive loss of lean body mass if you are normally sedentary and on maintenance.

    Fat: 0.35g of fat per lb of total body weight

    Carbs: the rest of your calories
  • vegan4lyfe2012
    vegan4lyfe2012 Posts: 1,233 Member
    I have my macros set at 80/10/10. I end up closer to 70/15/15, though. I don't track sugars since they are all from whole foods. My calories are set to a little over 1400 per day.

    I recommend reading The Starch Solution by Dr. McDougall. I think that will help you with being comfortable having higher carb counts, too.

    And don't worry about whether your foods are "complete". Your body knows how to utilize what it needs. Eat a variety of whole foods - potatoes, grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes - and you'll be fine.
  • guruka
    guruka Posts: 3
    I use the food diary to plan my meals in advance and then I can make the decision as to what to include.
  • mathmatt
    mathmatt Posts: 58 Member
    Without knowing exactly what you're eating, I would guess that a lot of the carbs are not only sugars but also fiber. Fiber isn't broken down by the body therefore doesn't cause a rise in blood glucose levels or contribute any calories.