Vegan Nutrition with Dina Aronson, M.S. R.D.

Dina Aronson, MS, RD is a vegan dietitian whose specialties include chronic disease prevention, vegetarian/vegan nutrition, and lifestyle management. She is the founder and director of VeganRD.com, a nutrition consulting company. Active in many vegetarian nutrition organizations, Dina was the recipient of the American Dietetic Association's Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award in 2002.

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What are some substitutes for individuals to reach their recommendation of dairy products, if they do not eat dairy foods and can not eat soy products?

The main reason that there is a recommendation for dairy products at all is because the USDA made it so. The US dairy industry is a very strong force, and their agenda has successfully led many people to mistakenly believe that people need dairy to be healthy. Dairy products are not essential foods. They are optional foods. Other countries follow food guides that do not contain a "dairy group," because the consumption of dairy products is not part of their culture or history.

US food guides justify the use of a dairy group as a means for providing the calcium that so many people lack in their diets. This has been well-accepted by the mainstream health community, even though dairy is not essential. It is certainly true that dairy products are rich in calcium and are thus an easy way to get it. However it is not the only way, and is not necessarily the best way. The best sources of calcium are foods that also deliver additional health benefits.

Professional vegetarian food guides have addressed this issue by using a "calcium group" in their food guide. This makes good sense for vegetarians who either include or avoid dairy, and further educates people about other calcium sources. Dairy-avoiding vegetarians who try to follow the traditional MyPyramid or Dietary Guidelines will find themselves in a pickle, because substituting, say, collard greens, for 3 servings of dairy, will throw off other nutrient requirements, such as protein. This is why I recommend that vegans and vegetarians follow the Vegetarian Food Guide instead. You have to shift your thinking a bit to follow this Guide.

In a nutshell, the Vegetarian Food Guide approximates the mainstream US Food Guide Pyramid but sets the groundwork for a nutritionally balanced plant-based diet. To accommodate those who include or exclude foods like dairy and soy, The Calcium Group was created as a separate "group." The important thing to understand is that the Calcium Group is not an exclusive group; it is a list of foods that are to be counted as servings from other groups (such as vegetable or protein group). So, for example, a glass of calcium-fortified orange juice is a serving from the Fruit group, but is also in the calcium group (perhaps the calcium group can be thought of as the "calcium checklist"). This way, vegetarians and vegans can eat a variety of foods from the Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Protein, and Fats group, and still learn how to meet their calcium needs.

Both dairy and fortified soy foods are in the "Legumes, Nuts, and Other Protein Rich Foods" group. If you're avoiding dairy and soy, then you can eat other foods from this group. As far as calcium, simply choose at least 8 calcium-rich foods per day from all groups to meet your needs. (The Calcium Group lists calcium-rich choices in other groups.) When you fall short of calcium-rich foods, fortified orange juice or a calcium supplement can cover your needs well.

This may seem complex for many, but the point is that a well-balanced plant-based diet can provide enough calcium to meet one's needs. It does require careful selection, however. Refined and processed foods typically are low in nutrients, while fresh whole foods are high in nutrients. The more leafy green vegetables, nuts, beans, and seeds in one's diet, the more calcium. And we know that these whole foods are the world's most healthful and should play a major role in our diets anyway.

Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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