Vegan Food Pyramid

The vegan food pyramid is relatively new. There are numerous food guides for vegetarians, including ones produced by the USDA, the Mayo Clinic, and the American Dietetic Association (ADA), as well as the vegetarian food guide rainbow based on the Canadian food rainbow. The most comprehensive food guides currently seem to be the ones from the ADA. The vegan food pyramid is a simplified but nutritionally sound guide for those who prefer not to include dairy or eggs in their diets.

In 1992, the USDA began to address the problem of overnutrition in the North American diet. Plant foods were emphasized, but no specific guidelines were provided for vegetarians. Soon afterwards, the USDA acknowledged that it is possible for humans to obtain all the nutrients they need from plant sources and they formulated the vegetarian food pyramid. The American Dietetic Association formulated a revised version which lists calcium-rich plant foods and includes other modifications for vegans. It is based on the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and Dieticians of Canada's joint recommendations.

The new vegetarian food guide pyramid was designed with the goal of addressing the potential nutrient inadequacies and reduced mineral bioavailability in plant foods. The number of food groups was increased from 5 to 9 in order to encourage variety in the diet. Whole foods are emphasized, and a nuts/seed and oils groups was introduced in place of the fats/oils/sweets group in the traditional food pyramid. The oils group emphasizes essential fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. Groups were also added for green leafy vegetables and dried fruit.

The vegan food pyramid is similar to the ADA one in terms of macronutrient requirements (protein, carbohydrates, fats) but it includes only vegetable foods. You can view it online, download it as wallpaper or buy a poster or postcard of it.

There's a good an explanation of serving sizes and why many foods can be included in more than one group on the Vegan Coach website.

If all the information about the vegan food pyramid seems overwhelming, start with the New 4 Food Groups, (whole grains, vegetables, fruit and and legumes) by the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine. They have a free downloadable poster on their website.

Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada

USDA tips and resources page for vegetarians

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