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Plant-based diets are becoming very popular. In fact, in the United States alone, over 1.6 million people now identify as vegan. But with the more complex nutritional needs that come with age, is this a diet that’s beneficial for seniors? In honor of World Vegan Day which is celebrated on November 1 and World Vegan Month celebrated the entire month of November, we’ll help you answer this question by sharing the differences between vegetarian and vegan diets, the health impact and how to transition to a plant-based diet.

Vegetarian versus Vegan Diet

While vegetarian diets have reportedly been around since as early as 700 B.C., the first official recognition of the vegan lifestyle appeared in 1994. However, vegan is a type of vegetarian or plant-based diet. Neither eat meat or fish, but vegans take it a step further and abstain from all dairy and eggs, as well as animal by-products like honey and gelatin.

Health Impact of Vegan Diet for Seniors

There are a variety of reasons why people choose a vegan diet and, for seniors, better health and digestion are frequently cited. Benefits of plant-based diets include positive effects on overall heart health as well as brain health, reduced risk of certain cancers, lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes, weight loss, better sleep, easier digestion, and increased energy levels.  

At the same time, senior nutrition can be complex; your body may need more of certain nutrients, less of others, and chronic conditions as well as medications may require dietary restrictions. Your palate and digestion may also change making your once favorite foods less enjoyable.  

As such you may wonder if a vegan diet may complicate matters further. Our opinion is a resounding no!

Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet

Although there are certain nutritional needs you’ll need to be cognizant of as a senior with a plant-based or vegan diet, the benefits are well worth it and it’s easy to compensate for missing nutrients such as:

• Calcium – Vegan-friendly calcium sources include blackstrap molasses, dark green leafy vegetables, and fortified orange juice or soy milk.
• Protein – You can substitute meat for soy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
• Vitamin B12 – Fortified sources such as cereal, supplements or even vitamin B12 injections are an option.
• Vitamin D – Vegan-friendly sources include maitake and portobello mushrooms, Vitamin D fortified soy and almond milk, orange juice, tofu, and cereal, soy yogurt as well as supplements.

As always, check with your doctor before starting any new diet to determine the best course for your specific nutritional needs.

Going Vegan at GenCare Lifestyle

Of course, one of the easiest ways to transition to a vegan diet is to let us take care of it for you! At GenCare, our focus on healthy foods includes a nutritious and flavorful vegan and vegetarian menu. All the dishes on our menu are made from scratch, using whole ingredients and fresh produce. Our Chefs are often able to adapt many of our standard menu items to both a vegetarian and vegan diet. You can request this from your server!

Our newest Chef in Federal Way, Osmar Ramirez, has a great deal of experience working with vegan and vegetarian cooking.  Prior to joining the GenCare team, he worked at Google and was instrumental in creating and cooking their menu. Falafel is one of his favorite recipes and he graciously agreed to share it with us!  

Falafel

Ingredients

3 Cups of cooked chickpeas, drained and rinses

1.5 C Cooked beets, cut unto ½ inch pieces

½ C fresh cilantro, chopped

½ C fresh parsley, chopped

½ C red onion, chopped

4 Garlic cloves

1 Lemon / juiced

1 T olive oil

1 T ground cumin

1 t salt

½ t black pepper

2 t turmeric

1 C oat flour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, add chickpeas, beets, cilantro, parsley, onion and garlic. Pulse until chopped and well-combined, with some chunky texture.
3. Add lemon juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, cumin, turmeric, and salt.  Pulse a few times to combine.
4. Add oat flour, starting with ½ cup. Pulse until a firm dough forms, adding more oat flour if necessary.
5. Form 14 – 16 balls of dough, flatten them with your hands and place on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip. Bake for another 15 minutes.
7. Optional: Broil on low for 5 minutes to get falafel extra crispy.
8. Serve falafel on top of salad or in a pita sandwich!

Add a pop of color to your Mediterranean dishes with this easy Baked Falafel! The perfect addition to salad, bowls or pita sandwiches. Vegan & Vegetarian! Serve with Naan Bread!

For more information on plant-based diets for seniors at Gencare Lifestyle senior living communities, schedule a tour today.