From the 1970s through the 1990s, there was a widespread belief that vegetarians and vegans ran great risks of protein deficiency. Much of this concern is traceable to the first bestselling vegetarian advocacy book, Diet for a Small Planet (published in 1971), which in hindsight offered protein recommendations that were needlessly complex and demanding.

Today, many vegans have contempt for the topic, and will dismiss any concerns about protein intake as ignorant. But belittling the importance of protein is as unwise as believing that vegans are automatically in trouble.

Iron is an essential nutrient required to build hemoglobin molecules that are present in red blood cells. People who don’t consume enough iron develop anemia, and often feel chronically tired and low-energy. Iron is abundant in the plant kingdom and it’s easy to obtain through a vegan diet.

Most vegans will never have to worry about their iron intake as long as they are eating a varied diet, but some people (usually women) struggle to maintain adequate iron levels. You can obtain your iron level through a basic blood test. If you are confronting anemia, are pregnant, or aren’t eating a diverse diet, here are some ways to boost your iron levels…

Attending to your body’s requirements for calcium requires greater care than what’s needed for the above nutrients, since most foods are relatively low in calcium and most people don’t supplement for this nutrient. Supplementing would indeed be a wise choice for many vegans and non-vegans.

Just as there are many kinds of protein, there are likewise numerous forms of fat. Chemistry and nutrition graduate students can spend months studying the functions of these various protein and fat molecules. But simply gaining an understanding of how to meet your body’s needs for protein and fat is relatively straightforward.

Just a little reading on these two topics can enable you to avoid some of the most common pitfalls associated with vegan nutrition.