Losing weight on a vegan diet, and the mistake most people make

Most people do this the wrong way round

Switch to vegan food to lose weight — it sounds reasonable enough. But the way many people go about it is wrong from the start: cut out the protein, live on white rice and boiled vegetables, and then wonder why the hunger never goes and why there is a craving for something at ten at night.

Eating vegan does not mean eating less. Done properly it means changing where the protein comes from, not removing it. Without enough protein you get hungry sooner, you lose muscle before you lose fat, you feel flat — and most people give up partway through simply because they are worn down.

Plant protein: enough of it is what makes the difference

An adult needs roughly 0.8 to 1g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, more for anyone very active. Plant protein is not hard to find; what is less obvious is how to gather that much across three meals a day.

Tofu, soy and pulses

Tofu, tofu skin, soy milk, mung beans and black beans are the main protein sources in vegan cooking. Vary the pulses through the week rather than stopping at tofu, so that you take in the full range of amino acids that hold muscle while the fat comes off.

Is one vegan banh mi enough?

Đậu Hũ Cay at 56,000d is built on fried tofu and carries enough protein for lunch when eaten with the fresh salad. Thập Cẩm at 59,000d mixes several vegan fillings and suits a meal that has to last longer. Bơ Đường at 28,000d is mildly sweet and good for a quick breakfast, but it is low in protein and should not be the main meal if losing weight is the aim.

Iron, B12 and calcium — the three that get forgotten

These are the three that vegans most often fall short on, not because vegan food lacks them but because the sources and the absorption differ from an omnivore diet.

Iron

Iron from vegetables is absorbed more slowly than iron from red meat. Eating dark leafy greens, pulses and sesame together with vitamin C — orange, lemon, guava — improves uptake. It is a simple habit, not a supplement.

B12

B12 is virtually absent from plants as they grow. Anyone eating vegan full-time should get it from fortified food or a supplement, and should ask a doctor or pharmacist about the dose that suits them rather than buying a high dose off the shelf.

Calcium beyond dairy

Calcium is in tofu set with a calcium coagulant, in sesame, in green leafy vegetables, and in nut milks that have been fortified. A Nut Milk Coffee at 45,000d or a Nut Milk Bubble Tea at 45,000d contributes a small part of the day's calcium, though it does not replace what the meals themselves provide.

So what does it actually look like

No skipped meals. No cutting the protein out. Three meals, each with at least one vegan protein source, plus vegetables and fruit in season. Drink enough water, and watch the sugar in what you drink if you are keeping an eye on weight — Jasmine Lemon Tea at 36,000d instead of a brown sugar bubble tea is the easy swap to make.

Losing weight is a long business, not a week's work. A vegan diet helps if it is done properly, and leaves you tired and ready to quit if it is not. The difference is whether the protein, the iron, the B12 and the calcium are there each day — not whether you managed to cut everything at once.

To order a lunch or dinner with the protein already in it, call 0923.183.183 or come to one of the five Banh Mi XANH shops at 38 Lê Thị Riêng, 15B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, 2B Trần Hưng Đạo and 148B Đề Thám in District 1, and 210 Bùi Văn Ba in District 7. The shops are open 24 hours and deliver, free within 5km on orders from 500,000d.

Quick questions

Can you lose weight on a vegan diet?

Yes, provided you eat enough protein and do not cut portions too hard. Most failures come from doing it badly: cutting the protein, getting hungry, and making up for it in the evening.

Does a long-term vegan diet leave you short of nutrients?

B12, iron and calcium can run low if you are not deliberate about the sources. Those are the three to watch on a full-time vegan diet, and worth checking at a routine health check.

How much plant protein a day?

Around 0.8 to 1g per kilogram of body weight is the usual adult reference. Anyone training a lot needs more — ask a dietitian for a figure that fits you.

Is there B12 in a vegan banh mi?

Vegetables and tofu contain no B12 naturally. Vegans should get it from fortified food or a supplement on a doctor's advice; it is not a nutrient to leave to chance.

Which loaf suits someone trying to lose weight?

Đậu Hũ Cay at 56,000d and Thập Cẩm at 59,000d carry more protein and hold longer than Bơ Đường at 28,000d. Pair one with a Jasmine Lemon Tea at 36,000d to keep the day's sugar down.