Australia (Federal)

The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council has published improved dietary guidelines in 2013.

Eat for Health : Australian Dietary Guidelines : http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n55_australian_dietary_guidelines_130530.pdf (accessed July 2013)

"Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods (p. 31-35)

[...]

People with vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns

About 4% of all respondents in the 1995 National Nutrition Survey described themselves as vegetarian or vegan. [45] The food frequency questionnaire data recorded only 2% as consuming no animal products, and a further 2% as restricting consumption of animal foods to fish or white meat. Many more people eat vegetarian meals regularly or occasionally.

Appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthy and nutritionally adequate. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle. [358]

Those following a strict vegetarian or vegan diet can meet nutrient requirements as long as energy needs are met and an appropriate variety of plant foods are eaten throughout the day. Those following a vegan diet should
choose foods to ensure adequate intake of iron and zinc and to optimise the absorption and bioavailability of iron, zinc and calcium. [359] Supplementation of vitamin B12 may be required for people with strict vegan dietary patterns. [8]

Enjoy plenty of vegetables, including different types and colours, and legumes/beans, and enjoy fruit (p. 36-43)

[...]

Different fruits and vegetables are rich in different nutrients. For example, green leafy and Brassica (or cruciferous) vegetables are generally high in folate, and starchy vegetables are a good source of complex carbohydrates. Legumes/beans provide a valuable and cost-efficient source of protein, iron, some essential fatty acids, soluble and insoluble dietary fibre and micronutrients for all Australians, but particularly for those consuming vegetarian or vegan meals. [9]

The health benefits of consuming diets high in vegetables, including legumes/beans, and fruit have been reported for decades and are consistently recognised in international dietary guidelines. [35, 36, 198, 360]

Table 2.5: Minimum recommended number of serves of vegetables, legumes/beans and fruit per day

Recommended number of serves per day*

 

 

Note: * Additional amounts of the Five Food Groups or unsaturated spreads and oils or discretionary choices are needed only by people who are taller or more active to meet additional energy requirements.
Source: Food Modelling System. [9]

Notes:
*Preferably with no added sugar
**Preferably with no added salt
#Only to be used occasionally as a substitute for other foods in the group
Source: Food Modelling System. [9]

Enjoy grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties

[...]

People with vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns (p. 48)

Wholegrain foods are valuable sources of nutrients for the whole population but particularly important in vegetarian and vegan diets as a source of iron and zinc.

Enjoy lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans (p. 49)

Nuts and seeds are rich in energy (kilojoules) and nutrients, reflective of their biological role in nourishing plant embryos to develop into plants. In addition to protein and dietary fibre, they contain significant levels of unsaturated fatty acids and are rich in polyphenols, phytosterols and micronutrients including folate, several valuable forms of vitamin E, selenium, magnesium and other minerals. They are nutritious alternatives to meat, fish and eggs, and play an important role in plant-based, vegetarian and vegan meals and diets. [9]

Legumes/beans, including lentils, tofu and tempeh, provide a valuable and cost-efficient source of protein, iron, some essential fatty acids, soluble and insoluble dietary fibre and micronutrients. They are valuable inclusions in any diet, and are especially useful for people who consume plant-based meals. [9]

Practical considerations: enjoy lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans (p. 52-55)

[...]

Table 2.11: Minimum recommended number of serves of lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans per day

 

Note: * Additional amounts of the Five Food Groups or unsaturated spreads and oils or discretionary choices are needed only by people who are taller or more active to meet additional energy requirements.
Source: Food Modelling System. [9]

Table 2.12: Standard serve size equivalents for lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans

 

Note: *Only to be used occasionally as a substitute for other foods in the group.

Source: Food Modelling System. [9]

 

[...]

Legumes are not only important in vegetarian and vegan diets but their significant nutrient profile could benefit all Australians. There is variability in the amount of legumes recommended in the diet; the dietary models developed for these guidelines include a minimum of two serves per week. [9]

 

People with vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns

Nuts and seeds and legumes/beans are important foods for people who choose vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns and meals without meat as they can provide an alternative source of nutrients. For several nutrients, including iron, calcium and vitamin B12, animal foods are highly bioavailable sources and care needs to be taken to ensure a variety of alternatives if these foods are excluded.

For lacto-ovo vegetarian diets, eggs provide vitamin B12 and milk, yoghurt and cheese products can supply calcium
and vitamin B12. The Food Modelling System used a ratio of a 5:1:1 ‘legume: egg: nuts and seeds’ mixed food group. As comparable data was not available for Australia, this was based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommendations for proportions of these foods that would provide an adequate amino acid balance.9 As no Australian national data were available about choices within food categories for lacto-ovo-vegetarians, the same proportions within food groups (e.g. for vegetables, fruit, cereals) were used as for the equivalent omnivore group.

For pregnant women and children consuming vegetarian diets, it should be noted that iron was limiting in the diets as modelled and additional sources of iron would be essential to meet their requirements. [9] Vitamin B12 is only available from animal food sources and supplementation may be needed by people with vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns.

Enjoy milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat (p. 56-60)

 

 

Source: Food Modelling System. [Note: * Additional amounts of the Five Food Groups or unsaturated spreads and oils or discretionary choices are needed only by people who are taller or more active to meet additional energy requirements.
Source: Food Modelling System. [9]

People with vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns

The 2003 edition of the dietary guidelines addressed vegetarian and vegan diets and their influence on calcium needs because of the relatively high oxalate and phytate content in some plants. However, lacto-ovo vegetarians appear to have calcium intakes similar to those of omnivores. Those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet and avoid milk products, should consume alternative calcium-fortified products and seek advice from a health
professional about whether they need to take supplements. [36]

Practice guide for Guideline 2 (p. 63-65)
[...]
People with vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns
• A variety of plant foods should be chosen to ensure adequate intake
of iron and zinc
• Vitamin B12 is only available from animal food sources and
supplementation may be needed

Public consultation (p. 114)
[...]
The Working Committee met on 17 and 18 April 2012 and again on 22 May 2012 to consider the submissions.
More information and/or consideration were requested for:
• the impact of food choices and the environment (practical recommendations required for environmentally
sustainable food choices)
[...]
• the approach to vegetarian and vegan diets"

 

----------------------------------------

Before 2013, three publications mentioned vegan diets. Australian dietary guidelines (federal) could be found on the National Health and Medical Research Council website: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines/publications/n29-n30-n31-n32-n33-n34

Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n33.pdf). Endorsed 10 April 2003

Pages 60-61:

“Vitamin B12

[...]

In one Melbourne study, Mann et al. measured serum vitamin B12, homocysteine and folate in healthy men aged 20–55 years (...) 23 per cent of the lacto-ovo-vegetarians and 65 per cent of the vegans had serum vitamin B12 below 200pg/ml.

[...]

The Australian recommended dietary intake for vitamin B12 is 2.0 micrograms a day for males and females of all ages, with an additional 1.0mg/day in pregnancy and 0.5mg/day in lactation."

Page 117:

“The case for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

[...]

“Some of the ALA is chain-elongated and desaturated to EPA and DHA in the liver and brain, and for vegans this is the only dietary source of these very long chain n-3 PUFAs.”

Page 237:

“Breastfeeding and special circumstances

[...]

Mothers who are vegans or strict vegetarians can be at risk of vitamin B12 and other nutrient deficiencies.”

Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia incorporating the Infant Feeding Guidelines for Health Workers (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n34.pdf). Endorsed 10 April 2003.

Page 59:

“Special diets

Vegetarianism

[...]

Vegan diets pose a risk if care is not taken to ensure that the diet provides adequate energy, vitamin B12, protein and iron. Plant foods can provide some iron and zinc, albeit with lower bioavailability, but vitamin B12 is found only in animal products.”

Page 295:

“RECOMMENDATIONS

Vegetarian mothers should be advised to breastfeed their infants for as long as possible—two years or more. For vegan infants who are not breastfed or are partially breastfed, use of a commercial soy-based infant formula during the first two years of life is recommended.

After dietary assessment, infants on vegan diets may require nutritional supplements."

Page 335:

“Mothers who are on very restrictive diets—vegans, for example—will need specific assessment to ensure that they are not deficient in nutrients such as vitamin B12.”

Page 392:

“Although soy formulas offer no advantages over cow’s milk formulas, soy protein–based formulas have been demonstrated to permit normal growth and development in infants. Vegans may prefer a soy-based formula.”

Food for Health (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n31.pdf)

Dietary Guidelines for Australians
A guide to healthy eating (booklet)

p. 13:

“Is vegetarianism healthy?

Plant foods are important, protective foods. This, however, does not mean that plant foods alone will make your daily diet a healthy one. Variety is essential to good nutrition. A balanced vegetarian diet can be healthy but there are several nutrients which are found mainly or only in animal foods. These include vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium and some omega 3 fats. Care needs to be taken if you restrict animal foods in your diet.

Vegans

Vegetarians who choose to eat no foods of animal origin (vegans) face the greatest nutritional challenges. The most important of all is to meet the body’s need for vitamin B12. This essential nutrient is only found in animal foods. An Australian study found two-thirds of strict vegetarians had low levels of vitamin B12 in their blood. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be a real risk. Eating vitamin B12-fortified foods or taking supplements is recommended for all vegans.

Care needs to be taken if you restrict animal foods in your diet.

The omega 3 fats found in fish are not found in common plant foods. These fats have a number of health benefits, particularly for heart function. As a result, strict vegetarians have low levels of these nutrients in their bodies. Vegetarians who avoid milk should also consider calcium-fortified soy beverages or calcium supplements. Protein needs can be met through legumes, nuts and cereals.”