Feature Plant-based nutrition basics: Key foods for a healthy vegan diet

Keen to nail your nutrition and enjoy delicious meals along the way? Level up your healthy-eating know-how with this beginner’s guide to plant-based nutrition — including protein, B12, iron, omega-3s, and more.

Whether you’re curious about the health benefits of plant-based eating or have already been thriving on a vegan diet for years, empowering yourself with the plant-based nutrition basics can go a long way towards balancing your meals and feeling your best.

But before we dive fork-first into the nitty-gritty of plant-based nutrition, it’s worth clearing something up: You don’t need to know every little detail to eat well on a vegan diet. This guide is designed to give you confidence, not another checklist to memorise! 

In fact, many of the fundamentals are refreshingly simple. You’ll find that a lot of it comes down to prioritising whole foods and eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. 

Our goal is simply to show you how easy (and satisfying) it can be to meet your nutritional needs on a plant-based diet — using everyday foods you’re probably already enjoying.

Looking for more of a quick-start guide to plant-based eating? Feel free to jump straight to some simple rules of thumb you can implement right away. 

• Rules of thumb
• Key Macronutrients
• Key Micronutrients
• FAQs

The five plant-based food groups to build your meals around

Like any healthy eating plan, a balanced vegan diet revolves around a mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fats (macronutrients). In practice, that means focusing on these five key food groups:

🌈 Fresh fruits and veggies

🌾 Whole-grain starchy carbs

🍔 Plant proteins

🥑 Healthy fats

✨ Omega-3-rich foods

While these might not sound like much on their own, there are countless ways to combine these building blocks into meals that are full of flavour and nutrients! And by eating a wide variety of plant foods across these key food groups, you’ll naturally be getting all the vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients you need to nourish your body and mind.

Read on for our easy-to-digest guide on plant-based nutrition and everything you’ll need on a plant-based diet — plus tasty tips to help you meet your daily needs.

Plant-based nutrition basics: protein, carbs & fats

Protein

Why it matters:

Protein supports muscle repair, immune function, hormone production, and satiety, all of which are essential for keeping your body feeling strong and energised.

Best plant-based sources of protein:

• Legumes — e.g. edamame, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils
• Soy products — e.g. tofu, tempeh, TVP, soy milk
• Whole grains — e.g. spelt, quinoa, buckwheat, farro, brown rice, oats
• Nuts — e.g. peanuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, nut butters
• Seeds — e.g. hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds
• Plant-based meat — e.g. vegan chicken or vegan beef
• Vegan protein powder
• Other protein-fortified foods

Good to know: 

Almost all plant foods contain some protein! As long as you eat a well-rounded diet with plenty of wholefoods, you’ll easily meet your daily requirements without needing to obsess about every gram. Aim to fill a quarter of your plate with a plant-based protein source each mealtime, and you’re golden. 

Bonus tip:

Into building muscle or serious training at the gym? Try adding vegan protein powder to your smoothies, or tap into the growing range of protein-fortified plant-based staples — including high-protein plant milks, breads, pastas, yoghurts, and even pudding cups. 

Carbohydrates

Why they matter:

Carbs are your body’s preferred source of energy. They power your brain, fuel your muscles, and are crucial for staying energised and satisfied.

Best plant-based sources of carbs:

• • Starchy vegetables — e.g. potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, squash
  • Whole grains — e.g. brown rice, quinoa, oats, wholemeal pasta/bread
  • Legumes — e.g. black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils
  • Fruit — e.g. berries, apples, bananas

Good to know:

Whole grains in particular come with built-in bonuses like iron, zinc, B vitamins, fibre, and even some protein. They also digest more slowly, which supports steady, long-lasting energy and helps you stay fuller throughout the day.

Fats

Why they matter:

Fats are essential for helping your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), supporting hormone production, protecting your organs, and nourishing your skin and hair. They also add flavour and staying power to meals, making them richer and more satisfying.

Best plant-based fat sources:

• Nuts — e.g. walnuts, almonds, nut butters
• Seeds — e.g. flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, tahini
• Vegetable oils — e.g. olive oil, canola oil
• Avocados
• Olives

Good to know:

Fat isn’t the enemy — it’s all about balance and choosing the right kinds of fats. Focus on foods rich in unsaturated fats (like nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil) and your body will thank you! 

Key micronutrients to prioritise on a plant-based diet

Vitamin B12

Why it matters: 

Vitamin B12 helps keep your nervous system functioning properly, supports healthy red blood cell production, and is essential for converting the food you eat into usable energy.

Best plant-based sources of B12:

• Nutritional yeast
• Vegemite & Marmite
• Fortified breakfast cereal — e.g. Kellogg’s All-Bran
• Fortified plant milk — e.g. Vitasoy Calci-Plus
• Fortified plant-based meat
• Supplements

Good to know: 

Because vitamin B12 is made by microorganisms rather than plants, fortified foods and supplements are the only reliable sources of vitamin B12 for vegans. Choose one of these approaches to make sure you’re getting enough:

• Eat two to three vitamin B12-fortified foods per day, aiming for at least 3mcg
• OR take a daily 10mcg supplement
• OR take a weekly 2000mcg supplement

Check out this handy infographic from The Vegan Society for more easy tips on how to meet your vitamin B12 needs each day.

Calcium

Why it matters: 

Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, and it also plays a key role in muscle function, heart rhythm, and nerve signalling.

Best plant-based sources of calcium: 

• Leafy greens — e.g. kale, bok choy, broccoli, mustard greens
• Legumes — e.g. white beans, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils
• Nuts — e.g. almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts
• Seeds — e.g. sesame seeds, chia seeds, tahini
• Fortified plant milk — e.g. Vitasoy Calci-Plus, Australia’s Own Oat Milk
• Fortified vegan yoghurt — e.g. Vitasoy Greek-Style Soy Yoghurt
• Dried fruit — e.g. raisins, apricots, figs

Good to know: 

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, so try to get a little sunshine each day. If that’s not possible, a vitamin D supplement may help. Lightly steaming leafy greens can also make their calcium easier to absorb.

Iron

Why it matters: 

Iron helps carry oxygen around your body, supporting energy levels, brain function, and a healthy immune system.

Best plant-based sources of iron:

• • Leafy greens — e.g. spinach, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli
  • Soy products — e.g. tofu, tempeh, TVP
  • Legumes — e.g. edamame, chickpeas, red kidney beans, lentils, white beans
  • Nuts — e.g. cashews, pine nuts, almonds, macadamias
  • Seeds — e.g. pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, tahini, flaxseeds, chia seeds
  • Whole grains — e.g. brown rice, quinoa, oats
  • Dried fruit — e.g. raisins, apricots, prunes
  • Dark chocolate

Good to know: 

Pair iron-rich meals with Vitamin C-rich foods (like citrus, strawberries, capsicum, kiwi, or broccoli) to boost absorption. On the other hand, try to avoid drinking tea or coffee within an hour of these meals, as caffeine can inhibit iron uptake.

Omega-3 fats

Why it matters: 

Omega-3s help protect your heart, brain function, and eye health. They’re also important for hormone regulation, reducing inflammation, and lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Best plant-based sources of omega-3s: 

• Seeds — e.g.  chia seeds, hemp seeds, ground flax seeds (flaxmeal)
• Nuts — e.g. walnuts
• Vegetable oils — e.g. flaxseed oil, canola oil

Good to know: 

Aim for at least 1 tablespoon of a plant-rich omega-3 food each day, like ground flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or crushed walnuts sprinkled over oats, yoghurt, toast, or salads.

Iodine

Why it matters: 

Iodine helps your body produce thyroid hormones, which play an important role in metabolism, brain function, and bone health.

Best plant-based sources of iodine:

• Seaweed — e.g. nori sheets, wakame, kombu (in moderation)
• Iodised salt (in moderation)
• Supplements

Good to know: 

Iodine levels in plant foods vary depending on soil levels. An easy way to meet your needs is to drink around 500mL of an iodine-fortified plant milk (around 25mcg per 100mL) or use iodised salt in your cooking. Alternatively, consider taking a daily supplement containing potassium iodide or potassium iodate. Seaweed can contain very high amounts, so enjoy it in moderation!

Vitamin D

Why it matters: 

Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate levels in the body, supporting healthy bones, teeth, and muscle function.

Best plant-based sources of vitamin D: 

• Exposure to sunshine
• Fortified plant milks — e.g. Vitasoy Calci-Plus 
• Supplements

Good to know: 

Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so taking supplements with a meal or snack that contains fat can help your body absorb it. Plant-based fat sources include nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, and vegetable oils.

Selenium

Why it matters:

Selenium is a trace mineral that helps protect cells from oxidative damage and supports thyroid function, immune health, and DNA synthesis. 

Best plant-based sources of selenium: 

• Nuts — e.g. Brazil nuts (in moderation)
• Seeds — e.g. sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
• Whole grains — e.g. brown rice, wholemeal bread/pasta, oatmeal, barley 
• Soy products — e.g. tofu
• Legumes — e.g. lentils
• Mushrooms
• Couscous

Good to know: 

Like iodine, the selenium content of plant foods depends on how much selenium was present in the soil they were grown in. A couple of Brazil nuts can help boost your intake, and a supplement is another reliable way to meet your daily needs. Just remember that there is an upper limit, so don’t go too hard on the Brazil nuts!

Zinc

Why it matters: 

Zinc supports immune function, wound healing, cell growth, and DNA synthesis, and plays an important role in maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Best plant-based sources of zinc: 

• Soy products — e.g. firm tofu, tempeh
• Nuts — e.g. cashews, peanuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds
• Seeds — e.g. pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, tahini
• Legumes — e.g. lentils, peas, kidney beans, chickpeas
• Whole grains — e.g. wholemeal bread, oats, brown rice, quinoa
• Dark chocolate

Good to know: 

You can improve zinc absorption by choosing sourdough breads, sprouted foods, and pre-soaked legumes. Because zinc is concentrated in the outer layers of grains, wholegrain foods are a great choice for meal bases.

The golden rule: Colour & variety is key 🗝️

You’ll probably notice a lot of overlap in the foods listed above — and that’s exactly why a plant-based diet is so powerful! Many whole foods pull double or even triple duty, delivering multiple different kinds of nutrients at once, and even helping your body absorb other nutrients more effectively.

Some of the specific tricks we’ve explored along the way can help give you extra boosts — like adding a squeeze of lemon to your leafy greens to aid in iron absorption, or switching to iodised salt. But the basic principles of nailing a balanced vegan diet are otherwise very simple.

If there’s one takeaway here, let it be this: Enjoying a wide variety of whole foods is the best way to nourish your body and set yourself up for success.

By aiming to eat the rainbow and mainly centring your meals around whole grains, plant proteins, nuts, seeds, and plenty of fruits and vegetables, you can easily meet most of your nutritional needs (including other key micronutrients we haven’t delved into here, like vitamin A, C, E, and K) without tracking every nutrient down to the microgram. 

Do I need to take any supplements on a vegan diet?

For most people following a plant-based diet, vitamin B12 is the only supplement that’s routinely recommended. Whether you actually need to take a supplement depends on how consistently you’re getting B12 from fortified foods, such as nutritional yeast (a deliciously cheesy seasoning that you can sprinkle over just about anything savoury!) or fortified plant milks. 

Vitamin D and omega-3s are the next most common additions, and whether they’re needed often depends on factors like how much sun exposure you get, your lifestyle, and specific health needs. 

Beyond that, supplementation tends to be individual, and many can meet their nutrient needs through a varied, well-planned plant-based diet. 

Simple rules of thumb to help you balance your plate

Here’s what you should look at covering daily:

Here’s how to put everything into practise each meal without overwhelm:

• Cover 1/4 of your plate with satisfying starchy carbs like potatoes, pasta, rice, or whole-grain bread
• Cover 1/2 of your plate with fruits and vegetables
• Aim to fill the remaining 1/4 of your plate with plant-based protein

Other tips for a balanced plant-based diet:

• Aim for at least 6 serves of fruit and veg each day
• Include fortified foods regularly, such as plant milks, yoghurts, cereals, and nutritional yeast
• Eat nuts and seeds daily — try sprinkling them on oats, salads, pastas, and desserts
• Embrace healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil
• Limit heavily processed vegan foods and focus primarily on whole foods 
• Try to think of vegan meats and cheeses as occasional extras

These front-of-mind shortcuts are proof that eating well doesn’t have to be complicated!

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll likely find yourself returning to the same simple principles again and again: Variety, colour, wholefoods, and balance. 

Need some extra guidance? Check out this database of plant-friendly doctors and dietitians who can help support you on your journey to healthier eating. Otherwise, just try to take things at your own pace, arm yourself with a few go-to recipes, and keep these simple nutrition principles in mind. 

We hope this nutritional deep dive has helped shed light on just how nourishing all these plant-based foods can be — and why it’s important, above all else, to eat a wide array of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and legumes!

Ready to see what healthy plant-based eating actually looks like on your plate? Kick-start this week’s menu with these vegan meal-planning tools or browse our recipe hub for heaps of delicious and nutritious meal inspiration.