Category: Nutrition

In recent years, there has been a rise in headlines and articles in the mainstream press that demonise the vegan diet. The latest spate, arising out of Milan, Italy, claim that children have had...

Should we supplement or should we go ‘natural’? With the world being as complicated as it is and so vastly different from our ‘caveman’ days, a simple answer is not always possible, but Dr Paul Palmer can offer you an uncomplicated recommendation.

Will a vegan diet meet all my nutritional requirements? A balanced vegan diet provides all the protein, calcium, iron and iodine required by our bodies. Vitamin B12, once the bane of vegans as it...

What is a vitamin? A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts. A compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by the body...

The most common question most vegans are asked about their diet is, ‘but where do you get your protein?’ Unfortunately, most people confuse meat with protein, and assume that vegans therefore aren’t getting enough....

What is iron? Iron is a metal that is essential to humans, primarily because of the role it plays in mediating red blood cells in the body. While plant-based sources of iron (non-heme iron)...

What are essential fatty acids? Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) are a group of saturated fatty acids that your body needs for several important purposes, including cellular functions, mood and behaviour modulation, dealing with inflammation...

What is vitamin B12? Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin(e) because it contains cobalt, is a very important essential nutrient: among other things we use it to synthesise red blood cells and maintain the...

What is calcium? Calcium is a metal that combines with phosphate in our bodies to form hydroxylapatite, which is the mineral portion of human and animal bones and teeth. It is a vital part...