Diet Plant-Based Diet 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which nutrient found in plants inhibits iron and zinc absorption and must be considered in plant-based diets?
- Polyphenols
- Phytates (phytic acid) (Correct answer)
- Fiber
- Carotenoids
Correct answer: Phytates (phytic acid)
Phytates (phytic acid) in grains, legumes, and seeds bind to minerals like iron and zinc, reducing their absorption in the gut.
Question 2: Which calcium-rich plant-based food is also fortified in many plant milks?
- Spinach only
- Almonds and almond milk
- Soy milk and fortified plant milks (Correct answer)
- Broccoli and green peas
Correct answer: Soy milk and fortified plant milks
Fortified soy milk and other plant milks are excellent calcium sources for plant-based eaters, often providing similar calcium levels to cow's milk.
Question 3: What is the concept of 'protein complementarity' in plant-based nutrition?
- Eating protein supplements alongside plant foods
- Combining different plant proteins to ensure all essential amino acids are obtained (Correct answer)
- Eating complete proteins at every meal separately
- Avoiding plant proteins that compete with absorption
Correct answer: Combining different plant proteins to ensure all essential amino acids are obtained
Protein complementarity involves combining plant protein sources (like rice and beans) to provide all essential amino acids, though this doesn't need to happen at every single meal.
Question 4: Which vitamin is particularly important to supplement on a plant-based diet due to limited sun exposure and lack of dietary sources?
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D (Correct answer)
- Vitamin E
Correct answer: Vitamin D
Vitamin D is limited in plant foods and many people, especially those indoors, are deficient; supplementation or fortified foods are important on a plant-based diet.
Question 5: What does DHA and EPA (long-chain omega-3s) conversion from plant-based ALA involve?
- Direct conversion with 100% efficiency
- Inefficient conversion; algae-based supplements are often recommended (Correct answer)
- No conversion is possible in humans
- Conversion only occurs with B12 supplementation
Correct answer: Inefficient conversion; algae-based supplements are often recommended
The body converts ALA to DHA and EPA very inefficiently; algae-based omega-3 supplements are often recommended for plant-based eaters as a direct source.
Question 6: What does research suggest about plant-based diets and the risk of type 2 diabetes?
- Plant-based diets increase type 2 diabetes risk
- Plant-based diets have no effect on diabetes risk
- Plant-based diets are associated with significantly lower type 2 diabetes risk (Correct answer)
- Only vegan diets (not plant-based) reduce diabetes risk
Correct answer: Plant-based diets are associated with significantly lower type 2 diabetes risk
Multiple large studies show that plant-based diets are associated with significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to improved insulin sensitivity and weight management.
Diet Plant-Based Diet 2
Which nutrient found in plants inhibits iron and zinc absorption and must be considered in plant-based diets?