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About

About the veg wiki

Philosophy

Cooking is better with more hands in the pot.

A wiki gets more useful the more it's used. Every recipe links to the ingredients and techniques it uses — and every ingredient links back to the recipes built around it. Nothing here is static: pages grow as the household cooks, and what we learn goes straight back into the site.

No banner ads, no sponsored recipes, no tracking cookies. If something is here, it's because we actually cook it.

Who we are

A household that cooks together

This is a family project, not a publication. Everything is written by and for the people who cook from it, and every recipe is tested at least twice before it's published.

Why we built it

One connected place for what we cook

Most recipe sites are a pile of one-off pages. We wanted the recipes we've actually made, the ingredients and techniques behind them, and a meal planner that remembers everyone's allergies, preferences, and dislikes — all woven into a single system. A family cookbook that never goes out of date.

Partners

Who we link out to

We only link places we'd genuinely shop, and we never accept sponsored placements. Some links are affiliate links — if you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects what we feature or how we rate.

Bookshop.orgnew cookbooks · supports high-street indies · affiliate
Wobpre-loved cookbooks · affiliate
Bibliorare & vintage editions · affiliate
Amazon UKmarketplace · affiliate
Plausibleprivacy-friendly, cookieless analytics

Nutrition & Vitamin Health Benefits

Evidence-based summaries of vitamins, minerals, and their role in a healthy vegetarian diet. Data sourced from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements and Open Food Facts.

18 nutrients tracked 5 fat-soluble 7 water-soluble 6 mineral
All Fat-Soluble Vitamins Water-Soluble Vitamins Minerals
fat-soluble

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are essential polyunsaturated fats critical for heart, brain, and eye health. Plant-based ALA (from flax, chia, walnuts) must be converted to EPA/DHA, though inefficiently.

Health benefits:
  • Supports heart health and reduces triglycerides
  • Important for brain function and cognition
  • Helps reduce inflammation
  • Supports eye health
  • May support mood and mental health
Good sources:
  • Flaxseeds and chia seeds (ALA)
  • Walnuts
  • Hemp seeds and rapeseed oil
  • Algae oil - a vegetarian direct source of DHA/EPA
Daily value: 250-500 mg combined EPA+DHA per day recommended
NIH ODS fact sheet →
fat-soluble

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential for vision, immune function, and maintaining healthy skin and mucous membranes. It comes as preformed vitamin A from dairy and eggs, and as provitamin A carotenoids from orange and dark-green vegetables, which the body converts as needed.

Health benefits:
  • Supports healthy vision and night vision
  • Supports immune system function
  • Helps maintain healthy skin and mucous membranes
  • Important for cell growth and development
Good sources:
  • Carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash
  • Spinach, kale, collard greens
  • Red bell peppers, mangoes, apricots
  • Eggs and fortified dairy products
Daily value: 700-900 mcg RAE for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
fat-soluble

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is unique because the body can produce it through sun exposure. It is crucial for calcium absorption, bone health, immune function, and muscle strength. Deficiency is common in northern latitudes.

Health benefits:
  • Promotes calcium absorption for strong bones and teeth
  • Supports immune system function
  • Helps regulate mood and reduce inflammation
  • Important for muscle function
  • May support cardiovascular health
Good sources:
  • Sunlight exposure (primary source)
  • Egg yolks, fortified milk and yogurt
  • Fortified cereals and orange juice
  • Mushrooms exposed to UV light
Daily value: 600-800 IU (15-20 mcg) for adults; many need supplementation in winter
NIH ODS fact sheet →
fat-soluble

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cell membranes from oxidative damage. It supports immune function and helps maintain healthy skin and eyes. Found primarily in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.

Health benefits:
  • Fat-soluble antioxidant protecting cell membranes
  • Supports immune system function
  • Helps prevent oxidative stress
  • Supports healthy skin and eyes
Good sources:
  • Nuts and seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts)
  • Spinach, Swiss chard
  • Avocados
  • Vegetable oils (sunflower, safflower, wheat germ)
Daily value: 15 mg (22.4 IU) for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
fat-soluble

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting and bone metabolism. Two main forms exist: K1 (phylloquinone) from green vegetables and K2 (menaquinone) from fermented foods and gut bacteria.

Health benefits:
  • Essential for blood clotting and coagulation
  • Supports bone health and bone density
  • May help prevent arterial calcification
Good sources:
  • Leafy greens (kale, spinach, collards, Swiss chard)
  • Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage
  • Fermented foods (natto, sauerkraut)
  • Green herbs (parsley, basil)
Daily value: 90-120 mcg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →

Reference glossary

The UK reference figures the % on ingredient nutrition panels are calculated against. Tap any row for what that nutrient actually does.

Nutrient Adult reference Type
Carbohydrate 260.00g Ref. intake
Energy 2000.00kcal Ref. intake
Fat 70.00g Ref. intake
Fibre 30.00g Guideline
of which saturates 20.00g Ref. intake
of which sugars 90.00g Ref. intake
Protein 50.00g RNI
Salt 6.00g Ref. intake
Calcium 700.00mg RNI
Copper 1.20mg RNI
Iodine 140.00mcg RNI
Iron 14.80mg RNI
Magnesium 300.00mg RNI
Phosphorus 550.00mg RNI
Potassium 3500.00mg RNI
Selenium 75.00mcg RNI
Zinc 9.50mg RNI
Vitamin A 700.00mcg RNI
Vitamin D 10.00mcg Guideline
Vitamin E 12.00mg Guideline
Folate 200.00mcg RNI
Niacin (B3) 17.00mg RNI
Riboflavin (B2) 1.30mg RNI
Thiamin (B1) 1.00mg RNI
Vitamin B12 1.50mcg RNI
Vitamin B6 1.40mg RNI
Vitamin C 40.00mg RNI
Omega-3 0.45g Guideline

Figures are the UK Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for a typical adult where one exists; otherwise the UK Reference Intake or a UK dietary guideline figure.