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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 A family cookbook that never goes out of date.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
mineral

Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, essential for bone health, muscle function, nerve transmission, and blood clotting. Dairy is the richest source, but fortified plant foods and leafy greens are excellent alternatives.

Health benefits:
  • Builds and maintains strong bones and teeth
  • Supports muscle contraction and nerve signaling
  • Helps blood clotting
  • Supports heart rhythm and blood pressure regulation
  • Plays a role in hormone secretion
Good sources:
  • Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese)
  • Fortified plant milks (soy, almond, oat)
  • Leafy greens (kale, collards, bok choy)
  • Tofu (calcium-set)
Daily value: 1000-1200 mg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
mineral

Iron

Iron is essential for carrying oxygen in the blood via haemoglobin. Plant-based (non-haem) iron is absorbed less readily than haem iron, but absorption improves markedly when paired with vitamin C-rich foods such as peppers, citrus or tomatoes.

Health benefits:
  • Essential for red blood cell formation and oxygen transport
  • Supports energy metabolism
  • Important for immune function
  • Helps cognitive function and focus
Good sources:
  • Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
  • Spinach and other dark leafy greens
  • Fortified breakfast cereals and oats
  • Pumpkin seeds, cashews, tofu
Daily value: 8-18 mg for adults (higher for women of childbearing age)
NIH ODS fact sheet →
mineral

Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions, including muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation, and energy production. It is abundant in nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and whole grains.

Health benefits:
  • Supports muscle and nerve function
  • Helps regulate blood pressure
  • Important for energy production
  • Supports bone health
  • Helps maintain normal heart rhythm
  • May improve sleep quality
Good sources:
  • Nuts and seeds (almonds, pumpkin seeds, cashews)
  • Leafy greens (spinach, Swiss chard)
  • Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats)
  • Legumes (black beans, edamame)
Daily value: 310-420 mg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
mineral

Potassium

Potassium is an essential mineral and electrolyte that helps regulate blood pressure, muscle contractions, and nerve signals. A potassium-rich diet is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced stroke risk.

Health benefits:
  • Helps regulate blood pressure
  • Supports muscle contractions and nerve signals
  • Maintains fluid balance
  • Important for heart health
  • May reduce risk of kidney stones
Good sources:
  • Bananas, oranges, cantaloupe
  • Potatoes and sweet potatoes
  • Leafy greens (spinach, Swiss chard)
  • Avocado
Daily value: 2600-3400 mg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
mineral

Selenium

Selenium is a trace mineral that functions as an antioxidant and supports immune and thyroid health. Brazil nuts are exceptionally rich, but just 1-2 nuts per day is sufficient; more can cause toxicity.

Health benefits:
  • Powerful antioxidant
  • Supports immune system function
  • Important for thyroid hormone metabolism
  • May support cognitive function
  • Helps protect against oxidative damage
Good sources:
  • Brazil nuts (very rich source; 1-2 nuts meets daily needs)
  • Eggs
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Dairy products
Daily value: 55 mcg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
mineral

Zinc

Zinc is a trace mineral essential for immune function, wound healing, growth, and DNA synthesis. Good vegetarian sources include seeds, legumes, nuts, dairy, oats and fortified cereals; soaking or sprouting pulses improves zinc absorption.

Health benefits:
  • Supports immune system function
  • Helps wound healing and tissue repair
  • Important for growth and development
  • Supports DNA synthesis and cell division
  • Contributes to sense of taste and smell
Good sources:
  • Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds
  • Legumes (chickpeas, lentils)
  • Nuts (cashews, almonds)
  • Dairy products (cheese, yogurt)
Daily value: 8-11 mg 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.