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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 A family cookbook that never goes out of date.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
water-soluble

Folate (Vitamin B9)

Folate (B9) is a water-soluble B vitamin critical for DNA synthesis and cell division. Adequate intake before and during pregnancy prevents neural tube defects. Found in leafy greens, legumes, and fortified grains.

Health benefits:
  • Essential for DNA synthesis and cell division
  • Critical in pregnancy for neural tube development
  • Supports red blood cell production
  • Helps metabolize homocysteine
  • May support heart health
Good sources:
  • Leafy greens (spinach, kale, collards)
  • Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, black beans)
  • Asparagus, Brussels sprouts
  • Avocado, citrus fruits
Daily value: 400 mcg DFE for adults; 600 mcg in pregnancy
NIH ODS fact sheet →
water-soluble

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Niacin (B3) is a water-soluble B vitamin involved in energy metabolism and DNA repair. At therapeutic doses (under medical supervision) it can improve cholesterol profiles. Severe deficiency causes pellagra.

Health benefits:
  • Supports energy metabolism
  • Helps maintain healthy skin
  • Supports nervous system function
  • May improve cholesterol levels (at therapeutic doses)
Good sources:
  • Whole grains and fortified cereals
  • Peanuts, sunflower seeds
  • Mushrooms, avocado
  • Fortified nutritional yeast
Daily value: 14-16 mg NE for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
water-soluble

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Riboflavin (B2) is a water-soluble B vitamin that supports energy production, helps maintain healthy skin and vision, and acts as an antioxidant. It is found in dairy, eggs, and green vegetables.

Health benefits:
  • Supports energy metabolism
  • Acts as an antioxidant
  • Helps maintain healthy skin and vision
  • Supports red blood cell production
Good sources:
  • Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese)
  • Eggs
  • Almonds and mushrooms
  • Green vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, spinach)
Daily value: 1.1-1.3 mg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
water-soluble

Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

Thiamin (B1) helps the body convert carbohydrates into energy and is essential for nerve function. It is water-soluble and must be consumed regularly through whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Health benefits:
  • Helps convert carbohydrates into energy
  • Supports nerve function and signal transmission
  • Important for heart muscle function
  • Assists in muscle contraction
Good sources:
  • Whole grains and fortified cereals
  • Legumes (lentils, black beans, soybeans)
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Fortified nutritional yeast
Daily value: 1.1-1.2 mg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
water-soluble

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is essential for red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis. On a vegetarian diet reliable sources are limited to eggs, dairy, fortified foods and nutritional yeast, and supplementation is often appropriate for those with low intake (NHS guidance), particularly for adults over 50 and during pregnancy.

Health benefits:
  • Essential for red blood cell formation
  • Supports neurological function and nerve health
  • Helps produce DNA
  • Supports energy metabolism
  • Helps prevent megaloblastic anemia
Good sources:
  • Eggs, milk and dairy products
  • Fortified plant-based milks and cereals
  • Fortified nutritional yeast
  • Fortified yeast extract (e.g. Marmite)
Daily value: 2.4 mcg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
water-soluble

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a role in brain development, mood regulation, immune function, and protein metabolism. It is found in chickpeas, potatoes, bananas, and fortified cereals.

Health benefits:
  • Supports brain development and cognitive function
  • Helps produce serotonin and norepinephrine
  • Supports immune system
  • Helps metabolize proteins and red blood cells
  • May help reduce morning sickness during pregnancy
Good sources:
  • Chickpeas and other pulses
  • Potatoes and starchy vegetables
  • Bananas
  • Fortified cereals
Daily value: 1.3-1.7 mg for adults
NIH ODS fact sheet →
water-soluble

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and antioxidant that supports immune function, collagen production, and iron absorption. Unlike many animals, humans cannot produce it and must obtain it from food.

Health benefits:
  • Powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage
  • Supports immune system function
  • Helps produce collagen for skin, bones, and blood vessels
  • Improves iron absorption from plant foods
  • Supports wound healing
Good sources:
  • Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemons)
  • Bell peppers, especially red
  • Strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe
  • Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower
Daily value: 75-90 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.