Nutritional analysis of vegan recipes: From social media to plate

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the nutritional composition of vegan recipes shared on the Instagram social media platform and to compare these ingredients with their non‐vegan/omnivorous versions. Turkish and English vegan recipes of meatballs (n = 53), burgers (n = 12), pizza (n = 15), pasta (n = 38), cake (n = 58), and cookies (n = 52) were obtained from Instagram. They all met the criteria of being shared as #vegan labeled, presented detailed information about ingredients, and only included plant‐based ingredients. Afterward, non‐vegan/omnivorous recipes (n = 228) were determined as equivalent to the vegan recipes in each food group, and a total of 456 recipes were evaluated. The amounts of macro‐ and micronutrients per 100‐gram serving were obtained by the Nutritional Data System (BeBiS). According to the outcomes, the most significant differences in nutritional composition were found between vegan and non‐vegan meatball recipes. The levels of cholesterol and B12 were significantly lower in English vegan recipes of meatballs, pasta, cake, and cookies compared to their non‐vegan versions (p < .05). Consuming different vegan foods throughout the day could provide complementary nutrient intake and sustainable optimal health. Nevertheless, recipe‐based updates could be an innovative approach in future vegan studies. In addition, analysis of vegan recipes could be considered to modulate vegan supplementation programs.