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.