Is A Vegan Diet Best for Your Health?
More and more people are going vegan, and mostly it’s for the promised health benefits. (It’s also great for the planet** – it’s very green and eco-friendly). But is a vegan diet really healthy?
The vegan diet is generally considered to be higher in fibre and lower in cholesterol, calcium and salt than an omnivorous diet – but there are still misconceptions and concerns around cutting meat, fish, eggs and dairy completely from your diet.
B12 in a Vegan Diet
One common concern is whether a vegan diet provides enough vitamin B12. You need B12 to help prevent nerve damage, and is found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy. But it’s not present in fruit or vegetables.
A B12 deficiency can lead to neurological symptoms such as numbness, and it’s irreversible if the deficiency is present for too long. Adults need about 1.5 micrograms of the vitamin per day.
Also be aware of bone density and fractures, which may be more common due to possible lower calcium intake, and B12 deficiency.
You can get the B12 you need from nutritional yeast, from fortified food, such as plant-based milks, and vitamin supplements. (Just be aware that some of these are provided by artificial chemical ingredients).
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Heart Disease and Stroke in Vegans
It’s probably quite well known that you reduce your risk of heart disease and have lower blood pressure when you eat a vegan diet, which is great!
However, vegans also have a slightly higher risk of stroke, possibly partly due to a lack of B12 and lower cholesterol.
Is There Enough Protein and Iron in a Vegan Diet?
This is one of the most common misconceptions. It’s true that there isn’t much protein in fruits and vegetables, but it’s not a problem. Global studies don’t show protein problems in vegans.
(For example, soy milk has roughly the same amount of protein as cow’s milk).
It’s also unlikely that a vegan diet will cause an iron deficiency, as long as your diet includes fruit and vegetables of every colour.
What About Vegan Junk Food?
Vegan junk foods are now found in supermarkets – and yes, they’re just as unhealthy as their meat counterparts. They’ll give you the same (bad) consumption profile as an unhealthy omnivore.
The health benefits of a plant-based diet come from a combination of
- eating more fruit and vegetables, and
- eating lower amounts of animal foods, including saturated fat.
Is a Vegan Diet the Healthiest?
Many scientists say the vegan diet could be one of the healthiest diets, outperforming pescatarian and even vegetarian! Why? Because the vegan diet is higher in fruit, vegetables and legumes, and the health benefits from this compensate for anything else.
Typically, vegans smoke less, drink less alcohol and exercise more – interesting, isn’t it?
The Best Advice for Vegans
The best advice is to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables with a variety of colours. And include nuts, wholegrains and beans and lentils, as well as chia, hemp and flax seeds, which contain omega 3.
That way, you’ll get all the benefits, without the downsides!
**Why meat is unsustainable – farming livestock is a triple threat. Large amounts of methane released into the atmosphere, deforestation to make room for fields, and massive amounts of water needed for each animal.
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