Although most old-school medical professionals would not advise an average patient to go vegan, there is no denying that not consuming animal-based products has plenty of benefits both for the health of the individual and for the environment. However, most people forget that going vegan doesn’t mean swapping animal-based products for junk food, endless amounts of bread, pasta, and packaged foods because that would totally defeat the purpose.
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Meat and dairy products are full of vitamins, minerals, and protein, whereas processed foods are only full of empty calories and have no nutritional value. Ditching meat for junk food only results in weight gain, sleep disruption and grumpy mood. In other words, switching to a vegan diet is healthy provided it is done properly, and if your goal is weight loss and kicking BBW dating to the curb, opting for a vegan diet might just be what you need.
The Benefits of a Vegan Diet
Provided that a person's vegan diet is not chips- or donut-based, on average it is higher in vitamin C and fiber, and lower in saturated fat compared to a diet containing meat and dairy, which is certainly healthy. Also, vegans have a lower BMI than non-vegans, which means they are thinner, have lower cholesterol levels, and a decreased risk of heart disease simply because they consume less saturated fat. If practiced properly, a vegan diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, all of which are super healthy.
The Drawbacks of a Vegan Diet
Eliminating certain food groups from your diet comes with drawbacks that need to be dealt with so that your diet doesn't turn out to be unhealthy. Not consuming meat and dairy products means lower levels of vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. These deficiencies need to be supplemented either by focusing on vegan sources full of these nutrients or by taking dietary supplements. For instance, taking unsweetened soy or almond milk rich in calcium is a good alternative to cow milk, while humus is a great source of zinc, iron and calcium, all missing from a vegan diet.
Look At The Ingredients
Going vegan still means checking out the ingredients of every product you purchase simply because not everything that is vegan is necessarily healthy, like the above chips or donuts. It's important to read what's on the ingredients list and understand that a high amount of sugar or salt can be unhealthy even if packed up in vegan foods. A great example of a vegan staple is coconut oil which definitely comes with its own set of health benefits, but it's high in saturated fat. When consumed in small amounts, the effects of saturated fat are usually insignificant, but large quantities can definitely be detrimental regardless of whether they're consumed through meat, coconut oil or any other vegan food.
Anyone who decides to start following a vegan diet should approach it like any other dietary regimen, with as much balance of different foods as possible. This means plenty of fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds while at the same time keeping the nutrients not consumed in mind and finding appropriate supplements.
About the author:
Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.
