{"id":609,"date":"2019-04-19T11:31:45","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T11:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/?post_type=health&p=609"},"modified":"2019-05-08T10:17:53","modified_gmt":"2019-05-08T10:17:53","slug":"health-reasons-to-go-vegan","status":"publish","type":"health","link":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/health-fitness\/health-reasons-to-go-vegan\/","title":{"rendered":"Health Reasons to Go Vegan: Is a Vegan Diet Healthy?"},"content":{"rendered":"
People adopt a vegan lifestyle for any number of reasons but for those that choose to follow a vegan diet, health is often a part of their choice. People who base their decision solely on ethical & philosophical reasons<\/a> to be vegan may look down on such dietary vegans, but we think that anyone becoming vegan is doing a great thing. For many, adopting a plant-based diet for health reasons is the first step on the road to a completely vegan way of life. For others, it is the start of a journey that sees them better understand the moral reasons for being vegan too.<\/p>\n Ethics aside, the fact is that health is a big factor for many people who decide to eschew meat and animal products in their diet. Here we look at the health benefits of a plant-based diet, consider any negatives and seek to provide a conclusion that answers the question of whether or not a vegan diet is healthy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There is no single entity that can be called a \u201cvegan diet\u201d, of which we can categorically say \u201cyes, this is a healthy diet\u201d. As with non-vegan diets, some are healthy, some are less healthy, and others may be quite damaging. What we intend to consider here is whether or not the sort of vegan diet we would advocate is likely to be healthy and without spoiling the debate, the simple answer is: yes, it is.<\/p>\n Done properly, a vegan diet has numerous significant and proven health benefits that can lead to a longer and happier life. Now that\u2019s decided, you could stop reading and go and celebrate with an apple and some nuts, or you can read on to find out a little more.<\/p>\n First of all, we should start by saying that a vegan diet, carefully planned, can provide the essential nutrients required for optimum health. All the other pros are rather pointless if you die of a single particular deficiency, but that really shouldn\u2019t be the case, subject to a few minor caveats as outlined below.<\/p>\n In addition though, a vegan who eats a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, a daily helping of nuts and seeds, plenty of wholegrains and a few servings a week of legumes and beans, and some additional good fats in the form of olive, rapeseed or flax oil should do far better than simply meeting the basic requirements.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll come back to all the great things that should be included in a vegan diet shortly, but for now, let us consider some things that vegans don\u2019t\u00a0eat. The World Health Organization<\/a> has specifically looked at the role of red and processed meat in causing cancer and this is certainly not something for vegans to be concerned about.<\/p>\n Saturated fat is another thing that many vegans will be consuming less of compared to those that eat meat and dairy products. Saturated fat is not exclusively found in animal products but by and large it is these things that have it in the highest amounts. Coconut-based fats and palm oil<\/a> are among the exceptions to this.<\/p>\n There has been some debate over saturated fats with some studies claiming to show that actually they are not as bad for health as was first thought. However, based on the current information we have and the biggest, most reputable meta-studies available, key organisations, including the NHS<\/a>, British Dietetic Association and World Heart Federation (and indeed many more) all agree that limiting saturated fat intake is beneficial to health.<\/p>\n The most proven link between illness and saturated fats concerns cardiovascular disease<\/a> but there are also strong suggestions of a link with various types of cancer and potentially with bone health issues too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Eating high quantities of fibre may be the healthiest dietary option of them all and yet fibre is so often overlooked. Many omnivores who are considering veganism worry about not getting enough vegan protein<\/a> if they switch to a plant-based diet, when in fact they may be wiser to focus on the extra fibre they are likely to get.<\/p>\n The NHS state, \u201cEating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer\u201d. On top of that, a report in the Lancet<\/a> showed that meta-analysis of 185 studies and 58 clinical trials indicated that 13 deaths and six cases of heart disease per thousand people could be prevented by moving people to a diet that is high in fibre. According to the BBC, the report \u201c\u2026 also showed lower levels of type-2 diabetes and bowel cancer as well as lower weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. And, the more fibre people ate, the better\u201d.<\/p>\n On top of all that, there is lots of evidence to suggest high fibre intake promotes a strong, healthy and varied gut microbiome. This is an increasingly fashionable \u2013 though also highly promising \u2013 area of study that looks at the variety and quality of bacteria in the human gut. A healthy microbiome is linked to a huge range of health benefits, including improved mental health.<\/p>\n And, guess what vegans? The good news is that by and large a vegan diet will have more fibre in it than a non-vegan one, especially if you follow the sort of healthy vegan diet we have already discussed. Research<\/a> published by the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health showed that in their study, vegans consumed more than double the amount fibre of omnivores. The British Nutrition Foundation also agree that vegans usually eat more fibre and this is backed up by further studies around the world.<\/p>\n Yet another benefit of the vegan diet is the increased consumption of nuts and seeds. This is where we have to come back to our point about each individual\u2019s diet being different. Not all vegans eat nuts and seeds, and conversely lots of steak-loving, vegan-haters, may regularly down ounces of them.<\/p>\n There aren\u2019t huge studies to indicate that vegans necessarily eat more nuts and seeds than non-vegans but it seems likely that they do. These two nutrient-dense food types certainly tend to feature in the diets of many vegans and they definitely should<\/em> be included in a healthy, well-balanced plant-based diet.<\/p>\n Vegans don\u2019t get protein from meat, eggs or other animal sources, so besides their numerous other health benefits, almonds, cashews and other nuts and seeds are an excellent source of vegan protein.<\/p>\n Nuts also contain high levels of fibre, which is very beneficial as discussed earlier. Throw in lots of good fats too and nuts and seeds are brilliant in terms of the macronutrients they offer. However, when it comes to micronutrients, they are arguably even better.<\/p>\n Different seeds and nuts offer different benefits and as with the fruit and vegetables you consume, the more variety you can get the better. However, in general, nuts and seeds offer good levels of vitamins and minerals, chiefly vitamin E and some B vitamins<\/a>, plus zinc<\/a>, selenium<\/a>, magnesium, potassium, calcium<\/a> and iron<\/a>.<\/p>\n In addition to all that, nuts contain compounds called flavonoids, which can protect your heart, a wide range of antioxidant polyphenols and phytochemicals, including lutein and zeaxanthin, omega-3 and plant sterols (which can help lower cholesterol).<\/p>\n There are a huge number of excellent studies that link nut consumption to maintaining a healthy blood pressure, better longevity overall, improved heart health, better fertility, and reduced susceptibility to insulin resistance and developing type 2 diabetes. As if all that wasn\u2019t good enough, eating nuts<\/a> can also help you lose weight, which in turn confers further health benefits in itself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Internet is awash with nutritional information and food fads and yet the best advice may be the oldest healthy eating adage of them all, dispensed by mothers throughout history (when fathers didn\u2019t bother with such niceties as caring for their children): eat your greens.<\/p>\n In slightly more specific terms, we would expand that to \u201ceat lots of vegetables and fruit, in that order, focussing on leafy greens but getting a full colour palette\u201d. Not quite as catchy as \u201ceat your greens\u201d but perhaps a little more nutritionally sound.<\/p>\n Once again, it is self-evident that simply calling oneself a vegan and eschewing animal-based foods won\u2019t transfer a diet of crisps, chocolate, sugary drinks and salty processed meals into a life-giving way of life. But as with nuts and seeds, logic and anecdotal evidence suggests that vegans are likely to consume more fruit and veg than omnivores. More concretely, the vegan diet we would advocate is one that includes lots of these fresh, colourful, vitamin-packed goodies.<\/p>\n UK governmental advice is based on eating five servings of fruit and vegetables per day, with a serving usually being around 80g. There is more detailed advice<\/a> about what counts as one of your five at the NHS website, including information on dried fruit, fruit juice, potatoes and more.<\/p>\n However, it is worth noting that in 2014 a UK study by researchers at University College London, based on the Health Survey for England, suggested that eating seven servings of fruit and veg a day would offer even greater health benefits. Other studies have shown that eating even more than that is better still but due to the difficulty in finding enough people following such a diet it is not yet know what the optimum levels of such foods might be.<\/p>\n The message though is clear \u2013 eating fruit and vegetables is beneficial to health and protects against a range of major conditions. UK advice has always set the magical \u201cfive a day\u201d as a minimum level, rather than a maximum or optimum, and vegans who embrace the full, healthy wonders of a plant-based diet and life can certainly expect to benefit.<\/p>\nHealth Benefits of a Vegan Diet<\/h2>\n
Benefits of Not Eating Meat<\/h2>\n
Limiting Saturated Fat<\/h3>\n
Fibre & Nuts Are Beneficial to Health<\/h2>\n
A Vegan Diet is High in Fibre<\/h3>\n
Vegans Eat Plenty of Nuts & Seeds<\/h3>\n
Health Benefits of Nuts<\/h4>\n
Vegans Tend to Eat Lots of Greens<\/h2>\n
7 Servings is Better than 5<\/h3>\n
Issues to be Aware of on a Vegan Diet<\/h2>\n