Vegan diet means to eat completely without animal foods. No animal products? What can you then eat at all and is that then even healthy? Vegans hear these questions very often. Nevertheless, they are fine, even without animal foods and products. What constitutes a vegan diet, what health benefits it has and what risks it can bring, you will learn in this article.
Why live vegan?
The motivations of vegans vary. The real and most widespread motivation is the protection of animals. Because a vegan lifestyle is characterized not only by a vegan diet, the general consumption of animal products is largely avoided. A hundred percent vegan lifestyle is very difficult to implement in today’s society, because meanwhile very many products are of animal origin or are associated with animals. This applies to the intake of medicines, clothing, cosmetics, cleaning products for the household and much more. In the age of mass animal husbandry, animal experiments and breeding farms, the species-appropriate organic husbandry of animals takes on a significant role that is crucial for vegans. In food production, people mainly use animal products because they are generally cheaper than ingredients of vegetable or synthetic origin. The 10 vegetables with the lowest calories
Eating vegan is healthy
Health reasons are another driver for many vegans. A healthy balanced diet generally includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, but little meat. For the prevention and treatment of many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, the healthy diet is recommended, even required. One of the common diseases is now obesity, a disease whose origin is the unhealthy diet, rich in cholesterol and fats. Studies, for example by Newby et al. and Huang et al. suggest that a balanced vegetarian or vegan diet can reduce the risk of becoming overweight and counteract secondary diseases such as type 2 diabetes. A diet with a low proportion of animal products is also recommended for certain diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatism, or to support cancer therapy. Here, the trend is moving strongly in the direction of vegetarian or vegan diets.
Components of vegan cuisine
Vegan cuisine can also be very varied and tasty. The renunciation of products of animal origin does not automatically mean a monotonous restriction. Vegan cuisine replaces many animal foods without it being noticeable in terms of taste. Milk, for example, is replaced by rice, soy or oat milk. Eggs can be replaced in cooking by egg substitutes – for example, a vegetable powder based on soy protein – and in baking by banana, applesauce or oil. Gelatin, produced from the connective tissue of pigs and cattle, is now included in many foods as a gelling agent. Agar, fruit pectin and locust bean gum are suitable vegan alternatives. Instead of meat, vegans often use the familiar tofu.
Meat substitutes: Tofu and Co.
Tofu is a relatively tasteless, solidified curd made from soybeans, which has long been an integral part of Asian cuisine and is now also very popular with vegetarians and vegans in Western countries. Tofu is rich in protein, suitable for main meals and desserts and thus, for example in the form of smoked tofu, an optimal alternative in vegan cuisine. Meat can be replaced just as well by avocado, soy or oyster mushrooms. Among the foods that vegans avoid is also honey. In the vegan diet, honey is simply substituted with sugar beet, agave or maple syrup.
How healthy are meat substitutes?
You can now find a wide selection of vegan meat substitutes in every supermarket. Because the demand for vegan food is increasing, the supply is also growing. For example, there are now vegan cheeses made from soy, silken tofu, nutritional yeast or yeast melt. For many consumers, this raises the question of whether meat substitutes are unhealthy. In a test of 31 vegan meat substitutes conducted by the Lower Saxony Consumer Center, the majority of the foods received a medium rating in the so-called Nutri-Score. This is used to indicate the nutritional quality of a product.Some products also received a good rating, and a few a poor one. As with all products, meat substitutes also depend on additives, salt and fat content. In general, vegan substitute products are significantly more expensive than the conventional variety. However, they are not necessary for a balanced diet.
Vegan diet – what to eat?
The following foods might be on the menu for a healthy vegan diet:
- Plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables
- Energy-providing carbohydrate sources such as potatoes, rice and pasta.
- Fortifying sources of protein such as legumes and meat substitutes
- Healthy fat sources such as avocado, seeds and flax oil
- Nutrient sources such as fresh herbs, sprouts and seeds.
Risks of the vegan diet
“Vegan life is unhealthy” – a prejudice still faced by many vegans. True enough: although vegans are often better supplied with vitamins than others thanks to their fruit and vegetable-oriented diet, they often lack vital nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12. This is because some nutrients are found primarily in animal products. However, those who live on plant products alone should take greater care in this respect when selecting and compiling their diet. Nutrients for which you should pay particular attention to sufficient intake in a vegan diet are:
- Calcium
- Iron
- Vitamin B12
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Zinc
- Iodine
- Selenium
Deficiency of vitamin B12 and folic acid
Probably the best-known deficiency of a vegan diet is vitamin B12 deficiency. The vitalizing and nerve growth-promoting vitamin is found mainly in various types of cabbage, lettuce and seeds and sprouts, but only in very small quantities. It is also disputed whether the plant-based B12, in contrast to the animal form, has any vitamin activity at all. Since vitamin B12 works closely with folic acid in metabolism, attention should also be paid to its intake. Raw vegetables, for example, are rich in folic acid. Vitamin deficiency is not a purely vegan problem, however: many omnivores also have to contend with nutrient deficiencies these days.
Counteract malnutrition in a targeted manner
By a careful composition of the menu can be prevented malnutrition, such as the often criticized in connection with vegan nutrition low supply of calcium, which is important for the hormone balance and the nervous system. Regular consumption of kale, broccoli, spinach, hazelnuts, whole grain products and sesame seeds is recommended. The simultaneous intake of vitamin D can promote the absorption of calcium. The need for iron can usually be sufficiently covered by green vegetables, fresh herbs and legumes. The rule here is that iron should ideally be taken in combination with vitamin C and better not in combination with coffee or tea. Omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain and heart activity, are found primarily in walnuts and high-quality oils such as linseed oil. Zinc and selenium, of which women in particular are often deficient, are most abundant in nuts. Iodine is added to most salts, so the intake of this trace element is usually unproblematic.
Check nutrient supply regularly
To check whether you are also supplied with all nutrients as a vegan, you should make a large blood count every one to two years and have it checked by a doctor. A normal blood count is not sufficient in this case. In certain cases, it may be advisable to compensate for a deficiency with nutrient supplements. Appropriate nutritional supplements can be found in any well-stocked drugstore. Whether these are to be seen however equivalent to a balanced nutrition, is strongly controversial. In particular the Vitamin B12 should supply Veganer over food auxiliary means. Because with a purely vegan nutrition an appropriate supply with the Vitamin is not representable exclusively over food. It is particularly treacherous that the body can draw from its B12 reservoir for several years before the first symptoms of deficiency appear.
Bottom line: when is a vegan diet healthy?
The vegan diet can – if you pay attention to a balanced nutrient intake – definitely bring some health benefits, not to mention the positive impact on animals and nature.However, caution is advised for population groups with particularly high nutrient requirements, such as small children, pregnant women or nursing mothers. For these groups, the German Nutrition Society and the German government advise against an exclusively vegan diet. 10 foods with vitamin power
