Overview:
- The vegan diet only includes plant-based foods
- Research has shown that vegan or vegetarian diets rich in plant-based foods are associated with controlled BMI; lower LDL cholesterol, obesity, the incidence of diabetes, risk of cancer; and improved blood glucose, blood pressure, and heart health.
- There are a few nutrients that a vegan should be mindful to get enough of, including vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, iron and omega-3 fatty acids.
What is Vegan?
Vegan is a way of living that excludes all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purposes. In another word, the vegan diet should avoid all animal products, including meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy. Practicing veganism should be as much as possible and practicable, otherwise, the vegan might find herself or himself too hard, exhausting, and inconsistent to follow their primary goal. Acknowledging that, vegan is simply a way of living, which is chosen depending on the core value of vegan folks, thus, there should be no judgment or discrimination about this living style.
What Vegan have?
In general, vegan only eat plant-based food, including:
Tofu, tempeh, and seitan: These are rich in protein
Legumes (i.e., beans, lentils, and peas) are excellent sources of many nutrients. Sprouting, fermenting and proper cooking can increase nutrient absorption
Nuts and nut butter: are good sources of iron, fiber, magnesium, zinc, selenium and vitamin E
Seeds (i.e., hemp, chia, and flaxseeds) contain a good amount of protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids
Calcium-fortified plant milk and yogurts: are good source of calcium.
Algae: Spirulina and chlorella are good sources of complete protein and iodine.
Nutritional yeast: is a great source of protein and other vitamin, especially B12.
Whole grains, cereals: These are a great source of complex carbs, fiber, iron, B-vitamins and several minerals.
Sprouted and fermented plant foods (i.e., tempeh, miso, natto,pickles, kimchi, and kombucha) contain probiotics and vitamin K2, additionally, they can also improve mineral absorption
Fruits and vegetables: Leafy greens such as bokchoy, spinach, kale, and mustard greens are high in iron and calcium.
What Vegan avoid?
Vegan avoid eating any food made from or containing ingredients derived from the animal. These are:
Meat and poultry: Beef, lamb, pork, organ meat, wild meat, chicken, turkey, goose, duck, etc.
Fish and seafood: All types of fish, anchovies, shrimp, squid, scallops, calamari, crab, etc.
Dairy: Milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, etc.
Eggs: From all animals such as chickens, quails, ostriches, fish, etc.
Bee products: Honey, bee pollen, etc.
Animal-based ingredients: Whey, casein, lactose, egg white, gelatin, shellac, L-cysteine, animal-derived vitamin D3 and fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids.
How many types of Vegan Diets?
There are different types of vegan diets, commonly including:
- Whole-food vegan diet: A diet includes a great range of whole plant-based foods such as whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, healthy fat, unsweetened plant-based milk, spices, herbs; and minimize processed foods.
- Raw vegan diet: A diet that is based on the raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprout grains, and legumes; or the foods that are heated at the temperature below 104-118℉ (or 40-48℃). It also tends to be naturally low in processed foods.
- The thrive diet is a type of raw vegan diet, in which vegans consume plant-based, whole food that is raw and minimally cooked at very low temperature. In another word, foods in this diet are very close to their natural state. People who follow this diet do not count calories but eat several meals per day and keep their diet consistently.
- 80/10/10 (or fruitarian diet or low-fat raw vegan): This is a low-fat, raw-food vegan diet, in which people who follow this diet tend to limit fat-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, and fatty fruit such as avocado, durian, olives; but mostly rely on raw fruits (non-sweet and sweet) and tender, leafy greens (i.e., lettuce, spinach). The diet should provide at least 80% of calories from carbs, no more than 10% of calories each from protein and fat. In detail, 90-97% of calories should come from sweet and non-sweet fruits, 2-6% from leafy greens, 0-8% from fatty fruits, nuts, and seeds.
- The starch solution: A low fat, high carb vegan diet similar to the 80/10/10 with a heavy emphasis on complex carbohydrates that are high in starch and fiber such as cooked potatoes, grains, and legumes. It eliminates the simple sugars, processed foods, fatty foods like nuts, seeds, and fatty fruits.
- Raw till 4, which is inspired by 80/10/10 and starchy diet, in which raw food is only consumed until 4 pm, after that, there are only cooked plant-based meals acceptable.
- Junk-food vegan diet: Those who have this diet mostly rely on the processed food such as mock meats, plant-based cheeses, fries, sweet vegan desserts such as ice cream, cakes, etc. and other unhealthy processed products.
There are many variations of vegan diet despite a slight difference among them, vegan might have various choices of diet that works best for them.
Reasons to go vegan and the benefits of being a vegan
Various reasons motivate people to choose to be vegan. These might origin from the health benefits, environmental or moral concerns.
Health benefits
- A vegan diet can help us to lose weight
- There is a wider range of nutrients in a vegan diet than typical Western diets. A well-balanced vegan diet could be richer in antioxidants, fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin
- A vegan diet is associated with a reduction in blood sugar and a lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes
- Vegan diet related to optimal hearth health, lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol
- Other health benefits: lower risks of a certain type of cancer, reduce the symptom of arthritis, support kidney function, reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease
Environmental benefits
- Vegan diet seems to be the single biggest way to decrease the impact of greenhouse gases, global acidification, eutrophication, excessive land use and water use on the Earth. An analysis revealed that an individual can cut their carbon footprint by up to 73 percent by cutting meat and dairy from their diet
- Another research found that there would be 75 percent less farmland used if world population change to a vegan diet
Moral benefits
- Vegan supports the animal to “speak up” for their five freedom, which is freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition; freedom from pain, injury and disease; freedom from discomfort; freedom from fear and distress; freedom to express natural behavior
- Vegan prevent animals from being exploited and being killed for consumption when animals are usually being killed before they would have diet naturally
Bottom lines
A vegan diet is a choice of living, it is proved to bring many benefits to people who include more plant-based food in their diet. Although vegan diet can be very nutrient-rich, there is a likelihood of a few nutrient deficiencies should be aware of: vitamin B12, calcium, certain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin D. These nutrients could be found in fortified food or supplements, however, the consultation from dietitian or/and doctor should be considered.
Source:
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Craig, Winston J. "Health effects of vegan diets." The American journal of clinical nutrition 89.5 (2009): 1627S-1633S.
Ellis, Frey R., and V. M. E. Montegriffo. "Veganism, clinical findings and investigations." The American journal of clinical nutrition 23.3 (1970): 249-255.
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Moss, Rachel. “Raw Till 4 Diet: Health Benefits, Concerns, and Meal Plan”. The Huffington Post UK. 14 May. 2015.
Petre, Alina. “How to Follow a Raw Vegan Diet: Benefits and Risks”. Healthline. 3 Decemer. 2018. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/raw-vegan-diet
Petre, Alina. “The 80/10/10 Diet: Healthy Diet or Dangerous Diet”. Healthline.
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