The Rise of Veganism: Pros, Cons, and Everything in Between

The (expected) benefits of a vegan diet

Weight loss and a significantly lower risk of obesity

A healthful, diverse vegan diet is proven to be lower in calories even compared to a vegetarian diet, making it a good choice for those who want to lose weight and unquestionably a factor in lowering the risk of obesity. In fact, a study published in the National Institutes of Health suggests that nutrition-wise, there are more similarities between a vegetarian and omnivorous diet than between a vegetarian and vegan diet. A vegan diet is simply lighter, as plant-based foods are lower in calories and saturated fats, so vegans are generally thinner.

However, this information should be taken with a grain of salt. Although the limitations of a vegan diet make it easier and faster to lose weight, the intake of fat can definitely be controlled with other dietary choices as well, the key being in balanced meals and for omnivores, lean meats eaten in controlled portions. Also, there is a potential setback regarding veganism and weight loss. Many vegans who radically shift to the diet experience cravings at first and a need to fill up on snacks that include highly-processed carbs.

Reducing the risk of illness

A study from 2015 suggests that a plant-based diet reduces the risk of hypertension, type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Keep in mind, though, that all these benefits are expected from a healthful plant-based diet. A vegan diet that is rich in sweetened beverages, potatoes and fries, candy and refined grains is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease, and this comes as no surprise at all.

Also, because of an increased intake of phytochemicals that comes with plentiful fruit and vegetable consumption, vegans are presumably at a lower risk of cancer. Phytochemicals possess potent antioxidant activity and interfere with some cellular processes linked to the progression of cancer. But there is a catch to this, and it lies in the bioavailability of the phytochemicals, which largely depends on the way the food is prepared. Although we wish things were so simple and we could say “a vegan diet will definitely lower the risk of many cancers”, there is not enough evidence of this within the scientific community.

Concerns about nutrient intake

As the popularity of veganism has exponentially risen over the years, so has the availability of nutritious plant-based products and our knowledge on nutrient intake for vegans. Namely, the biggest question was whether a diet that doesn’t allow dairy could provide enough protein and calcium.

Protein

One of the main concerns, or rather myths, used to be that a vegan diet cannot provide sufficient protein intake, but now we have proof that a healthy, diversified one definitely can. Various seeds and nuts (especially almonds, which are very high in protein), tempeh, tofu, quinoa, legumes, and vegan protein powders added to shakes are just some of the many products vegans consume regularly to get all the protein they need.

Calcium

The availability of calcium is definitely lower in a plant-based diet, raising concern regarding bone health among vegans. But bone health is maintained by preventing calcium loss (calcium is mostly lost through urine) rather than increasing its intake. Animal protein is proven to cause more calcium loss through urine than plant protein; so actually, vegans have lower calcium needs than vegetarians and omnivores, and these needs are met through a diverse diet of vegetables, fruits legumes, and whole grains.

Myths have been broken about other nutrients as well and we have learned that, for example, the intake of zinc through beans and legumes is controlled by the way the food is prepared. But, when it comes to vitamins D and B-12, it is still difficult to get them solely from plant-based foods. Vegans mostly have to turn to supplements of these vitamins to ensure overall health.