Is The Vegan Diet Healthy?

(Spoiler alert - usually it's not healthy at all!)

Despite what some people believe, a vegan diet isn't always very healthy. In fact it is possibly to eat completely vegan and still have an extremely unhealthy diet!

What Exactly Is A Vegan Diet?

The vegan diet is one of the simplest to understand. All it means is that you don't eat any food that comes from animals in any way, shape or form. You can think of vegan diets as being like vegetarian diets, only more "hardcore" because they don't let you eat any dairy products like milk or cheese, and no eggs, no honey and no gelatin, whereas vegetarian diets typically allow you to eat animal products so long as you don't eat meat.

This in itself isn't particularly healthy since meat and dairy are some of the best sources of protein, key amino acids, healthy fats, minerals and other critically important nutrients.

What's Bad About The Vegan Diet?

Thought cutting out meat was bad, well the vegan diet just keeps getting worse - because not only does the vegan diet remove one of the healthiest food groups (meat) but it also doesn't limit refined carbs, sugar, seed oils, or a ton of other incredibly unhealthy things!

These days the supermarket is flooded with ready-made meals and processed junk foods, and a lot of this garbage is totally vegan, so people eat it and think that they are doing themselves a favor, when they would be much better off just eating some chicken, fish, steak, yogurt or almost any of the things that are "off limits" according to a vegan diet.

These processed foods often contain massive quantities of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats like trans fats, which are linked to heart disease. You might also find emulsifiers in processed food, which are very bad for your gut bacteria.

Furthermore, a vegan diet is unlikely to be as nutrient-dense as a traditional diet. The protein that vegans eat is usually far lower quality than the protein found in a typical diet. For instance vegans are known for eating lots of soy which is just terrifying if you look into what it can do to your body (especially the GMO variety.)

It can also be very difficult to get many the necessary vitamins and minerals without animal products. For this reason, a vegetarian or vegan should consult their healthcare provider before making the transition to a plant-based diet. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, your health provider may suggest a vitamin or mineral supplement for you. In addition to a multi-vitamin, a vegan should consult a nutritionist for a nutritional and vitamin D supplement.

Vegan Diet Risks

There are many risks associated with a vegan diet, especially if you don't plan your intake of micronutrients properly. A vegan diet is low in calcium, and this may increase the risk of fractures.

So when it comes to filling the holes in a vegan diet you want to be sure to consume enough calcium which is easy to do by eating enough leafy green vegetable s which are actually quite high in calcium.

Without supplementation a vegan diet is deficient in vitamin B12, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders. For these reasons, it is important to work with your doctor before starting a vegan diet.

Some vegans experience a change in their bowel functions. Some vegans report wind and loose stools. This is because they are consuming less fat and saturated fat. In the long term this could even lead to irritable bowel syndrome, so be sure to keep an eye on what's going on with your digestive system if you decide to attempt a vegan diet.

Vegan Diet Benefits

This all being said it certainly is still possible to have a healthy diet while eating strictly vegan. In fact a vegan diet is a good option if you are mindful to maintain balanced and supplement with the nutrients that a vegan diet is lacking.

A healthy vegan diet is rich in fruits and vegetables which provide a wide range of vitamins, enzymes and micronutrients. Additionally, making a point to eat avocados, nuts and olive oil provides a good balance of healthy and unhealthy fats (although supplementing with fish oil is still a healthy option, if you are open to the idea!). A vegan diet that is low in sugar can also potentially help you lose weight and control your blood sugar levels.

Conclusion

As you can see a vegan diet isn't a healthy option for everyone. Certainly anyone going on this kind of diet needs to be It's also a good idea to avoid processed "meat alternatives" and these are usually full of GMOs, chemicals, soy and other disgusting garbage.

Instead stick to healthy vegan protein sources like beans, legumes, and tree nuts if you're looking to improve your overall health.