“It’s a tiny cup of almond milk!” exclaimed the five-foot muscly woman in front of me at Starbucks, as she held up a small jar of white, milky liquid. Judging by her leggings, mat, and, toned body, she was some kind of yoga-practicing health-nut. Curious as to why this small woman carried an even smaller glass of milk substitute, I continued to listen. “I feel so much better now that I’ve totally cut out all animal products! I can’t even drink regular milk in my coffee, it makes me sick.” As I listened to this woman talk, I began to wonder about the vegan diet, and its health benefits. I’d heard so many great things, but I was skeptical. Just how healthy could this diet really be, if it deprives people of the vitamins and nutrients that doctors and nutritionists swear by?
In doing some research, I immediately came to one irrefutable conclusion; there must be some incredible benefits and rewards to this herbivore lifestyle. How else could people be motivated to cut out of their diets many of the foods they so often crave? It’s hard enough to get people to just include vegetables and fruits in their meals, let alone be the only thing they eat. Today, we have entire songs and educational TV Shows dedicated to making kids eat vegetables. If kids have to be serenaded by the likes of Larry the cucumber just to eat greens, can you imagine what it takes to get them to cut out meat altogether? Maybe a Beyoncé and Josh Groban duet on the benefits of veganism would do the trick.
Aside from cutting out foods, the lifestyle changes and commitment it takes to cut out these products is drastic. In addition to demanding that you bring special foods with you, being vegan puts huge limitations on where you can eat. In that sense, veganism presents obstacles in your social life as well. So taking into account these sacrifices, there must be some Health pot of gold at the end of this vegan rainbow. Referring to the American Journal of Health, I sought out just what could possibly make people say, “I’ll pass on the buffalo chicken pizza, but do you carry celery and chia?”
The benefits
First and foremost, vegan diets, due to their mostly plant based nature, are often lower in calories and fat. In addition to eliminating many saturated fats, eating all of these fruits and vegetables means adding a ton of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and healthy folic acids to your diet, and who doesn’t want that? Phytochemicals in plants also are incredibly beneficial in that they reduce risk of cancer. Veganism can prevent diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and high blood pressure. Seen in this light, going vegan can be seen as a form of cleansing and healing.
Raw and organic foods are huge components of many vegan diets. Studies reveal eating raw and organic foods increases the amount of vitamins that one absorbs from their food. While in a regular diet, eating raw meat might not be so great; chomping down on some raw carrots is an easy way to increase nutrition.
Over time, the consumption of these foods, and elimination of animal products adds up to major benefits. In a study done on strict vegans, many reported their switch to plant eating has lead to not only more energy, but also curing migraines, acne, IBS, depression, acid reflux disease, back and sinus pain etc. etc. the list goes on and on. I must admit while reading about these benefits, I could almost feel my love of pepperoni pizza and ice cream slowly fading.
As if those benefits don’t add enough draw, veganism is also great for the environment. According to Dr. David L. Katz, avoiding meat saves a lot of water and natural resources, and decreases pollution. Thus vegans do their part to protect the environment just by eating.
So what’s the drawback?
With all of these benefits, come a few concerns. First, without meat, it is harder to get important nutrients, like vitamin b-12, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, iron and zinc. Lacking these nutrients can lead to bone loss and osteoporosis. It can also be more difficult to find sources of protein, without any meat. This often requires and adventurous pallet and a love of legumes.
Many people believe that just because something is vegan it’s automatically healthier and can therefore be eaten in larger quantities. If this were the case, then Oreos, potato chips, French fries, and Twizzlers would constitute a huge part of the vegan diet. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? Unfortunately, as you most likely guessed, these still fall under the category of deliciously, unhealthy foods. How about vegan cookies and cupcakes? While they are healthier, because they often are made with avocados, applesauce and other butter substitutes, when it all comes down to it, they’re still cupcakes and probably shouldn’t be eaten in excess…but undoubtedly still are.
In the end, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer as to whether or not being vegan is the best way to go. Some people swear by it, while others shy away from the self-discipline of cutting out everything that breathes, moves, swims, or jumps. While those who are vegan seem ecstatic and willing to share how the diet has impacted their life in such a positive way, many people feel that a balance of different foods is vital, and that veganism is too extreme.
All in all, whether you eat only vegetables and soy, or if your one of those people who has steak for breakfast and dinner, at least we can all still agree on one thing: Oreos.
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