Vegetarian and Vegan Diets by Alice C. Richer

Author:Alice C. Richer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Published: 2020-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

17. Why do some people become unhealthy when following a plant-based diet?

Many people assume that vegan and vegetarian diets are healthy and perfectly balanced nutritionally. However, that is the furthest thing from the truth. Many processed, plant-based foods tend to be high in sodium, saturated fat, sugars, and calories. A good example of this is the popularity of plant-based meat alternatives. There are many different brand name meat alternative products. Until 2019, the majority of these meat alternatives were made from limited ingredients and tasted like a plant-based meat. As people have become more health and environmentally conscious, the demand for meat alternatives that taste and look like meat has increased. A number of new plant-based processed meats have recently become available and people assume they are a healthier alternative to meat. But that isn't always the case nutritionally.

Original plant-based burgers, such as NEAT veggie burgers, contain pecans, garbanzo beans, gluten free whole grain oats, organic gluten free whole grain cornmeal, chia seeds, spices, onion, garlic, and sea salt. Nutritionally NEAT veggie burgers are 10 percent sodium, 8 percent saturated fat, and 140 calories per burger. The updated version of plant-based burgers that reportedly taste just like meat and even “bleed” like red meat contains far more ingredients and is not as healthy as assumed. The ingredients for Beyond Meat burgers are water, pea protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, rice protein, natural flavors, cocoa butter, mung bean protein, methylcellulose, potato starch, apple extract, salt, potassium chloride, vinegar, lemon juice concentrate, sunflower lecithin, pomegranate fruit powder, and beet juice extract. Nutritionally Beyond Meat burgers provide 15 percent sodium, 25 percent saturated fat, and 260 calories per burger.

Plant-based diets also include foods, such as legumes, nuts, and seeds, which are calorically dense. Calorically dense foods provide more calories and nutritional value in a smaller portion size when compared to most other foods. Many people assume that because all plant-based foods are “healthy,” they can eat as much as desired and tend to overconsume recommended portion sizes. This in turn leads to overconsuming calories that can cause weight gain. Choosing french fries, cookies, and processed carbohydrate foods, such as potato or vegetable chips, can be high in saturated fats, sugars, and calories that negatively impact both health and weight.

Nutritional deficiencies can also occur when a food group is eliminated or reduced in the diet. Vegans are especially vulnerable since they eliminate all animal foods, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. For example, vegans and vegetarians tend to be deficient in vitamins B12 and D, calcium, omega-3 fatty-acids, zinc, and iron—all nutrients found in meat and not available in large enough amounts in plant foods to prevent deficiencies. Long-term deficiencies of these nutrients can result in illness or chronic disease over time. Weight loss and hair loss are two common problems for vegans as the result of poor diet planning and resulting nutrition deficiencies. Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that plant-based diets low in animal foods were linked with a 20 percent lower risk for diabetes.

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