YOU could be forgiven for thinking that vegan diets are the healthiest of all.
It’s often touted as a healthier alternative to eating meat – but a new book claims many of the health “benefits” may be unfounded.
In The Great Plant-Based Con, author Jayne Buxton says there are many reasons why giving up meat and dairy can actually be harmful to your health.
Not only are your chances of anemia and bone fractures higher, you may also be putting yourself at greater risk for stroke and kidney stones.
Jayne says: “We’re all convinced it’s a good idea to give up animal foods like fish, eggs and dairy.
“Celebrities are doing it. Vegan restaurants started popping up everywhere.”
US singer Lizzo and wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham are among the celebrities who follow a vegan diet and millions of people sign up to Veganuary every year.
Instead, Jayne says a whole-food diet with lots of fresh, seasonal plant and animal foods is better for your health.
Here, she shares eight reasons to think twice before going vegan.
DEFICIENCIES ARE FREQUENT
“Vitamin deficiency is one of the reasons I would advise people not to go vegan,” says Jayne.
“Vitamin B12 is essential for neurological and brain function.
“Most people know you can’t get it from plant-based foods and vegans will tell you to supplement.”
But Jayne warns that relying on a supplement to make your diet healthy is a problem.
She says: “Vitamin B12 deficiency rates among vegans are still higher than among omnivores.
“Vitamin B12 isn’t the only thing missing either.
“Many other nutrients are difficult to obtain in the correct form from plant foods, including vitamin A, D3, K2 and iron. The list is very long.”
HAIR LOSS
“Hair loss is one of the most cited reasons by vegans for returning to eating meat and other foods of animal origin,” explains Jayne.
She thinks hair loss is almost certainly linked to a B12 or iron deficiency, and adds: “If you’re not eating enough of the right foods or if your body isn’t absorbing enough nutrients, it can cause hair loss, even if you’re only slightly deficient.”
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BONE FRACTURES
A 2008 research article found that vegans were more likely to suffer bone fractures.
After five years, vegans were, on average, 30% more likely to suffer a fracture than meat-eaters.
The risk was the same if they took supplements.
Jayne says: “Without amino acids and nutrients found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy, you run the risk of weak bones and muscles.”
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ARTHRITIS AND KIDNEY STONES
Oxalates are “antinutrients” found in plant foods including spinach, almonds and sweet potatoes.
Eating large amounts of foods high in oxalates can cause kidney stones. Oxalates can build up in joints, causing arthritic pain.
“We call this oxalate overload and it’s common in vegans who eat a lot of spinach and almond smoothies,” says Jayne.
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MANY VEGETABLE FOODS ARE ULTRA-PROCESSED
Nut milks, vegan cheese, “fake meats” and other substitutes are not better for our health as they are highly processed.
“We already eat a lot of processed food in the UK, around 60% of our food is processed,” says Jayne.
“But many of the vegan foods that have flooded the market are even worse.
“A vegan cream, for example, will have the real cream removed and will have electronic numbers, additives, emulsifiers and flavorings added to give it the right flavor and texture.
“This isn’t improving our diets, it’s making them worse.”
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MEAT IS NOT ALL BAD
“Meat is very good when consumed in moderation, usually three or four times a week,” says Jayne.
“It provides essential nutrients for brain health and some evidence suggests it protects against heart disease.
“A 2021 study found that the Paleo diet, which includes meat, eggs and fish, may have cardiovascular benefits, especially when it means low consumption of ultra-processed foods.”
Jayne says studies linking meat to cancer are often poorly designed and based on “extremely weak data.”
Cancer Research UK says processed meat is a “definite” cause of cancer, and red meat is “probable”.
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LINKED TO DEPRESSION
Growing evidence suggests that vegans may be at greater risk of mental illness.
A 2022 study surveyed 14,000 Brazilians and found that those who followed a vegan diet were twice as likely to be depressed.
Jayne says: “This is not surprising given that many nutrients important for mental health – such as DHA, iodine and vitamin B12 – are very scarce in vegan diets.
. . . And stroke
Some studies show that vegetarian and vegan diets can protect against stroke, others the opposite.
A 2019 EPIC-Oxford study found that vegans had a higher risk of stroke than meat eaters.
Jayne adds: “In studies showing the benefits of a vegan diet, the results can be narrowed down to lower levels of smoking and alcohol intake and other elements of a healthy lifestyle.”
- The Great Plant-Based Con: Why Eating an All-Plant-Based Diet Won’t Improve Your Health or Save the Planet by Jayne Buxton (Piatkus) is out now.
‘I felt dizzy, sick and tired all the time’
ENTREPRENEUR Viva O’Flynn, founder of confectionery company Love Viva Cakes and Crafts, became vegan for ten years.
But she returned to eating animal foods after feeling dizzy, nauseous and extremely tired.
Viva, 40, from Gloucester, says: “I thought I was helping the planet by giving up animal foods, even though I’ve always loved them.
“Almost immediately I began to suffer from a lack of energy. I felt tired all the time and very weak. I didn’t take any supplements, which probably didn’t help. I often felt dizzy, nauseous and suffered from headaches and vertigo, as well as exhaustion.
“My body just wasn’t getting the energy it needed.
“My nails were also very brittle and breaking, and my skin looked dull and dry.
“I ate a lot of vegetables and processed vegan foods that I bought in the frozen aisle at the supermarket.
“By the end I was feeling so bad I went to see my GP.
“This was in 2012 and he basically told me I needed to start eating meat again.
“As soon as I did, I started to feel like I always did, I had a lot more energy and looked better than before.
“I would never go back to being vegan.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
