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Vegan Diet: Pros and Cons

vegan diet

There are many reasons why we can opt for a vegan diet, but the main ones include protecting animals, caring for the environment or seeking a better lifestyle and health.

However, when you opt for a vegan lifestyle and don’t have enough knowledge to do so, you end up with a diet that is not very varied, you don’t make the right combinations of foods and you can end up lacking some important nutrients, such as vitamin B12, calcium, zinc or iron. 

Therefore, before starting a vegan diet it is recommended to have a consultation with a nutritionist to tailor the diet according to nutritional needs and individual preferences.

In this article you will find the advantages and difficulties, as well as common questions that arise when you decide to adopt a vegan lifestyle.

What is vegan food?

The Vegan Diet follows the concept established by those who have decided to exclude all animal products from their diet, whether for environmental, ethical or religious reasons.

The Vegan diet consists of the consumption of foods of plant origin such as fruits, vegetables and greens, legumes, cereals, nuts and seeds. 

Vegan diet Advantages

Let us then look at the main advantages of this dietary pattern:

  • Decreases the probability of cardiovascular disease due to reduced consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol
  • High in fibre, vitamins and minerals due to the consumption of fruit and vegetables
  • From an ethical point of view the most correct, because it is against the killing and exploitation of animals.
  • Better intestinal health due to the intake of fibre present in vegetables and pulses.
  • Greater feeling of satiety, due to the consumption of fibre, which can be favourable in cases of weight loss

Vegan diet Disvantages

Are there any disadvantages to practicing a vegan diet? Let’s look at some of the main difficulties:

  • It is hard for a person with a vegan eating pattern to live in a predominantly omnivorous society. If you don’t prepare yourself you may not have what to eat on social occasions!
  • You must pay attention to your diet so as not to suffer from any deficiency, especially of vitamin b12, calcium, iron and zinc.
  • If you don’t like to cook it can be a difficulty as you will have to learn some new recipes. 
  • If you are not being well guided, a macronutrient imbalance can occur: consuming too many carbohydrates and not enough protein.

Common questions

I will share with you the main doubts that arise when someone decides to start a vegan eating pattern:

Does Veganism make you lose weight? 

When you start a vegan diet, you will be in a better position to lose weight. Why is that? When we remove animal-based foods we reduce our fat intake, and this is often enough to start losing weight.

However, if there is no associated calorie deficit, the weight loss will not be maintained over time.

It is also necessary to pay close attention to food preparation (avoid fried food and sauces, which are present in many recipes) and pre-cooked processed food.

And what about the fault of Vitamine B12? 

Vitamin B12 is present in foods of animal origin. It functions at the level of the central nervous system and its deficiency can cause symptoms such as insomnia, tingling sensation in the limbs, lack of balance and loss of memory and mental confusion. There are reserves of this vitamin in the body that last an average of 4 years, however it is recommended that those following a vegan dietary pattern consume fortified foods or take supplementation of this vitamin.

Which foods replace meat/fish? 

The main focus should be on making combinations to get all the essential amino acids as most vegetable proteins are incomplete. Include soy beans, seitan, tempeh, tofu and combine cereals (rice, pasta, quinoa, bulgur) with pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, peas).

Share with us if you follow a vegan eating pattern, or what your doubts are.

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The information included in this article concerns the authors opinion only.

About Ana Silva

Ana Silva
Licenciada em Ciências da Nutrição, com especialização em Nutrição Clínica e Desportiva, e Técnica de Exercício Físico, exerce a sua atividade laboral essencialmente em ginásios. Há mais de 5 anos na área, tem vasta experiência no acompanhamento e transformações corporais e de estilo de vida de pessoas e atletas de todas as faixas etárias.Nome profissional e o n° da cédula: Ana Paula Silva 3546NInstagram: anapaulasilva_nutri

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