It is known that humankind has been consuming animal foods since time immemorial. However, as time went by, humans invented farming and that was the advent of vegetarianism.
As we know, animal foods are nutritionally dense as compared to plant foods, the importance of vegetarianism still makes much sense to the current world where technology has allowed most of our lives to be more sedentary than that of our ancestors.
As mentioned earlier, western countries have always been major consumers of animal foods from the very beginning. Countries like India and China were more inclined towards plant-based diets due to religious reasons.
India has been an ardent follower of Hinduism and Buddhism and hence they practiced “ahimsa” (non-violence). However, these countries have started adopting animal foods into their diets, and quite surprisingly, the West is more attracted to vegetarianism and veganism now.
Everyone has different reasons for shifting to veganism where some of these reasons are scientifically proven facts and there are some myths too. Let’s take an example: It is said that a vegan diet helps you lose weight easily. Now, this isn’t completely true because weight management doesn’t completely rely on the foods that you choose to avoid or include in your diet.
It is equally dependent on your physical activity, portion control, nutrient composition of the foods you consume, and a lot of other factors. But again, vegetarians and vegans are seen to have lower BMI as compared to non-vegetarians.
Also, the demarcation between nonvegetarian and vegetarian diets is precisely clear to us but the increasing craze of vegan diet compels us to look into the topic and know what exactly is it that differentiates vegetarians from vegans.
What are the health benefits of these diets? What are the pros and cons of being vegetarian or vegan? And how should you choose the diet best that best suits you? To know the answers to all these questions, read on!
What Is A Vegetarian Diet
Vegetarianism doesn’t allow the consumption of meat, poultry, or fish. Now vegetarian diets are defined more by what it doesn’t include than what it does. Hence, it is difficult to state the exact composition of vegetarian diets across the world.
One can classify vegetarians into lacto-ovo-vegetarians and vegans. Lacto-Ovo-vegetarianism includes the use of dairy products and eggs with plant-based products whereas veganism strictly sticks to the use of plant-based products only.
Vegetarianism is quite diverse in itself and the composition of vegetarian diets varies geographically but there are some basic differences between veganism and vegetarianism. As the geographic conditions and agricultural status of regions have a major impact on what a vegetarian diet consists of.
Scientific research suggests that a vegetarian diet is nutritionally adequate for the entire life cycle of a human if only it is well-planned. Now if we compare vegetarian diets with non-veg diets, there is more amount of cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and oilseeds.
However, nonvegetarian diets include more meat, fish, poultry; basically, animal foods. These basic differences result in major nutrient differences but none of these differences prove that vegetarianism is a nutrient-deficient diet.
In fact, the consumption of a vegetarian diet gives you more and better options for getting both, your macros and micros. Besides, most vegetarian foods can be eaten with minimal cooking procedures which helps them preserve the heat-labile micronutrients and hence, make the diet even more nutrient-rich.
Fruits are the best source of micronutrients and they don’t have to be cooked. Vitamin C, dietary fibers, and folate are the essential micronutrients one can only have by proper consumption of fruits. Similarly, vegetables are rich sources of vitamin A, vitamin B1, B2 and B6, and vitamin C. Additionally, people who eat vegetables consume fewer calories and less fat as compared to those who consume meat, and hence are at a lower risk for cardiovascular diseases.
What Is A Vegan Diet
Some people define veganism as a part of vegetarianism and some consider it different. However, the basic principle of veganism involves avoiding anything that has an animal product. It doesn’t allow the use of dairy or eggs like vegetarianism does.
There is a misconception that vegans don’t get their daily dose of micronutrients or even proteins. However, that is not true. There are various replacements to each and everything that a non-vegetarian or vegetarian diet contains.
In fact, as this ideology is becoming more famous, people are also coming up with ideas like vegan eggs and vegan meat. There are a lot of replacements to dairy as well. E.g. cashew milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc. Soy milk is indeed a good source of protein for those who do not consume dairy. However, its overconsumption has shown several side effects like hormonal imbalance.
As mentioned earlier, vegan diets are rich in micronutrients too. In fact, several studies conducted on brain and body functioning of people consuming vegan foods have shown a lot of health benefits of this diet. Speedy recovery from any inflammatory disease is one of them. Vegan diets have shown drastic improvements in patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, or even kidney diseases like chronic renal failure.
Some people also opt for vegan diets as a means of weight loss and they have proven to be helpful in such scenarios. However, portion control and proper diet planning play a major role in planning a vegan diet for weight loss.
Most importantly, veganism is the most eco-friendly diet of all. Where non-vegetarian diets promote the consumption of meat and hence animal farming, vegan diets promote direct consumption of plant-based foods. This helps the environment in various ways. An animal has to be fed eighteen times more than the amount of macronutrients its meat will provide, which simply means that eighteen or even more humans could be fed with the amount of food and hence that way is more energy efficient.
Some people have also argued that plants too have emotions and that they can feel pain too, which rules out the whole point of non-violence in veganism. However, that is not true. Plants do not have a central nervous system and hence they don’t have a sense of pain. And even if they do, it is more in the favor of plants to be fed directly to a human than to be consumed indirectly in a non-energy efficient way.
Veganism is also said to be a bit more expensive as compared to a vegetarian diet, which again is a big myth. A little awareness of local and affordable vegan foods can help you know that veganism is indeed an affordable way of life.
Vegetarianism VS. Veganism
Vegetarian diets have a good amount of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, n-6 fatty acids, vitamin A and its various forms, folate, vitamin C and E and minerals like magnesium. These diets contain less protein (less essential amino acids to be specific), n-3 fatty acids, and vitamin B12. ZInc is a problem for vegetarians too.
But fortunately, vegetarians can adapt to having lower amounts of zinc in their diet. Their bodies develop retention mechanisms too. On the other hand, vegans can have a lower consumption of vitamin B12 and calcium due to the complete restriction of dairy.
As plant-based foods do not contain vitamin B12, vegetarians have to rely on dairy and eggs for maintaining their B12 levels. But vegans on the other hand can only rely on fortified foods and supplements if their B12 levels go down. Tempeh and seaweed are claimed to be sources of B12, but there is no scientific evidence to that yet.
Coming to iron, the amount of this mineral is almost the same in vegetarian, nonvegetarian, and vegan diet. But the bioavailability of iron is less in both vegetarian and vegan diets. This is a common fact for almost all the nutrients by the logic that animal products by default contain amino acids and minerals similar to that of humans and hence are easily absorbed.
Bone health of vegetarians and vegans have a considerable difference as vegetarians have a good source of calcium in their diet, i.e. dairy. Vegan diets have to incorporate large amounts of calcium foods like dark green leafy vegetables to match the levels of their recommended dietary allowances of Ca, but it is not impossible to do so.
Health Benefits Of Vegetarianism
A vegetarian diet is more beneficial to health as compared to animal product-based diets as per the evidence available to date. As mentioned above, a vegetarian diet is not a completely plant-based diet as it includes dairy products and eggs along with plant-based food.
Hence, a vegetarian gets all the benefits of plant-based foods along with the health benefits of eggs and dairy. Take a look into following points to get detailed information about the health effects of vegetarianism:
Improved nutritional status
A well-planned vegetarian diet is best suited for all stages of the life cycle as it provides adequate macro as well as micronutrients required at each stage. A vegetarian diet is rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibers, essential fats, folic acid, Vitamin A, C, E, B12, and D, minerals like zinc, magnesium, potassium, and Calcium.
This diet has low saturated and trans fats. Mostly vegetarians meet the daily nutrient intake requirements as per the recommendations given by the country’s health organizations.
Thus, they rarely suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. However, plant-based food does not contain enough vitamin B12. But the dairy products and eggs fulfill the vitamin B12 requirements.
Reduced obesity
Research shows that vegetarians have lower BMI as compared to non-vegetarians as vegetarians tend to have a lower calorie intake.
Reduced risk of CVDs:
Vegetarians have a lower plasma cholesterol level than the non-vegetarians. Thus, they are less susceptible to cardiovascular diseases. Also, vegetarians tend to have a lower (normal) blood pressure than the meat-eaters. Obesity is the main cause of cardiovascular diseases.
A well planned vegetarian diet prevents you from gaining weight and thus it reduces the risk of CVDs. Researchers have also shown that the death rate of vegetarians due to stroke is lower as compared to the non-vegetarians.
Lower risk of cancer
Diet plays an important role in preventing various types of cancer in the human body. A well-planned vegetarian diet helps to control the risk factors that lead to cancer.
Researchers have also noted that vegetarians are less susceptible to colon, prostate, and breast cancers as compared to the meat-eaters. The products like soybean included in vegetarian diets balance the estrogen levels in the female body.
Moreover, the prevalence of obesity is also less in vegetarians. Hence, vegetarianism lowers the risk of breast cancer.
Improved bone health
Meat increases the ‘acid load’ on the body. This leads to poor absorption of calcium. Moreover, the intake of vegetables is found to be lower in non-vegetarians. On the other side, vegetarians consume adequate calcium-rich, green leafy vegetables along with dairy products.
Due to lesser ‘acid load,’ vegetarians can absorb necessary calcium and provide it to bones and muscles for their efficient functioning. This reduces the risk of bone-related diseases like Arthritis.
To avail all the health benefits of a vegetarian diet, you need to avoid junk foods, fatty foods, fried foods, etc. You need to plan a diet that meets the nutrient requirement of your body.
Follow the food pyramid and dietary guidelines given by your country to get a clear idea about the amounts of vegetarian foods to be included in your diet.
Health Benefits Of A Vegan Diet
A vegan diet is the best source of almost all the macro as well as micronutrients that a human body requires for sustaining a healthy life. Vegan food sources have been proved to eliminate all the risks to the human body that are caused by animal fats. There are various health benefits linked to a vegan diet.
Weight loss
Studies have shown that vegans have a lower BMI as compared to non-vegans. Mostly, animal foods add more fat and calorie content to your diet as compared to plant-based foods. Also, plant-based foods are more or less loaded with dietary fibers that make you feel fuller for a longer period of time. This fiber content helps you to restrict the energy intake with zero efforts as fibers tend to bring early satiety during consumption. Hence, a vegan diet automatically reduces your daily calorie intake.
Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases
Animal products like animal meat, butter, cheese, etc. are rich in saturated fats. American Heart Association links the food containing this type of fat with the elevation in cholesterol level in the body. This can have a detrimental effect on cardiovascular health and can lead to heart diseases and strokes. Contrary to this, plant-based foods provide essential fatty acids that are beneficial for heart health. Moreover, a vegan diet lowers the BMI which reduces obesity and in turn it promises better heart health.
Reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes and improved kidney function
Veganism provides multiple benefits that have been proved to prevent insulin resistance and also controls the declining kidney functions. Various studies have proved that veganism can increase insulin sensitivity and bring blood sugar levels to normal. The risk of Type 2 diabetes in vegans is 50-78% lower than those consuming animal-based foods. A study conducted by the American Dietetic Association showed that a vegan diet can also reduce the dosage of blood-sugar-lowering medication in people already suffering from Type 2 Diabetes. Moreover, a vegan diet also reduces the symptoms of systemic distal polyneuropathy that may lead to severe pain in diabetic patients.
Anti-Cancer effect
Legume consumption reduces the risk of colorectal cancer by 9-18%. Consumption of at least 7-8 servings of fruits & vegetable every day can reduce the risk of deaths occurring due to cancer by almost 15%. The soy products consumed as a substitute to dairy products can reduce the risk of breast cancer. Moreover, eliminating the animal products from daily diet lowers the risk of prostate, colon, and breast cancer. But avoiding dairy products is not the result of lower risk of cancer.
Reduction in Arthritis pain
Many studies have proved the beneficial effect of a vegan diet on the pain caused due to Arthritis. Vegans tend to have elevated energy levels as compared to the omnivores and vegetarians. Moreover, they have a better body functioning and metabolism. A probiotic-rich vegan diet focused on raw food items is beneficial for relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid Arthritis.
Benefits to metabolism
Vegan diet is rich in fibers, vitamins like A, C & E, and minerals like potassium, magnesium, and folate. A well planned vegan diet provides you with essential fatty acids, iron, calcium, and other micronutrients that boost your metabolism and helps you to live a healthier life. Consuming a vegan diet adds less to the oxidative stress on your body. This in turn boosts the immune system and helps you fight diseases and infections.
Unhealthy Foods To Avoid On Vegetarian And Vegan Diet
Many people make the mistake that everything that is vegetarian or vegan is healthy. This is not the case and so here are some vegan and vegetarian foods to avoid if you’re looking to keep healthy!
Fake Frozen Meats
There are products available in the market like “no chicken, chicken nuggets” does not contain meat but they have high sodium content along with higher amounts of preservatives. These meats contain lower amounts of nutrients.
Thus, it is advisable to choose products that have legumes and beans listed on the top of their ingredient list. Moreover, the amounts of preservatives and salt must also be checked before buying such products.
Tofu Deli Meat
Tofu Deli meats have higher amounts of sodium and sometimes sugar. This is not a healthier option that can be added to vegan diet.
However, it is advisable to choose the deli meat slices prepared from the combination of chickpeas and veggies.
Vegan desserts
The vegan desserts available in the market can be unhealthy. As these desserts cannot incorporate butter and eggs, manufacturers often choose to add starches, pectin, and gums to get the ideal texture and consistency of the desserts. These desserts also contain higher sugar and calorie content.
Frozen foods
Frozen foods are unhealthy as they contain higher amounts of sodium, sugar, and preservatives. It is advisable to choose frozen vegan meals manufactured by the brands that are making efforts to deliver low sodium frozen vegan meals. The products that are rich in whole grains must be chosen over refined frozen food products.
Veggie chips
Veggie chips available in the market contain extra seasonings and salt in order to enhance the taste of the veggie chips. But everything that claims to contain vegetables is not healthy.
Thus, the veggie chips with lesser seasonings and salt must be preferred over the unhealthy spicy and salty chips. To consume healthier chips, it is also necessary to check the type of oil and cooking method used in making chips. Prefer air fried or baked veggie chips for a healthier option.
French fries
French fries are made by deep-frying the potato pieces in oil. These fries have high sodium content. Moreover, they have higher oil content. The potatoes are rich in carbohydrates. Thus, all the ingredients lead to addition of extra calories, fats, and sodium to your diet. Consuming such foods can lead to obesity and it can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Thus, prefer air-fried sweet potato or carrot fries with a healthy dip rather than consuming these French fries with sugar loaded ketchups and high calorie dips.
Coconut Yogurt
Normal yogurt consumed by vegetarians is made from milk. Thus, it contains a high amount of protein. But the vegan coconut yogurt is entirely made up of coconut. One serving of such yogurt can add up to 60gms of saturated fat to your diet. This actually leads to weight gain and increases the risk of CVDs. Hence, avoid such unhealthy vegan products.
Conclusion
There have been comparisons between mortality rates of vegetarians, vegans and nonvegetarians too. Not much difference was found there. But, looking at the health benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets and knowing that there are efficient ways to combat the micronutrient deficiencies that these diets might bring in, it is clearly a good idea to try these diets.
One can always go back to what feels satisfying on their plates but we can try adapting to these diet patterns that are better for both, humans and environment.
There are some arguments where athletes with nonvegetarian food habits are believed to be physically better than those with vegetarian or vegan food habits. But do you know that some of the very famous athletes are actually vegan.
Most of the time, the nutrient in consideration is protein in such scenarios. But if you have carefully read the benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets, you’ll figure out that they are practically the best choice for athletes too.
There are some spiritual, moral and religious aspects to food choices too. Some religions actively support the consumption of foods sourced with nonviolence because they believe that the way you obtain your food also affects its impact on the body.
To conclude, each and every diet has its own health benefits, drawbacks, impact on the environment and your mental health too. However, it is upto you to choose the one that seems the best for you and is equally responsible towards the environment.
Also, if you are someone who has been consuming a non-vegetarian diet all along but wants to shift to a vegetarian or vegan diet, you don’t need to do it all at once. Read a bit about flexitarian diet. That will help you achieve your goal in a sustainable manner.