Why a Vegan Diet Isn’t Always Healthy: Expert Tips for Getting It Right

TEDDIE

4 months ago

Diet specialists offer advice on sidestepping common traps with plant-based diets, like consuming excessive amounts of processed items and lacking essential vitamins and minerals.

Although prominent organizations like the American Medical Association and Harvard Medicine concur that a plant-based diet can enhance heart health, physical well-being, and general wellness, one can still have an unhealthy lifestyle even when adhering to a vegan regimen.

Just like with other dietary approaches, it might tempt you to avoid nutritious whole foods and choose heavily processed alternatives instead. Certain store-bought cookies, chips, and sweets could be labeled as vegan—meaning they contain no ingredients derived from animals such as butter, milk, eggs, or meat—but this doesn’t automatically make them good for your health.

Here are common ways a
vegan diet
can be less than healthy.

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Too many processed foods

Although a survey conducted by the American data firm Gallup in 2023 indicated that the percentage of vegetarians in the United States hasn’t significantly shifted from what it was in the early 2000s, the uptake of vegan goods has seen an increase.

An analysis conducted by the market research firm Technavio indicates that the vegan food sector is projected to expand by several billion dollars over the coming years.

Currently, you are quite probable to encounter
a plant-based Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger
as a choice at a burger franchise, and you can load up on
non-dairy ice cream
, plant-based sausages, vegan alternatives for eggs, and dairy-free cheeses available at major American supermarkets as well as international stores.

However, according to nutrition experts, swapping out animal-based items for plant-based substitutes might not necessarily lead to a healthier diet.

Simply because something is vegan, it doesn’t automatically make it healthy.

Will Cole, a practitioner of functional medicine and an author

[A] very common trap with a plant-based diet,” notes Dr. Michelle Thompson, who specializes in lifestyle medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in Pennsylvania, “is consuming excessive amounts of processed foods.

“They might start their day with a bagel for breakfast, followed by a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, and end up having a frozen vegetable burger for dinner. I advise folks to consume items derived from plants rather than those produced in factories,” she states.

A lot of these plant-based substitutes include food additives that categorize them as ”
ultra-processed
category—which may result in metabolic problems and hormonal imbalances—including oils, modified food starches, and added sugars.

“Just because something is vegan, it doesn’t automatically make it healthy,” according to Will Cole, a functional medicine physician and author based in Pennsylvania.

Looking for an increase in vitamins and minerals

Individuals adhering to a vegan diet may face shortages of certain vitamins since several essential nutrients are predominantly found in animal products.

“No matter what you eat, some people still do not get all the essential vitamins and nutrients required for their daily needs,” explains Alianna Anselmi, who leads the dietary team at Allegheny Health Network located in Pennsylvania and New York.

Deficiencies in
vitamin B12
and
iron
Vitamin B12 deficiencies are quite prevalent among those who follow a vegan diet. This vitamin aids in producing red blood cells and ensures proper nerve function; signs of insufficiency might involve numbness in the fingertips or hands. Iron plays an essential role in developing blood and facilitating oxygen transport within the body, impacting overall energy levels particularly when concentrations fall below optimal.

Those following a
plant-based diet
One can obtain Vitamin B12 from enriched foods like nutritional yeast, plant-based milk, whole-grain cereals, and vegetarian meat substitutes, according to Caroline Passerrello, a dietitian and nutritionist affiliated with the Pitt School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in Pennsylvania.

Vegetarians can obtain B12 from dairy products and eggs as well.

“For omega-3 fatty acids,
linseed, chia seeds, and walnuts
are options,” Passerrello says. “With iron, consuming foods like lentils,
tofu
and
spinach
along with a source of vitamin C – like red peppers or citrus fruits – will help the body absorb the iron from plants more efficiently.”

Some dietitians also encourage
vitamin supplementation
if following a vegan diet.

Cole states, ‘I don’t think a vegan diet offers the highest nutritional content for most individuals, but we’re living in an era where supplements and readily available foods allow us to create optimal vegan diets tailored to personal preferences. It’s entirely possible to design a nutritious and easily absorbable vegan meal plan.’

Too many refined carbs

A lot of bread items are vegan – and quite tasty – which might cause one to overly depend on carbohydrates, leading to potential energy slumps afterwards.

Some vegans depend too much on carbs for fuel because they are easier and the human body enjoys them – they are highly palatable and hit dopamine centres in the brain, Cole says. “But it’s not necessarily going to set you up for energy and optimal health and vitality longer term.”

It is not about cutting out all
junk food
, carbs and sugar, he says, but about being more intentional about where your food comes from and thinking about it in a balanced way.

This is part of what Thompson teaches in lifestyle medicine, which focuses on
food as medicine
.

She might occasionally advise her patients to liken their bodies to cars and consider what they require to function smoothly and well.

“If you add sugar to the fuel tank and oil instead of washer fluid in the reservoir, obviously that vehicle will perform badly,” she explains.

We aim for individuals to live without relying on packages. Instead, we prefer they spend their money at the supermarket rather than at the drugstore.

Gut health overlooked

Doctors such as Thompson and Cole in functional medicine dedicate significant time to enhancing their patients’ gut health.

An unhappy gut has been linked to
anxiety and depression
,
irritable bowl syndrome
, inflammation and hormonal imbalances. Similar to any dietary choice, adopting a vegan lifestyle may not yield benefits if your gut health is compromised.

Cole often says, “You need to connect with your instincts as they are.”

He states, ‘We become what we take in.’ And if your digestive system isn’t functioning optimally… then you must consider whether your food serves as medication; is your body effectively utilizing it?

A lot of foods that inherently do not contain animal products are also abundant in
FODMAPs, which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols
. Bacteria in the gut love to ferment high-Fodmap foods and, thus, these foods are poorly absorbed by the body. This can create an unbalanced gut microbiome and cause constipation, cramping, diarrhoea, gas and bloating.

Wheat gluten, legumes, garlic, onions, cashew nuts, bananas, apples
broccoli
And processed soy proteins are merely a few instances of high-FODMAP foods — items that might be everyday necessities for vegans.

This might place individuals following a vegan lifestyle due to moral beliefs in an awkward position. Cole occasionally advises his patients to shift towards a more protein-rich diet, particularly one containing more meats, when aiming to recover from gastrointestinal issues. However, this recommendation poses challenges for vegans dealing with similar health concerns as they must find alternative approaches.

A sign of a broader pattern

The problems that those following plant-based diets face is but a symptom of a larger trend that has amped up the processing of foods for convenience and a lower price, Cole says.

“We are facing, as a society, epidemic levels of
gut health and microbiome issues
, leading to various inflammatory health issues,” he explains. “Our ancestors, going back to our grandparents and great-grandparents, did not encounter the same exposures that we face today.

Herbicides, pesticides,
forever chemicals
,
microplastics
And highly processed components are increasingly being scrutinized as potential contributors to chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, and hormonal issues.

Cole points out, “We can’t solely blame the plant-based diet; instead, we should consider the extensive impact on both human and soil microbiomes, which hinders our bodies’ ability to effectively digest and absorb nutrients.” He continues, “This isn’t just about issues with plant-based diets; it’s more of a concern regarding overall human health.”

Be open to change

Cole, Thompson, and Anselmi do not recommend a particular diet for every one of their patients.

Thompson emphasizes that everyone is unique, hence having varied requirements—much like how eyeglass prescriptions differ from one person to another.

Anselmi expresses her hope that vegans won’t be deterred from consulting a dietitian if they seek advice. “There are numerous excellent plant-based dietitians and methods to ensure the diet remains both nourishing and engaging,” she notes.

Thompson states, “Nobody will dictate how you must approach this. Just because your dietary habits were set for years doesn’t mean they’re permanent.”

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