Negative Health Effects of a
Plant-Based Diet
What Does The Science Say?
I have a confession to make. It is true that, for many people, being healthy on a strictly plant-based diet is possible. Many studies that discusses the health effects of veganism suggests that vegans and often vegetarians have lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, leading to a lower risk of heart disease. And that’s awesome! But, the truth is, in my very extensive research, I have not found a single study that presented veganism as an all-around HEALTHIER alternative to a balanced omnivorous diet. If you have found one, please, by all means, head on over to my social medias and tell me about it. |
Photo from http://livelighter.org/5-vegan-diet-plans-to-lose-weight-fast/
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In the meantime, I want to share with you some studies that uncover the very real dangers of a vegan diet. The reality is that removing two out of the USDA’s five recommended food groups (remember the food pyramid, or the more recent MyPlate?) is simply not a smart thing to do. Here’s the proof:
- In 2014, the Public Library of Science (PLOS) published a match-sampled study that reported, “a vegetarian diet is associated with poorer health (higher incidences of cancer, allergies, and mental health disorders), a higher need for health care, and poorer quality of life. Therefore, public health programs are needed in order to reduce the health risk due to nutritional factors.”
- In 2013, Bioscience Horizons published a study that concluded that, although there was a risk reduction for cardiovascular disease and a possible risk reduction of prostate cancer, a wholly herbivorous diet presented a “cancer risk promotion [of all other types] due to disproportionate intakes of omega-3 relative to omega-6.”
- In 2003, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study that put exact data on the nutritional deficiencies. Researchers found that “5% of the omnivores, 68% of the LV-LOV [or lacto-vegetarians and lacto-ovo-vegetarians—vegetarians that include milk, and milk and eggs respectively] group, and 83% of the vegans” were deficient in Vitamin B12, and were experiencing a lower quality of life from the side effects from this shortcoming.
- In December of 2014, a study published by the Humane Research Council found that, after switching to a plant-based diet, 29% of ex-vegetarians suffered from one of the following conditions: depression/anxiety, digestive problems, food allergies, low cholesterol, an eating disorder, or thyroid problems. What’s interesting is that “82% of these respondents indicated that some or all of the conditions improved when they reintroduced meat”.
- An older study published in 1999 by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences found “substantial evidence indicates that diets high in plant-based foods may explain the epidemiologic variance of many hormone-dependent diseases that are a major cause of mortality and morbidity in Western populations”.
The Plant-Based Movement
It is also true that, in the developed world, and especially in America, obesity is an alarming epidemic. Over 1/3 of American adults are classified as obese and over 1/6 of American adolescents (age 6-19) are considered obese, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Furthermore, it’s a widely repeated fact that heart disease is the number one reason for death in first world nations. It’s no wonder that people are looking for radical alternatives to the so-called Standard American Diet, which is accurately abbreviated as SAD.
It is also true that, in the developed world, and especially in America, obesity is an alarming epidemic. Over 1/3 of American adults are classified as obese and over 1/6 of American adolescents (age 6-19) are considered obese, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Furthermore, it’s a widely repeated fact that heart disease is the number one reason for death in first world nations. It’s no wonder that people are looking for radical alternatives to the so-called Standard American Diet, which is accurately abbreviated as SAD.
However, the idea that veganism is a new-age solution that will solve all the world’s problems is simply not true. References to plant-based diets can be found in the Bible, dating back thousands of years (I plan to do a separate blog post about this). Many civilizations have lived on almost exclusively herbivorous diets, and many of them still exist today, and usually have religious reasons for doing so. So, if this idea has been around for so long, then why hasn’t it gained widespread traction?
The mainstream vegan movement loves to brag that 2% of people in the developed world are wholly plant-based, and they claim that this number is rising (although there’s no research to support that their completely false and often inappropriate propaganda has gained any traction) to one day take over the world. What they fail to mention is that 10% of the population are ex-vegetarians or vegans. That is, people who have tried the diet and found it either so unpleasant or difficult to maintain, that they went back to eating meat. How’s that for a case study? |
Photo from http://www.thisoriginalorganiclife.com/2013/11/25/vegetarian-vs-meat-eating/
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My Nutrition Blog Series
I’m very excited to announce that this blog post is only the beginning of what is going to be a several-week Nutrition Series. My expected topics for future posts are:
I’m very excited to announce that this blog post is only the beginning of what is going to be a several-week Nutrition Series. My expected topics for future posts are:
- Nutrients (plant protein vs. animal protein)
- Nutrients (fats, vitamins, and minerals)
- Cholesterol/Heart Disease (types of cholesterol, CVD dietary risk factors)
- Cancer (will mainly focus on the myth of meat being a carcinogen)
- The China Study/The Masai Tribe
- Eggs (specific nutrients and health impacts)
- Dairy (specific nutrients and health impacts)
Plus anything else I think of! Of course these are likely to change. If you have any ideas of something you would like to see, head on over to my social medias and let me know! Although I write these blogs as a reference to send to vegans, my main hope is to write things that y’all want to read. I’m so overwhelmed at all of the support I’ve received, and I’m so appreciative to each and every one of you!
Other Sources:
Fryar, Cheryl, M.S.P.H., and Cynthia Ogden, Ph.D., M.R.P. "Overweight and Obesity Statistics." National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Oct. 2012. Web. 08 Mar. 2017. Obesity statistics.
Guerin, Kelly, "Where's the Beef? (With Vegans): A Qualitative Study of Vegan-Omnivore Conflict" (2014). Undergraduate Honors Theses. Paper 109. Issues with Vegan Propoganda.
Herzog, Hal, Ph.D. "84% of Vegetarians and Vegans Return to Meat. Why?" Psychology Today. Psychology Today, 2 Dec. 2014. Web. 08 Mar. 2017. More ex-vegetarian statistics.
Other Sources:
Fryar, Cheryl, M.S.P.H., and Cynthia Ogden, Ph.D., M.R.P. "Overweight and Obesity Statistics." National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Oct. 2012. Web. 08 Mar. 2017. Obesity statistics.
Guerin, Kelly, "Where's the Beef? (With Vegans): A Qualitative Study of Vegan-Omnivore Conflict" (2014). Undergraduate Honors Theses. Paper 109. Issues with Vegan Propoganda.
Herzog, Hal, Ph.D. "84% of Vegetarians and Vegans Return to Meat. Why?" Psychology Today. Psychology Today, 2 Dec. 2014. Web. 08 Mar. 2017. More ex-vegetarian statistics.