Vegan diets have become relatively common. You may have wondered at some point if it would be right for you. While it is easy to be all for or all against vegan diets, there are both pros and cons. Let’s examine just a few of them.
The Pros Of A Vegan Diet
You Eat More Plants
The number one health benefit of veganism is the increased intake of plant foods. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes are loaded with important nutrients and fiber which are usually lacking in the typical american diet.
You Eat More Variety
To get all of your nutritional requirements, particularly protein and fat, you will have to eat a wide variety of plants. A single piece of meat can provide you with a large dose of both. On a plant based diet you might have to combine two foods, like beans and avocado, to get a meal that packs the same punch. The good thing about this extra work is the exposure to a wider variety of foods, and thus a wider variety of nutrients.
You Shop More Conscientiously
Finding good produce is not always easy. As a result, vegans are often attracted to things like farmers’ markets and CSAs. This will not only help improve your health, but also build community and support the environment by promoting smaller, local operations.
The Cons Of A Vegan Diet
It’s A More Difficult Eating Plan
As already mentioned, it is more complicated to cover some of your needs as a vegan. You will need more combinations of foods to ensure that you are covering all your bases. If your diet lacks sufficient quantity and variety, it can be easy to miss key nutrients.
The Larger You Are, The Harder It Is
Plants are not very caloric. This might not be a problem for a small person, but the larger you are, the more difficult it is to hit your calorie requirements. If your goal is weight loss this might sound good at first, but being under your caloric needs for an extended period can adversly affect your metabolism and cause you to shed muscle. Both have negative impacts for your health and for long-term weight control.
You Will Have To Supplement At Least A Little
Vegan diets are not good sources of some key nutrients. Calcium, Vitamin D, and iron are very hard to get, for example. Vitamin B-12 will be completely missing. There are supplements available for this problem, but supplemets are not always trustworthy. You will need to do some extra due-diligence if you intend to meet some of your needs through supplementation.