Nutritional Impacts of a Plant Based Diet
Holistic Health
Separating the nutritional argument from the ethical one in the vegan/vegetarian vs carnivorous diet debate is an important distinction and also discussed in The Saturated Fat Hypothesis. Not consuming animal products for moral reasons is a very person and larger philosophical conversation, that being said it is fair to say that many modern mass production of animal products result in some extreme cruelty to animal. But is a vegan or vegetarian diet nutritionally superior?
What is under consideration here is a look purely into some of the nutritional effects. Examining potential benefits and costs of implementing a Vegan or Vegetarian diet and proposing some nutritional and lifestyle hacks to optimise your Vegan and Vegetarian diet if you decide to implement one.
”Everything I eat is locally produced where possible and 100% organic”
For parity my general choice and details of diet as to make clear from what prospective I come to this topic with, I best summarise my diet as being vegetarian in foundation and whole food based, meaning vegetables are the majority of what I consume and no processed foods. Everything I eat is locally produced where possible and 100% organic. On top of my vegetable and plant base I consume animal protein ‘sparingly’; fish by way of wild fresh water salmon, shellfish and diary in the form of grass-fed butter, organic raw cheeses although no animal milk in the form of drinks. I eat eggs and do consume red meat but a hand full of times a year. Most of my meat consumption is in the form of chicken broths and organ meat most typically liver. On top of this I eat fruit but a small amount and get quite a significant proportion of calories from fats including saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated by way of nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil and coconut oil. I avoid all processed food, consume no refined carbohydrates or sweeteners and employ a condensed time eating window daily.
”I’ve switched to plant based and I’ve never felt better!”
Many anecdotal reports can be found of positive health effects of going vegetarian and vegan. I don’t doubt these accounts to be accurate and have heard them personally. I believe a big factor in this often-initial feeling of improvement is very dependent on the starting point of the individuals nutrition – the worse the diet prior to implementing the vegetarian or vegan diet the greater the perceived improvement. If switching from a standard Western diet rich in refined carbohydrates, processed meat to that of one higher in micro nutrient density, fibre and plant variety which of course a vegetarian or vegan diet is, will result in a noticeable improvement and is wholly positive.
Another important factor to consider when experiencing initial improvements after switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet is whether in fact the exclusion of a specific food or nutrient is the mechanism for improvements. A good example of this may be when implementing a vegan diet and cutting out diary where an intolerance was present prior, or elimination of process meats, and therefore nitrates and often sugar and high fructose syrup by default. This idea of food exclusion being the catalyst for positive change rather than the components of the new diet rescheme is most often in play with so called fad diets and the initial feelings of health improvement that also typically short lived.
Potential deficiencies and solutions
If deciding to try or implement a vegetarian or vegan diet it is important to take stock and address the potential nutrient deficiencies and to supplement or mitigate these as best possible. It is of course accurate to say that given a vegan diet is more limiting than a vegetarian diet greater attention to possible deficiencies would be advisable. Whether a diet that requires additional supplementation is then by definition optimum is an interesting question to ask yourself however if you decide to implement a vegan or vegetarian diet these deficiencies can be addressed by adding some specific whole foods to your eating habits and some only through supplementation.
Creatine
Creatine has been shown to play import roles in brain function and many studies have shown oral supplementation increasing skeletal muscle strength and endurance. Creatine is only found in animal products and in highest concentrations in muscle meat, organ meat.
Take Home: Fortunately creatine supplements usually taken in the form of creatine monohydrate is easy to source, cost effective and vegan friendly
Taurine
Taurine is found in meat, fish, eggs and milk and is a non essential amino acid meaning it is produced by the body, however research has indicated deficiencies play an important role in heart health causing a weakening of the muscle cells in the heart, causing a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. Taurine also present in bile salts and thus a definciency may cause digestive issues.
Take home: natural sources of taurine are only found in animal products, but synthetic taurine in the form of supplements are vegan friendly.
DHA EPA Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 are long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that have been shown to have a range of important health benefits including a role in healthy aging, cardiovascular health, brain and neurone development, reduced Alzheimer’s disease risk, important roles in anti-inflammatory processes and especially important for fetal development.
Humans do not efficiently produce Omega 3 so it must be taken in through the diet and EPA, DHA are only found in marine animals. ‘Oily’ fish, fish products such as fish liver oil are the highest concentration sources but is also found in marine algae which is the only substantial vegan friendly source via a supplement. Importantly omega 3 fatty acid can be found in land plants and flax oil but a shorter chain version called α-linolenic acid and α-linolenic acid has not been shown to provide the same health benefits as EPA, DHA mainly due to its poor conversion efficiency into EPA / DHA. Although α-linolenic acid can be converted to EPA and DHA, research has shown this conversion is at best 10% and some research shows a conversion as low as 0.3% for EPA and 0.01 for DHA. It seems that genetics can play a crucial role in the efficiency of this conversion – never the less 10% being the high end of efficiency is less than optimal.
Take home: Fish specifically wild salmon are the best sources of EPA, DHA, but if removing animal products from diet its advisable to supplement. Conversion ratios are poor from ALA so plant sources including flax oil maybe best to avoid and go for a microalgae product which by pass this conversion process as preformed EPA, DHA are present. Aim for ((1.2g of Omega 3 daily,))Take micro algae as it has preformed DHA, EPA so by pass the conversion process. 6-9 capsuels daily.
(6% for both), 1.25g daily inline with RDA. 2 tea spoons = 5,788mg ALA. 7.2 tea spoons needed to reach 1.2g if conversion is at 6% which is being generous as DHA conversions is report as 3.8%. A diet high is n6 lowers this by 40-50%. Optimal 6:3 ratio 4:6 or less
Vitamin K2
Important for cardiovascular health and bone health and has been shown to keeps calcium in hard tissue where it belongs and out of the arteries and other soft tissues. K2 (menaquinone) was only relatively recently discovered, more is known of its ‘cousin’ vitamin K1 (phytonadione). The only vegan friendly food that contain sufficient amounts of K2 is Natto – a fermented soy. Other than Natto the best sources of K2 are animal meat. K2 can also be found in kafir, sourkraut and kimchi.
Take home: ideally consume natto especially if opting to completely eliminate all animal products, natto may be inaccessible to you, in which case K2 supplements are available.
B12
Important for red blood cell production and function and neuromuscular function. Deficiencies in B12 can mimic that of Parkinson’s disease in extreme cases and research has shown vegetarian and vegan diets are significantly more defincient in B12 compared to omivores.
Only found naturally in animal products or synthetic by way of supplements and fortified foods. It is very important to be supplementing with B12 if not consuming animal products. Plant based supplements such as spirulina and nutritional yeast often claim to contain plant sources of B12, but its important to understand this form of B12 is in fact a pseudovitamin B12 which cannot be metabolised by humans. Luckily B12 supplementation is a easy hack. B12 comes in 4 types for supplementation; Hydroxycobalamin, Methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin (these 3 are natural), Cyanocobalamin (synthetic form). Natural forms are more bioavailable and many vegetarian and vegan friendly supplements are available.
Take home: B12 is an important deficiency to address if removing all animal products from your diet, luckily B12 in vegan friendly forms is easy to obtain by way of supplementation. Ideally supplement with a product containing the natural forms (Hydroxycobalamin, Methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin)
Iron (Heme-iron)
Low levels of Iron effect heamoblobin causing low red blood cell and thus oxygen transportation. Dietary Iron comes in 2 formed, non heme iron which is found in some vegetables, grains, beans and legumes and heme iron found only in animal products specifically red meat, poultry and sea food. Heme Iron is significantly more bioavailable than non heme iron and research has shown a non meat diet may result in deficiencies. Women are particularly at risk to suffer with an iron deficiency.
Take home: Heme Iron is far more bioavailable compared to non heme iron. Heme Iron is only found is meat. If removing all meat from your diet non heme iron can still be obtained from plants sources and vegan friendly supplement but due to the decrease of absorption a rough increase of 1.8 of RDA has been recommended.
Cholesterol – Saturated Fat, an honorable mention
Cholesterol has had a lot of bad press over the years and been linked with increase CHD and cancer risk by way of LDL or bad cholesterol increase. Importantly newer research suggests dietary cholesterol plays a much smaller role in increasing blood LDL levels and other lifestyle factors play crucial roles in more complex inter relationship. Cholesterol is an essential nutrient and is found in the cell membrane of every cell in the human body, required to synthesis hormones and other important functions.
Foods high in saturated fat include many meat and animal products like eggs, red meat and cheese but also plant sources like coconut oil, coconut milk and palm oil. Animal products containing high levels of saturated fat is often sited a reason to implement a vegetarian or vegan diet and for this reason cholesterol has an honourable mention.
For a deeper dive into this complex issue, the importance of cholesterol and latest science behind a change in the paradigm around its impact on health a future article is coming soon….
In Conclusion
In conclusion if choosing to implement a vegan or vegetarian diet for moral reason its important to consider and address potential nutrient definencies as there is solid research to support these exist in relation to specific nutrients and are more prevalent in vegetarian and vegan populations. There is no doubt a move away from a standard western diet to one containing more plant and vegetables is a positive change for your health. That being said a well balanced diet with a vegetarian foundation plus specific high quality organic meat and animal products included for their nutritional content may be optimum. If opting to exclude these animal products and thus these specific nutrients greater care and attention should be paid to mitigating these potential deficiencies whether through food inclusion or dietary supplements.