What is the relationship between veganism and he alth? Experts often point out that vegetables are missing from our menu, but what happens to the body when we rely solely on a plant-based diet? Read on if veganism is he althy and how to develop your own action plan when choosing to eat this way.

Veganism and he alth- will switching to this type of diet cause any negative consequences for us? After all, a vegan or plant-based diet means giving up animal products such as meat (including fish and seafood), dairy products, eggs, and honey. The menu is based on plants: fruits, vegetables, grains, pods, nuts and seeds.

In a broader sense, veganism is understood as a lifestyle chosen for ethical reasons and includes other spheres such as cosmetics, clothing and entertainment. To be he althy, a plant-based diet should be based on unprocessed plant products.

Veganism reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer

According to the American Dietetic Association, properly planned vegetarian diets, including strictly vegetarian or vegan diets, are he althy, meet nutritional requirements, and can provide he alth benefits for preventing and treating certain diseases.

Well-planned vegetarian diets are suitable for all stages of life, including pregnancy and lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and athletes. The diet based on plant products is characteristic of the longest and he althiest living communities in the world. More research shows that the more animal products in a diet, the greater the risk of heart disease, many types of cancer, diabetes, obesity, dementia and premature death. A diet based on wholesome plant products not only prevents diseases, but is also able to reverse heart disease at an advanced stage. The WHO classifies meat products (e.g. cold cuts) as carcinogenic components, along with asbestos, tobacco and exhaust fumes.

Products rich in vegetable protein:

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Plant-based diets are not new - humans have been eating this way for a long time, now also inin many corners of the world, plant products are the basis of the diet.

Protein, iron and calcium in a vegan diet

One of the most important doubts about "veganism and he alth" is about the possibility of providing some nutrients only from plant products and whether there is enough protein in such a dietprotein . The blame for this is the misconception that there is never too much of this ingredient and that it is only found in animal products. As a result, the average person in developed countries eats twice as much protein as needed, which results in chronic disease. In practice, a diet that provides the right amount of calories also provides enough protein. It is not necessary to combine its various sources in one meal to obtain all the necessary amino acids. The body breaks down proteins into amino acids anyway and creates them itself.

Another question concerns iron and the fact that plant foods only containnon-haem iron , which is less digestible (while 40% of the iron in animal products is heme iron). However, there is more and more talk about the dangers of excess iron (which may be the upper limit in force).Ironis an oxidant and an excess of iron means an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and infection. Iron levels close to half the normal range are best. This ingredient is present in large amounts in green-leaved vegetables (all types of lettuce, arugula, lamb's lettuce, spinach, parsley, etc.), as well as in pods (soybeans, white beans, red lentils), wheat bran and germ, millet, seeds pumpkin and sesame seeds, as well as in nuts.

As forcalcium , it is better absorbed from plant foods than from milk, which is sometimes presented as its only source. It is mostly found in green vegetables (watercress, kale, broccoli, spinach), poppy seeds, sesame, almonds and figs. Nut and seed butters are a good source of this, as well as products enriched with this element, such as vegetable drinks and tofu.

What is a vegan diet based on?

The basis of a vegan menu is primarily fresh fruit and vegetables, preferably seasonal, but also frozen food. It is difficult to do without a supply of various pods (dry and canned), from which you can quickly prepare cutlets or paste for bread, as well as pasta, rice, groats and cereals. Nuts and seeds are not only an addition to dishes, but also the basis of plant-based milks that you can make at home. It is worth having dates and other dried fruit and peanut butter,which can be added to smoothies or he althy sweets. Spices play an important role, especially smoked paprika, which gives the dishes a smoked aftertaste, black kala namak s alt with the taste of eggs or yeast flakes adding a cheese flavor. Full of umami flavor that may be missing at first are soy sauce, miso paste and sun-dried tomatoes. Don't forget about the mushrooms, which are great for chops.

So at first it may seem that after excluding meat, dairy products and eggs, not much will be left, these are only appearances. Vegetable cuisine is full of flavors, very diverse and extremely innovative. Just browse through books or blogs with vegan recipes to see how ingenious the methods of using products that are almost always served in the same way in the traditional diet can be. Examples include meringues and chocolate mousse with aquafaba (water from canned legumes), cheese sauce with potatoes, salmon with carrots, scrambled eggs with chickpeas, spicy cauliflower "wings" and recipes for cutlets or pâtés with groats and pods. There is no need for ready-made products, such as vegetable cold cuts, sausages, chops, cheese. They should not be the basis of the menu, they can be eaten from time to time. If the assumptions of a plant-based diet convince you, but you think that you cannot go vegan because you love your mother's cheesecake or you can't imagine a pizza without cheese - don't give up! Use a plant-based diet every day, and allow yourself to deviate from holidays (if only not every day). It would be a pity to deprive yourself of the beneficial effects of this diet because of such a small thing.

Worth knowing

Except in special cases (people with deficiencies, athletes) there is no need to carefully plan and calculate the nutrient content of meals. It is enough for the menu to be varied, based as much as possible on unprocessed products. The content of nutrients in a given product, e.g. oranges, can vary considerably (season, soil, storage).

Besides, we cannot predict how much of a given ingredient will be used by the body. An ingredient not found in the plant-based diet is vitamin B12. We need very little of it, but the effects of its deficiency are serious, so you should take a supplement with this vitamin (100 mcg a day).

Vegan diet

Veganism is one of the varieties of radical vegetarianism, which implies the exclusion of meat and animal products, including eggs and dairy products from the menu. What can vegans eat then? Is such a restrictive diet he althy? These questions are answered by our expert - dietitianAgnieszka Piskała.

In the Eski Rock studio, Joanna Lotkowska and Marcin Tischner from ProVeg Polska talked about veganism and vegetarianism. In an interview with Michał Poklękowski, they refuted all myths and harmful stereotypes. Vege is not only a fashion, it is a lifestyle! And most importantly - free from animal suffering. Listen for yourself:

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