Is a vegan diet truly healthy?!
Is a vegan diet truly healthy?
As an established dietitian, I am here to tell you that a vegan diet is not truly healthy. I have seen many cases of individuals who have suffered permanent neurological damage from following a vegan for too long.
Humans are natural meat eaters. Our dietary requirements are that of an omnivore. Meat provides zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins.
Even if you still wish to be a vegan, you will still need to include some red meat in your diet. I would recommend that you include red meat at least 3 times a week.
7 months ago
Rhia, in reference to "You spelt dietician wrong. Go get an education for real please."
Dietitian is the correct British spelling.
Answers:
7 months ago
Rhia, in reference to "You spelt dietician wrong. Go get an education for real please."
Dietitian is the correct British spelling.
You spelt dietician wrong. Go get an education for real please.
i agree
I think its a healthy diet - you should eat at least 2 vegans a day!
"humans are natural meat eater" you need to do some research, our body actually favors a plant based diet. some people think because we have canine teeth we should eat meat, but actually herbivores have them to. our body is also better at digesting plants, and while i think veganism is very extreme, as long as you get all your vitamins a vegetarian diet is completely healthy, sir.
I'm an established dietitian as well. If planned properly, a vegan diet can be very healthy. I've been vegetarian for 17 years and was vegan for 2. Human's intestines are not made to digest animal protein constantly. It taxes the liver and kidneys, not to mention the increased risk for other diseases like heart disease and certain cancers. No one needs to include any red meat in their diet. In fact, people will be better off eating no red meat and focusing on vegetarian sources of protein. Soy provides all the essential amino acids without cholesterol or saturated fat. A person's diet can be at its healthiest including no meat at all emphasizing a variety of vegetables and fruits along with whole grains, unsaturated fats and vegetarian proteins.
well never heard of someone dying because they were vegan, and there are supplements to give people the minerals and vitamins they need.
We need meat, fact!
I am good friends with two vegetarians, they are always tired, they are always pale and they need to start to eat meat, and they know my views.
You are not asking a question. This is an abuse of the Yahoo! answers system, so I suggest you alter your post to include a question. If you do, I will alter this reply to include an answer.
thats not a question! any way i see your point thogh,dont vegans take pill containg the missing nutreients?
My dietician would totally disagree with you. She has seen far more people damaged by excessive intake of saturated animal fats than undernourished vegans. I'm not talking percentages here, just sheer numbers. I'm not saying that all meat eaters are unhealthy either. The key is, no matter what your type of diet, that it is varied and contains lots of whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean protein. Vegans need to take special care in making sure they get the right vitamins, but it can work.
I did a four year study when i was in collge.....and vegan diet is extermly healthy!!!
Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."
Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel Prize 1921
As a dietician you should be able to spell the word and you should know that the source of an element such as calcium is not the issue; the issue is 'can the human body digest the source'?
For example, many fish oil supplements have high levels of Omega 3 oil. Unfortunately it is present in a form that the human body cannot digest, so it is a waste of money as a food supplement.
Another issue is tolerance. About 10% of the human race cannot digest beans. Its genetic. Those people shouldn't base their protein intake on soya.
But they can combine grains and legumes to obtain all the essential amino acids.
Vit B12 is an issue for vegans, as is iron and calcium. Yeast extract and yeast supplements provide all the B vitamins and its only a potential problem for people who have atlas tongue and therefore find it difficult to digest B12. They can have B12 injectiopns once every 3 months.
Dark green leafy vegetables, almonds and oats supply calcium, dark green leafy veg and dried fruit supply iron.
I'm shocked at your lack of sensible nutritional advice.
Also, you seem to believe a common misconception about our bodies; horses have canine teeth. So do pigs.
We are omnivorous. Our teeth and long slow digestive system with the relic of the caecum (appendix) support that theory. Dogs have a higher concentration of acid in their stomachs than we do, and a faster stool transit time; 14/16 hours as opposed to our 24 hours.
The bulk of our diet should be grains, root veg and leafy veg. Fruit, oils and fats and meat and fish should be eaten in smaller quantities.
All of the nutrients obtained from animals foods can be obtained from other foods instead.
What vegans need to do is learn about nutrition.
Vegan diets can be slightly dangerous if you don't know what your doing vegans lose many vitamins including proteinzinc and calcium make sure you get a supplement that has all these things it can be a good idea for someone trying to lose weight i lost 2 pounds since i've gone vege
First off I don't think you're a dietician. Secondly, it is possible to acquire all of your vitamins and minerals from vegetables and vegetable products...in the right combinations i.e. beans AND rice together. Iron can be found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables. B vitamins can be found in yellow vegetables. Zinc is found in several foods, but the body needs iodine to process it, however iodine can be found in table salt. Red meat leads to increased levels of ldl cholesterol while decreasing levels of hdl. The question isn't whether or not it's possible, it's whether or not the vegan in question is eating properly. I was 5'10" tall and weighed 195 lbs. I lifted weights and could bench press 325 lbs. During which time I WAS A VEGAN! I had no side effects other than a decrease in blood pressure, which is why I became a vegan in the first place. I was never sick and had an incredible increase in energy. I began eating meat about three years ago and since that time I've gained 30 lbs. of fat, experienced a decrease in energy and had an over 30 point increase in my blood pressure. Which is why I've decided to become a vegan again! If done properly, a vegan diet is probably the healthiest choice you could make! If you really are a dietician you need to 1st :Go back to school and pay attention 2nd: Do some research before you tell people your opinions. and 3rd: Sue whatever crap school you went to and get your money back for your online degree!
The true Vegan doesn't eat animal related products at all which I think is dangerous because where does the calcium that they need come from! It is also a Medical fact that Children forced to eat a Vegan diet can suffer from Malnutrition and health problems.
We are not designed to eat a lot of plant matter as some seem to think! Most of it isn't digested which is why they tell people to eat Veg if they are Constipated!!! Its the roughage that is always being gone on about! Our bodies are healthiest when we eat a varied diet including ALL the food groups! Nature provides everything we need and taking supplements is NOT a natural way of eating!
No a Vegan diet is not healthy! neither is a diet which consists only of meat!
Predators like big Cats and Wolves eat the Whole animal Stomach and its contents included!
I could never be a Vegan as I refuse to give up my Chocolate and that is made of MILK!!
Hmmm, so you didn't really want to ask a question, you just wanted to spew out some falsities. Ok, let's conversate.
Zinc is easily found in nuts, grains and legumes.
Iron is easily found in different vegetables. In fact, calorie for calorie, iron is most densly found in dried beans and dark leafy vegetables. I know its hard, but think Dried Soybeans and spinach.
Protein is one of the easiest things to find. lol. You are saying that a rice & bean meal has no protein? Tofu? http://www.soystache.com/plant.htm... A 100 g serving of soybeans has more protein than a 100g serving of pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, beef, etc. Ok, so not everyone eats raw soybeans. But Peanut butter, various beans, various grains, and tofu all have enough to easily make the RDA for protein.
B vitamins, B12 to be specific, are added to most vitamins and grain sources, along with soymilks. So, this argument is also moot.
So, you've seen a few cases of people who did a diet incorrectly. Woo-hoo. Not everyone can follow directions. People can't even follow the "South Beach Diet" without screwing it up. Aside from the fact that so many archane dieticians and doctors have done little to no research on the advantages of veganism, so they find it easier just to blame that which they don't fully understand.
But my question back to you is: why you are picking on people who choose to make a healthy lifestyle change and eat with a conscience rather than focusing on the millions of obese omnivores in the world? Seems they do a lot more damage than vegans do. . .
A vegan diet is healthy as long as you are careful to make sure that youhave a range of nutrients. There is an article here which has some suggestions of how to achieve this : http://www.recipesforvegans.co.uk/vegann...
"...As an established dietitian..." my a.r.s.e.
You're NOT an established dietitian. If so give me your credentials.
"....need to include some red meat in your diet..."
How is it that the Fourth wealthiest nation and the Second Largest in the World - India - with a majority vegetarian population, that does not eat red meat get to that height.
Another dietitian chiming in on this one. Perhaps you should check out that ADA/DC position on vegetarian diets: http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/veg.pd...
I have never heard a dietitian tell someone that they "need" red meat in their diet - that is laughable! To the contrary, we are always encouraging people to eat less of it!
And it is impossible to be vegan and still include meat in your diet. Where did you get your education, anyways? Online? Are you a registered dietitian?? Is dietitian even a protected term where you are from? Apparently it is not.
*And for the record, both 'dietitian' and 'dietician' are correct.
i have to agree with the dietitian (spelt right) we are omivores by excluding 1 half of our requirements to maintain the health of our bodies is asking for serious problems, oh and in the natural world... well observe mammals in action their appitite would be on the same wave length as us. P.S they to like to experiment with their food....
You can not be vegan and eat red meat three times a week!!! Meat is not necessary in a healthy diet!!! Meat's not even healthy.. it is directly linked to heart disease, some cancer, and obesity.
Vegans do, however, need to be smart about what they eat. For example.. if you want zinc, eat whole grains. if you want iron, eat beans and dark green vegetables. if you want protein, eat almost anything. if you want B vitamins, eat fruit. it's not that hard.
And i sincerely doubt you are an established dietitian.
you sound alot like fhg,i'm sure it is you isn't,you just made your profile today and the very first question you have is regarding veganism,you have no info about yourself,I'm sure your fhg,even if you're not,I know you aren't a dietician.
Have you not hit the books since 1970 or something? I am not vegan but I know that a vegan diet can be truly healthy and it can also be done horribly wrong, just like any other dietary plan. Yeah, meat provides those vitamins and nutrients, but so do veggies (especially greens), soy, yeast, whole protein grains (like quinoa), beans and legumes, nuts and nut butters and fruits, not to mention the plethora of widely available dietary supplements to assist in proper nutrition. You should study up doc.
P.S. you don't look like you take your job very seriously.
I think you should reconsider what career you should be in.
I don't know much about the vegan diet, but I do know what the vegetarian lifestyle has done for me over the past six months:
My cholesterol level is now completely normal, as is my blood pressure. I've lost 45 pounds, my joints don't ache nearly as much, and I have a lot more energy than ever before. My blood sugar has also dropped into the near-normal range, and I've been able to cut waaaay back on my meds.
As far as humans being "natural meat eaters" and "omnivores," please cite your sources. Anyone can come here and claim almost anything, but without some good solid references, then the scientific validity of their arguments is far from established.
And how about telling us more about how you became an "established dietitian." For example, how about the name of the school or program you graduated from, your work experience, etc. Credentials would certainly help support the validity of your statements.
Ha ha, vegan&proud - you took the words right out my mouth (or off my keyboard!). This does sound suspiciously like our vulpine friend.
Sir, my apologies if you're not a certain other poster, but your credentials seem suspect, your sources unsound, and your information is incredibly unenlightened.
"red meat at least 3 times a week"
No thanks. Have managed without it for the last 57 years.
Wish you, being a professional, would not spread such scare stories here.
Who am I?
I have 4 children in this short lifetime. Each one of them has been stolen from me.. The regular irritation of plastic tubes against my udder has resulted in sickness and infection on many occasions.. My teats are constantly sore.. Inside I have stomach pains. I feel old although I have only experienced 6 summers.. My milk has run dry, and now, after having been driven for several hours in a hot and badly ventilated vehicle, together with many of my sisters, I stand inside a big white building that reeks of fear and death.. One of my sisters fainted during the journey, and I watched with horror as a human beat her to regain consciousness, and force her to stand up and move.. I have also been beaten with a metal rod, and have a damaged hind leg. I am barely able to stand erect.. I am afraid.. I know what is happening here.. My intelligence is enough to realise.. I can see the stains on the floor.. and on the aprons of the humans.. I can hear distant sisters calling out in such frighteningly horrible manners in neighbouring rooms.. I have never heard such intense distressful cries.. Terrible.. I stand terrified and await my fate in dread..
FAST - not Feast.
FRUIT - not Flesh.
FIG - not Fish.
FRESH - not Fowl.
A far more grisly greasy fact is that those at the other extreme, that eat the flesh of others daily, do not only put themselves at risk. Indeed, given let's say, a below average lifespan of 60 years, it is quite (un)reasonable that a human flesh-eater might in that span of time, devour the equivalent of something like 800 chicken carcasses, 20 cows, 70 pigs, 70 sheep, possibly 1000s of fish, and countless other animals.. Let's say a good conservatively estimated 3000 individuals in your stomach!! What a graveyard! R.I.P !!
http://www.fruitnut.net/index2.htm...
Seriously, the only reason a vegan diet might be unhealthy for some people is because you could eat nothing but potato chips and vegan pastry and still be a vegan.
I must say that I disagree with your assessment of the effects of a vegan diet. I, myself, followed a vegan diet for quite some time and I must say that it was the best time of my life. I felt so much healthier and had so much more energy. I also looked better in regards to my complexion. I think the most common problem with people who decide to follow a vegan diet is that they do it under the assumption that all they can eat are fruits and vegetables. A vegan diet doesn't mean that you're restricted to produce. There are plenty of alternatives and many of them taste excellent. Also, you can get your daily dose of vitamin D without the whole milk- just get 15 minutes of direct sunlight a day and you're set! Some tasty vegan ideas and products are also available at lots of local supermarkets and healthfood stores. A good read to check out to get more information on veganism and loads of great recipies and products to try is "Skinny *****." The title may sound a bit off, but the authors are excellent.
Thanks for your question sir. It made me realize that there are so many so many vegan friends around and are sincerly fighting for a good cause.
But still now I am totally confused as to whether one should be a vegetarian or non-vegetation(Looking at health only). This I think may also be also affecting millions of others in the same. For last 12 years I have been switching vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Main reason being there are so many professionals trying to claim that their religion (diet selection has become more indeed a religion in some ways) is correct.
Reasons for me being a vegetarian have been very clear. If we simply have to think of oursleves as just a body we can eat whatever we want including our own ilk (We to are a good source of protein and nutrients. Why spare them if we don't have only have to think of best noiurishment). Living that lifestyle is very easy. Anyone idiot could do that very easliy. But if we have to think beyond body and think much better, what should be my lifestyle? If we have to think like ourselves as God (Which is the main aim of any true religion. i.e Seeing god in yourself and everyone), can we do so after eating the flesh of other beings which do have similar feelings like us. Plants do have life but the hurt and pain involved in having them is definitely not the same as killing animals. Vergan lifestyle makes it easier for me to think that I can slowly evolve towards the full-fledged thought that I am divine. Initially I am eating only for my survival and later as I evolve more and more into a more better being I probably would not feel the need for food nor even this body itself.
But also since I need to live my life to a full extent my thinking should be clear and should have a good health as well to do my activities with less effort. Which means I do need nutritious food as well. Can't I find it in vegetarian food? This is one big doubt I could not clarify thoroughly. More I browse the net more conflicting answers I get. Problem is that neither the vegans nor the non vegans are stupid. This is making it harder for me clearly say with confidence that Vegan diet is the best.
Reasons for me opting to be a non vegan is purely FEAR. The fear that I am not getting the proper nutrients. The fear that I am going to become a totally weak person and would be no good. Neither for leading spiritual life nor for leading material life. And this fear is being continually injected by doctors for quite a long time. May be since past 150 years(I am not good with statistical data). I am sure even you agree with this point that fear is more dangerous than even the nutrition itself. If you eat your food with all negative thoughts then definitely that food would act on you in the same way. It varies from person to person based on how much fear the person is carrying while following a particular diet program. It applies to both kinds of diets. How much ever the nutritional value the diet may have the body may not absorb the essential elements from the food if there is a fear. While doing studies on people following diet programs do they look into this point? Even if they look how can we precisley measure such things. taste is really not an issue. We can definitely make better tasting food than the food cooked with meat. It is the problem of fear. There may be others who just want to eat flesh regardless of taste. I am not sure about them. I think majority of them prefer to be non vegans mainly due to the fear. Inspite of belieiving that fear is the main factor I could not convinve myself that I can be a vegan. Such is the affect of fear injected by these doctors and reserach scientists. Then think of the fate of some uneducated people who cannot even afford to buy the expensive meat but are carrying the thought that meat is the only good source for keeping your body healthy.(In some countries meat is much expensive compared to vegetables).
But I have noticed one good difference in the way vegans prove their theories in contrast to the non vegans(I mean only the professionals like doctors and scientists). Vegans generally prove that their diet is right with simple theories and undisputable ethical reasons. But non vegans to prove their point they do invest lot of money and come with new theorems. For instance one of their new logic is that researchers have found that most of our ancestors are omnivores. And hence we should also be following the same. But the research was looking into the past. Not sure how much valid is that research itself. But if we look at the current apes like gorillas, chimps and orangutans, they prefer vegetarion diet. But if there is a scarcity they go for ants and termites etc. Looks like these doctors don't have much concience. They don't want to work for a good cause. It seems like they are either too dogmatic about their theories or are like blind followers of old theorems.
Hope someone comes out with strong proofs that proves the diet which is environment friendly is the right one.