Eating vegan: Is it healthy and is it right for you?

Written by Halli Ackley

Vegan diets are growing in popularity. As more people switch to vegan, or more plant-based diets, there are more and more vegan options in restaurants and food services, as well as meat and dairy alternatives at grocery stores.

While the popularity of vegan diets has skyrocketed, it is still a relatively new and few people truly identify themselves as being completely vegan. In a national web-based poll conducted by Yale University, only about 1% identified as vegan, and 3% identified as vegetarian. The other participants either identified as neither vegan nor vegetarian, or said they describe their diet in a different way.

Nutritionally there is a pull towards being vegan. People following this diet do not eat any animal products- meaning no meat, dairy, or eggs. A study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that vegan diets can reduce the chances of getting various different cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Furthermore, people following a vegan diet claim they just feel better in their daily life.

Eleni Chalkias, a current student at Loyola University Chicago, is a former vegan but has since started eating meat again. She says, “I definitely felt healthier when I was eating vegan. At the time, I was running track and I was performing really well, and I just felt better when I was running.”

In the same study, it was found that vegans eat greater amounts of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts than people who eat meat and dairy. This is the key to being successful and staying healthy while eating vegan. However, being vegan does not always mean being healthy.

“While there is no one-diet-cures-all, it is extremely important for the general public to at the very least increase their fruit, vegetable, and whole-grain intake,” says Lauren Sauer, a Denver based Registered Dietician Nutritionist and vegan for almost eight years.

In a poll, it was found that 86% of American adults who focus on nutrition and eating healthy believe that the food they eat is important for having a healthy lifestyle. Sauer claims that nutrition is a very large part of one’s overall health, and it is important to keep a healthy diet, whether you are vegan or not. This includes eating whole foods and trying to incorporate as many fruits and vegetables as possible.

“Diet plays a very large role in a person’s long-term health. However, a healthy diet alone will not solve all of your problems, you still need to exercise and reduce sources of stress in your life for optimal health,” says Sauer.
Going completely vegan can seem like a daunting task and can seem unrealistic for many people. Dr. Julie Politi is an Ohio based pediatrician and nutrition expert. She says you don’t have to go completely vegan to still get the health benefits of a plant-based diet.

“The less meat you have in your diet, the better. Do I think you have to have no meat in your diet to be happy? No. You don’t have to cut out everything to have a healthy life,” Politi says.

A study done by Loma Linda University found that not only vegans but also vegetarians (people who don’t consume meat, but do consume other dairy products) have similar health benefits to vegans. They have lower risk of disease and have greater health benefits. Politi claims that this is the same for people who eat very little meat and lots of fruits and vegetables. She also says to avoid red meat when possible.

“The problem with a lot of meat sources is that they feed the animals corn instead of letting them graze in fields where they should be, and this is essentially turning the meat that is created into a corn-based product… you want to look for meat that says ‘grass finished’ or ‘100% grass fed’ to make sure you are getting the healthiest meat possible,” Politi says.

If you are looking to reduce your meat consumption, or even go completely vegan, Sauer advises to take it step by step and not do it all at once. She recommends downloading vegan friendly apps, like one that scans barcodes and tells you whether its vegan or not. She also says to follow people on social media who are educated on the subject and avoid people who are just being trendy.

“I see a lot of people fail at vegan diets because they follow guru’s advice and eat the most restrictive diet possible, which we all know is not a long-term solution in regard to health. Start small, tell yourself you’ll eat one vegan meal a day, or swap out your coffee creamer with a non-dairy option. Small changes over time yield better adherence and make the transition less daunting,” says Sauer.

While many studies point to vegan diets improving health, there are some vital nutrients that either cannot be found naturally in a vegan diet, or are hard to eat enough of while eating vegan. Politi advises to supplement vitamin B-12, which is an important vitamin that is not found in plants, while Sauer recommends eating more protein sources like beans and lentils in order to get essential amino acids in your diet.

Going completely vegan is challenging, and Chalkias has felt these pressures. After being vegan for almost a year, she went back to eating meat.

“Being Greek, my usual diet consisted of mainly meat, so it was difficult to cut it out. But I would definitely consider going vegan again. Recently, there have been so many alternatives and resources, so I think if I went vegan now it would be a lot easier,” Chalkias says about her current feelings towards veganism.

The best advice Sauer has for someone trying to go vegan, or even just cut out meat for health purposes, is to listen to your body, eat intuitively, and avoid comparing yourself to other vegans and falling into diet fads.

She says, “Remember, don’t get caught up in the super-restrictive side to being vegan such as High Carb/Low Fat or Raw Vegan. Listen to your hunger cues, you know yourself best. No need to follow someone else’s What I Eat In a Day videos because what they might need in terms of nutrients may not meet your needs.”