Is Going Vegan Better for You?

With time, the graph of vegan in the world is rising steadily. Many people have cut down or trying to cut down meat and dairy from their daily diets. Add to this the fact that from 2006 to 2018, the number of vegans quadrupled in the UK, says research by The Vegan Society.

There can be numerous factors involved in vegan popularity but the one which is the cornerstone for this rise is the vegan diet's health benefits.

A vegan diet is usually rich in fibre and less in cholesterol, with higher protein, calcium and salt than a non-vegan diet. However, there are still doubts and concerns when it comes to cutting meat, eggs, dairy and fish from our diets completely.

In this article, we will address this question of whether a vegan diet is a complete diet or it can leave deficiencies in the human body, once you switch to it.

Is Vegan a Complete Diet?

To address this question, let us talk about all the concerns which go through the minds of a neophyte when switching to vegan.

One common deterrent question is that whether a vegan diet provides enough vitamin B12 or not? B12, as we all know, is vital for preventing nerve damage and can be found only in non-veg meals like meat, fish, dairy and eggs and not in fruits or vegetables. The life without this vitamin can be daunting, as it is indispensable for the adults to consume 1.5 micrograms of this vitamin per day.

Janet Cade, head of The Nutritional Epidemiology Group of Food and Nutrition, opines that “A B12 deficiency can lead to neurological symptoms such as numbness, and it’s irreversible if the deficiency is present for too long,”.

However, it is easy to meet B12 needs from nutritional yeast and fortified food like plant-based milk. In countries, where you cannot find fortified food with B12, vitamin supplements can be the best alternate.

Another common concern for those who are ready to switch is, "whether a vegan diet provides enough protein?". As there is not much protein in the fruits and vegetables which can meet the needs of daily human life, vegans are usually deemed as protein-deficient persons. However, soy milk contains the same amount of protein as cow's milk and can be used as an alternate.

It is pertinent to mention here that our body adopts with time even if we have lower protein intake. With lower protein, the body starts to make use of it more effectively.  So, if you ask me for one of the healthiest diets that are available, my answer will be a vegan diet, provided with it is balanced.

Should You Switch to Vegan?

Now coming back to our primary question, is vegan better for you or not solely depends on you and your daily routine. If you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables with a variety of colours, whole grains, nuts, beans and legumes, your diet is the healthiest one and can outperform all other diets.