The Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet

Plant-based diets are not only the most sustainable diet for our planet, but they are also beneficial to our health. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) and British Dietetic Association (BDA) both state that an appropriately planned vegan diet is healthful and nutritionally adequate for individuals during all stages of life such as infancy, childhood, adolescence, pregnancy and adulthood.

Epidemiology data indicates that Vegan diets reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, and may treat/improve/reverse heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and some digestive problems (3). Results of the EPIC Oxford study showed that vegans have the lowest systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and the lowest rate of hypertension of all diet groups (vegans, vegetarians, fish eaters, and meat eaters) (1). The therapeutic use of a vegan diet is also effective for treating overweight and may perform better than alternative diets (3).

A balanced vegan diet is most likely the most beneficial diet for improving heart disease risk factors. The EPIC-Oxford study revealed that those who consumed a vegan diet ate the most fibre, the least total fat and saturated fat, and had the healthiest body weights and cholesterol levels compared with omnivores and other vegetarians (4).

In the Women’s Health Study, the risk of diabetes was most significantly increased by frequent consumption of processed meats such as bacon and hot dogs (3), and the Adventist Health Study-2 reported that meat eaters had more than twice the prevalence of diabetes when compared to vegans, even after correcting for BMI. Among those who were free of diabetes, the Adventist Health Study found that the odds of developing diabetes were reduced by 77% for vegans (6). In the American Dietetic Association (ADA) opinion report on vegetarian diets, they stated that when Type-2 Diabetics were put on a vegan diet, 43% of diabetics reduced their medications after 5 months and had a better response than if they followed the ADA healthy eating guidelines which includes meat and dairy (3).

The World Cancer Research Fund report also reinstates the message that we “do not need meat”, in fact they say that red meat is a probable risk factor for colorectal cancer, and that processed meats are a convincing cause of colorectal and nasopharyngeal cancer (2). Thus, removing such foods from the diet reduces your risk of these cancer types. The report also states fruit and vegetables are protective against cancer of the lung, mouth, oesophagus, and stomach. The regular use of legumes also provides a measure of protection against stomach and prostate cancer, all foods which are consumed in larger amounts when consuming a balanced vegan diet (2). One study referenced in the ADA opinion report on vegetarian diets stated that the risk of breast cancer went up 50-60% for every 100g meat consumed (3). Results from the Adventist Health Study-2 revealed that a vegan diet appeared to confer a greater protection against overall cancer incidence than any other dietary pattern (5).

There is often comment that the impact a vegan diet has on bones is negative. This is exaggerated mainly because of the false idea that humans require milk for calcium. Milk is the mammary secretion of an animal for their infant, milk never had a biological purpose past the first few months of infancy, let alone for a different species.

Results from the EPIC-Oxford study did, however, find that the higher risk of bone fracture in vegans appeared to be a consequence of a lower calcium intake. However, the fracture rates of the vegans who consumed over 525 mg calcium/day were not different from the fracture rates in omnivores(3). Therefore, as long as you eat a balanced diet your bones will not suffer any more than if your diet included dairy.

*It is important that any plant-milk alternatives used are not labelled organic as these are not fortified with any nutrients and so will not provide calcium or other micronutrients to the diet.

It is clear that there are major advantages to a vegan diet, but it is important to note that just because a food or a meal is labelled as vegan that it is not necessarily healthful. Oreos are vegan-friendly, as are chilli-flavoured doritos, most cinema popcorns and bourbon creams, chips, lemonade… all of these foods are unhealthy and full of either sugar, fat or salt, but they are vegan. Like any other diet, you must ensure that it is balanced in order to ensure you are meeting macro- and micro-nutrient intakes as required by your lifestyle. In certain cases you will need to be supplemented such as with vitamin B12. But I will talk more about this topic and deficiency prevention in my next post: ‘The nutrient needs of a Vegan.’

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1. Appleby PN, Davey GK, Key TJ. Hypertension and blood pressure among meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans in EPICOxford. Public Health Nutr. 2002;5(5):645-654

2. World Cancer Research Fund. Internet: https://www.wcrf.org/

3. Craig, W.J. and Mangels, A.R., 2009. Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109(7), pp.1266-1282.

4. Melina, V., Craig, W. and Levin, S., 2016. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: vegetarian diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(12), pp.1970-1980

5. Tantamango-Bartley Y, Jaceldo-Siegl K, Fan J, Fraser G. Vegetarian diets and the incidence of cancer in a low-risk population. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2013;22(2):286-294

6. . Fung TT, Schulze M, Manson JE, Willett WC, Hu FB. Dietary patterns, meat intake, and the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164:2235-2240.