Vegan Diet

 By Juan Diego Torres Torres

The choice of a food option is a personal decision that involves factors such as health, ethics, and lifestyle. It can be taken with all the rigor that affects life or on the contrary as a fashion, a trend or by social pressure. One popular option is the vegan diet, which is based on the exclusion of all animal products, whether for food consumption or to be used as clothing or everyday use.

However, the vegan option requires an important commitment in which it is necessary to know the advantages and disadvantages of this important life option.

It is known to have advantages such as improved heart health because in general, vegans have lower cholesterol and blood pressure. This diet could help in weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight. It is also suggested that it may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer (stomach and colon), due to the antioxidants or phytonutrients that some foods may contain and lower risk of type 2 diabetes. It may also improve digestive health due to the diet rich in fiber, which promote regular bowel movements.

On the contrary, disadvantages can also be found when following this diet. Such as the risk of nutritional deficiencies and one of the most important is the deficiency of vitamin B12, Zinc, Iodine, Vitamin D, iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and proteins. For this reason, it is essential to plan carefully all the nutrients that cannot be obtained in the daily diet, however, these can be obtained by taking supplements, although this can also become a disadvantage as vegan substitutes can be more expensive and can affect the budget. There are also other limitations such as social pressure, the difficulty of eating away from home by not finding suitable alternatives and there may also be initial difficulties in learning new recipes or the change and familiarization of getting into plant-based.

On the other hand, despite the advantages that can be observed, veganism has generated some criticism, as it has been considered a "millennial" trend consolidated among a privileged class sector. Also, debates have been generated about the effects on health due to the absence of animal protein. And discussions have been generated about the environmental impact, since critical positions to veganism claim that they are not spared from leaving negative environmental footprints.

Despite this, a slight growth of veganism in the world has been evidenced, for example, in Europe, on average it has increased since 2019 by 3% and in the United States, by 4%. Obviously there are countries where this percentage is higher, as in India, which accounts for 13.4%.

I think that accepting this option is completely voluntary and implies a deep reflection on the lifestyle and health that one wants to acquire. On the other hand, one must have the complete sincerity to embrace this style for a factor other than fashion and as some consider that veganism is not a diet, but an ethical stance, for this reason one can look beyond the human health approach.

References

AltaMed 2023. Las ventajas y desventajas de una dieta vegana. En: https://www.altamed.org/es/article/las-ventajas-y-desventajas-de-una-dieta-vegana#:~:text=Posibles%20deficiencias%20de%20nutrientes%20%E2%80%94%20Una,obtener%20todos%20los%20nutrientes%20necesarios.

Gómez, D., & Gracia, Á. (2019). Revisión teórica sobre aporte nutricional y salud de la dieta vegana en deportistas. R. Actividad fis. y deporte. 6 (1): 129-164.

Mena, M. 2021. ¿Hay cada vez más veganos? En: https://es.statista.com/grafico/26084/encuestados-que-siguen-una-dieta-vegana/

Rojas, D., Figueras, F., Durán, S. Ventajas y desventajas nutricionales de ser vegano o vegetariano. Revista chilena de nutrición. Vol 44. No. 3 : 218-225.