Vegan or Nothing: is veganism the only way to practice a plant-based diet?
Plant-based diets are all the rage right now. “I’m not exactly sure what plant-based means though, Splendorous”, you say. A person who follows a plant-based diet is eating mostly foods from plants. That means fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, grains, beans, peas, lentils - and products made from these foods. You might be asking me now, “But why do I keep hearing that I should be eating a plant-based diet?”
The evidence in support of eating plant-based is growing at break-neck speed. Researchers have found that producing one kilogram of beef results in the release of 60 kilograms of greenhouse gases (https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/qjdk93/eating-local-climate-change-carbon-footprint). The methane released from cows themselves makes a major contribution to this number. Deforestation also often occurs in order to make space for raising livestock, which leads to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the air, since trees and plants use up carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. For comparison, one kilogram of peas produces one kilogram of greenhouse gases.
There have also been many studies that correlate plant-based diets with disease prevention (https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/articles/debunked-vegan-diets-and-health-329460). Note that this doesn’t mean scientists have found that eating meat causes disease. What it means is that when scientists study healthy individuals and ask them about their diet, many of them report eating more plant foods and less animal-based foods. Research has found that people with diets that primarily feature foods from plants are less likely to have diseases like cancer and diabetes. There’s also evidence that suggests diets rich in plant foods promote the growth of beneficial microbes in the gut, which in turn enhances overall health.
Discussions of plant-based diets tend to go hand-in-hand with the promotion of veganism. You’ve probably heard many arguments in favour of the vegan diet. Many claim it’s a healthier - or even the healthiest - diet. It’s touted as a weight loss diet. And vegans often proclaim that if you really cared about animal welfare, you’d go vegan. The last argument is the one I struggle with the most. I adore all animals. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a veterinarian. But that dream dissipated when I found out that it was the vet who had put down our old and sick family dog. I just couldn’t bare the thought of an animal dying by my hand.
I really do love animals. This was my bunny friend. We shared the back yard of the house I lived at while I went to the University of Guelph.
Whether or not it is ethical to eat animals is a question each person must answer for themselves. And even after you’ve answered that question for yourself, there are other factors that should be considered if you’re thinking of going vegan. The vegan diet has been in the mainstream for long enough that researchers have started studying what some of the negative effects of the diet are.
Cutting out all animal products makes it challenging to get enough of certain essential nutrients. Vegans tend to have deficiencies in iron, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids (https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/articles/debunked-vegan-diets-and-health-329460). An iron deficiency can lead to anemia because iron is needed to make red blood cells; symptoms of anemia include tiredness, headaches, dizziness, and poor mood. Vitamin B12 is also needed for red blood cell health and is essential for proper nerve cell function. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain health, while calcium and vitamin D will keep you mobile into old age by keeping your bones strong. It’s not that you can’t plan out a vegan diet and take supplements to meet all these nutrition needs. But how many people who practice veganism are being that rigourous? If a person doesn’t put in the research and effort, it’s not unlikely that they will face the consequences of nutrient deficiency.
In addition, a recent study showed that a diet made up entirely of plant foods could have negative effects on brain development and IQ scores in children (https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200127-how-a-vegan-diet-could-affect-your-intelligence). The authors of the study explained these results by pointing out that certain nutrients needed for healthy nervous system function, such as taurine and choline, are only found in significant amounts in foods from animals. While more research is needed in this area, the results of the study show that there could be serious consequences to following a strict vegan diet long-term.
Individuals who choose to practice restrictive diets must also practice self-awareness. For some people, eliminating a large number of foods from their diet is a slippery slope to disordered eating. You can find many stories on the internet about a person’s progression from the vegan diet to an eating disorder (https://10daily.com.au/views/a190805gutvp/how-my-extreme-fruit-diet-almost-destroyed-my-life-20190806). Of course, not all vegans develop eating disorders. But attaching moral values to food (ie: these foods are “good”, while those foods are “bad”) can lead to guilt and shame around eating certain foods. That could then lead to following a diet that becomes more and more restrictive in order to be “good” or to have a “pure” or “clean” diet. If you follow a strict diet, it’s important to be aware of these thoughts, if they pop up, and address them.
“So are you saying that I shouldn’t be vegan, Splendorous?” What I’m saying is that, there’s a lot of evidence that decreasing the amount of animal products you eat is good for your health and the planet. There is also evidence that shows eating no animal products at all could cause your body to not function properly. What I’m saying is, you can eat a plant-based diet while still including animal products. It isn’t vegan or nothing.
A dinner plate that’s 2/3-filled with plant foods and 1/3-filled with animal-based food is still plant-based. If you cut down the amount of an animal-based ingredient from a recipe by half and sub in a plant-based ingredient, that will help decrease the carbon footprint of that dish. You can aim to have one vegan meal a day. Or have a meatless day each week. Do your plant-based diet the way you want to!
All this being said, I do believe different types of diets work for different people. If you want to follow a vegan diet, I recommend that you do your research using scientific sources and consult a dietitian to make sure you are meeting all your nutrient needs.
If you’d like to go the flexitarian route, I have an excellent recipe that combines both plant- and animal-based foods.
Sweet potato chicken wrap
Yield: I made enough of this recipe for my whole week. You can play with the amounts depending on how much of the recipe you’re planning to eat.
Ingredients
For the sweet potato part:
3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
1/2 Tbsp oil of your choice
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper, to taste
For the chicken part:
1/2 Tbsp oil of your choice
1/2 Spanish onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 raw chicken breasts, cut into strips
Juice of 1 lime
3 green bell peppers, diced
1 tsp each of: tarragon, basil, Herbs de Provence
optional: 1 tsp of honey for an interesting combination of flavours
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
Tortillas (I used Food For Life’s brown rice tortillas)
Potential spreads: hummus, ripe avocado, tzatziki, baba ganoush
Optional: shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a bowl, toss cubed sweet potatoes with oil and seasonings. Spread evenly as a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until soft and slightly browned.
While your potatoes are baking, heat some oil in a frying pan. Add the sliced onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Then add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Place the raw chicken strips into the pan and add lime juice. Cook until no pink can be seen.
Add diced green pepper and spices. Cover the frying pan and cook until the pepper is tender.
Assemble your wrap: put your spread of choice onto the tortilla. Add the amounts of sweet potato, chicken + green pepper, chickpeas, and cheese you desire into the wrap. Enjoy your healthy meal!
Do you have a favourite recipe that combines plant- and animal-based foods? Share it with me in the comments below!