Are vegans malnourished?

Are vegans really malnourished? 

If you saw the headlines on ScienceAlert.com then you might think this is true. The authors contend that vegan diets are contributing to malnutrition in developed countries and that “hidden hunger” affects 2 billion people around the world. 

Really?

Let’s take a look at all that is wrong with this article.

First, one of the studies authors works with “many food companies”. 

Second, what is malnutrition? The World Health Organization (WHO) definition is, 

Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients. The term malnutrition covers 2 broad groups of conditions. One is ‘undernutrition’—which includes stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies (a lack of important vitamins and minerals). The other is overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer).

WHO also states that there are 1.9 billion overweight adults in the world and that access to foods high in sugar, salt and fat are cheaper and easily available. This access to cheap calories has resulted in the rise in the number of overweight and obese people in developed countries. 

 “It is quite common to find undernutrition and overweight within the same community, household or even individual – it is possible to be both overweight and micronutrient deficient.”

It is possible to be an unhealthy vegan.

Eat nothing but Oreo cookies and technically you can be eating a vegan diet, although I think that less than 2 billion adults worldwide are on the Oreo cookie diet.

Third, this is junk reporting. Dr. Garth Davis, a bariatric surgeon with 17 years of experience in surgical and weight management has criticized this study for cherry picking data. The authors used one study that proved eating an unhealthy vegan diet decreases intake of calcium, iodine and Vitamin B12. Eating a bad diet is a bad idea. No matter what kind of diet. You don’t need to be a vegan to be malnourished. Eat the Standard American Diet (SAD) and you will also be malnourished.

On his Facebook page Dr Davis says,

 “Guess what, my meat eating patients are deficient in all of those vitamins, but not my healthy plant based eaters.”

In research published in Nature explains how developed nations are starving. Starving themselves of nutrition, not calories, leading to unprecedented levels of chronic, preventable diseases.

Malnourished, no longer means undernourished.

Not that long ago conditions that were associated with food were due to a lack of food. Not a lack of whole, unprocessed food or a lack of understanding of the importance of balanced nutrition.

Another randomized study on vegan diets published in the Journal of American Heart Association in November showed that a vegan diet was 32% more effective than the American Heart Association’s recommended diet when it comes to reducing markers of inflammation after 8 weeks on patients with heart disease. 

Take a supplement. Eat real food.

The benefits of switching to a whole foods, plant-based diet are well documented and the evidence supports eating more plants is a healthier way to eat. 

I have written about it at Vegan vs Plant-Based, WFPB, What if You Were Vegan For One Day,

One of my favourite quotes is from Doctor Garth Davis, who has also written a great book about our obsession with protein called Proteinaholic, it is a good read and I recommend it.

 

It is possible to eat badly without much effort. A healthy diet is also possible without too much effort. The only difference being that you have the knowledge and take the steps necessary to get all the proper nutrients. You can be a Healthy Vegan and I can help. Join the Evolution Caoching community and get FREE access to How To Eat a Healthy Vegan Diet.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla