Last year, the total number of vegans worldwide was thought to be around 79 million. A not insignificant part of the population will agree, but some may be reconsidering the plant-based lifestyle, after a scientist this week claimed that women who do not eat enough meat or dairy put their health at risk.
Expanding on his statement, Ian Givens, professor of food chain nutrition and director of the Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health at the University of Reading, said that women are at higher risk of iron, magnesium, iodine, calcium and zinc deficiencies than the men. Half of women 11 to 18 years old consume less than the recommended minimum levels of magnesium and iron, and older groups of women (19 to 64 years old) are also at higher risk, with 27% of them consuming less iron than they should.
While many are turning to veganism or vegetarianism out of concern for the environment, something that Givens recognized as valid, he cautioned that the decision to forgo all meat and dairy should be approached with “caution,” and that it should be pay more attention not only to how many carbon emissions a type of food produces, but also to the nutrients it offers. Deficiencies in these key nutrients can affect bone health, particularly during menopause, as well as energy levels, healthy weight, mental health, and can even cause hair loss. Simply put, it is important that you get enough of all of them.
It is no secret that if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, for whatever reason, it is more difficult to get the right nutrients into your system, but nutritionist Eve Kalinik does not think it is necessary to eat meat and dairy if that is not what want. “Your diet just takes a lot more planning to ensure nutritional needs are met,” she says. “That may require supplements if you are on a purely plant-based diet.” Common nutrients that fall short in plant-based diets include vitamin B12, iron, selenium, calcium, zinc, omega 3, and sometimes protein; Eating as inclusive a diet as possible helps “avoid leaving gaps,” he says.
On the contrary, consuming meat and dairy, but with few foods of plant origin, also has many pitfalls, as well as no eating them can lead to nutritional deficiencies. “There is a big difference between ultra-processed meat and dairy and good quality organic grass-fed or free-range meat,” says Kalinik. “Similarly, ultra-processed cheeses and sugary yogurts are very different from traditionally made cheese and live yogurt, which are packed with fat-soluble vitamins, calcium, and protein, and can be a natural source of beneficial microbes for health. intestinal health ”.
.