I've been vegan for 14 years and folksConsequentlyTell me I look young for my age But will my vegan diet keep me young? Or is it a coincidence? I've been doing a lot of research on this topic lately. I found that.
On average, vegans probably age slower than meat eaters. Studies show that people who eat more vegetables have fewer wrinkles. The antioxidants in plant foods also reduce the oxidation and inflammation behind aging. However, vegans who eat a diet high in refined carbohydrates may not experience the anti-aging benefits.
Next, I'll cover what the science says about vegan aging. From antioxidants to Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), I explain insimple languagethe reasons why veganmany timesThey look (but not always) younger than carnivores.
What the science says about vegan aging
Based on the best information I could find,eat vegannaturallyThey make you age faster or slower, but you age soonerSlower.
The actual aging rate depends on itSpecificDietary choices you make as a vegan.
If you eat lots of refined sugars and flours, few vegetables, and low levels of omega fatty acids, you may age faster. And that's true whether you're vegan or not. (That's why you should supplement with omega-3 fatty acids. Here it is.)a post about what I take personally.)
But if you eat a lot of whole plant foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds) then you should have onestronger immune system, less inflammation and slower aging.
The best anti aging herbal foods are probablycolorful fruits and vegetables- especially vegetables and berries.Green tea and other foods rich in antioxidants can also help significantly.
Now that you know the basic answer... let's dive into some of the details and the science behind it!
The 3 causes of skin aging
It is generally believed that theThere are 3 causes of skin aging:
- Oxidative stress caused in large part by photodamage from the sun.
- inflammation
- ischemia
From what we know, a plant-based diet should help with several of these factors and reduce the signs of aging in general.
To use:this is thatThe best free video intro I've foundabout a plant-based diet—the right direction.You'll learn how to reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and obesityPlant. Watch the free master class here.
How oxidative stress causes aging
What does it really mean to grow old? And what causes it? Well, wrinkles are largely caused byOxidationon your skin
Most people are familiar with the idea that the sun's UV rays can cause wrinkles. Well what happens is that ultraviolet radiation is caused by the sunOxidation.
Oxidation breaks down collagen in the skin.🇧🇷 This hinders the self-healing powers of the skin.
Other aspects of aging are also caused by oxidation. Those little brown spots that appear on skin as we age are actually itrusty fat.
And when you lose your memory, a lot of it is because of itOxidationin your brain
So remember: whatever we find in sciencesinksOxidation (als "antioxidants“ in food) is said to reduce skin aging.But what is oxidation really?
"Free radicals" cause the oxidation that underlies aging
If you take a closer look at the damage caused by oxidation, you will see that it is what is called particlesfree radicals.
Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons. They are highly reactive because they want to find a partner for their unpaired electron. They cause all kinds of reactions that can damage cells and lead to aging.
Where do free radicals come from? Free radicals are produced by natural processes like breathing, but they also come from toxins we absorb from our environment.
antioxidantsIt can stop the chain reaction caused by free radicals.Antioxidants are molecules that can donate an electron to free radicals without becoming destabilized.
Our bodies produce some antioxidants on their own, but not enough. We need to get more from our diet.
There are many antioxidants:Vitamin A,Vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium are known. But there is much more, especially in vegetables and fruits.
Antioxidants allow plant foods to fight aging
Plant-based foods have, on average, 64 times the antioxidant content of animal-based foods!Therefore, a vegan diet with an emphasis on whole foods is likelyA lotmore antioxidants than the standard American diet. 🇧🇷fuente)
But not all plant foods are created equal when it comes to antioxidants. Not even close.
Even if you cut out processed vegan foods like french fries,There are big differences in antioxidant content in similar foods: white potato vs. sweet potato for example (sweet potato has more)!
Which Foods Have More Antioxidants to Fight Wrinkles?
Vegetables with the most antioxidants tend to bedark green leaves🇧🇷 Other powerhouses are garlic and onion, as well as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.
The fruits with the most antioxidants areBonito- Blackberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Cherries and rarer finds like Amla and Barberry.
Another good principle to know:The bright colors of fruits and vegetables are often a sign of antioxidants.In fact, the pigments themselvesSohnAntioxidants The purple color in red cabbage is produced by the antioxidants “anthocyanins”.
Study: Those who eat more vegetables have fewer wrinkles
AStudy of Japanese womenfind somethingThose who ate more green and yellow vegetables scored lower on the Daniel Wrinkle Scale.That is, they had less pronounced wrinkles in the "crow's feet" area (at the corner of the eye).
that waslaterControl for age, smoking, BMI and lifetime sun exposure.
Those who ate less than 1 serving of green and yellow vegetables per day scored an average of a 3 on the Daniell Wrinkle Scale (shown at right).
But participants who ate 2 or more servings of green and yellow vegetables per day only got 2.Therefore, more vegetables correlates with fewer wrinkles.
another studyVegetables have also been found to protect against wrinkles. He discovered thatPlums, apples and tea were particularly associatedfewer wrinkles.
In a study of the effects of green tea, it was found that consuming green tea polyphenols (an antioxidant) for 12 weeks increased blood flow and skin oxygenation. It also reduces the "roughness" and "flaking" of the skin and protects against skin-damaging UV radiation.
ToGreen tea can be very helpful in preventing wrinkles.
Another proof that fruits and vegetables help prevent wrinkles
That is ainteresting Studyon a specific antioxidant (carotenoids) and wrinkles. Researchers tracked levels of carotenoid antioxidants in people's skin and how they were affected by diet and stress.
The researchers found the following:
• Eating fruits and vegetables increases carotenoid levels in the skin.
• Stressful events can cause carotenoid levels to drop dramatically when consumed.
•Carotenoid levels were strongly correlated with skin resistance to wrinkles.
How the consumption of animal products affects wrinkles
noStudy of Japanese womenAs mentioned above, it was found that higher saturated fat intake was also associated with fewer wrinkles. This suggests that consuming animal products may help.to reduceWrinkles, as animal foods tend to be higher in saturated fat.
However, the researchers also mentioned in their conclusion that this contradicts other studies.
actually inanother study, that has been establishedThe consumption of butter, meat and milk was associated with itthe majoritywrinkling
This study examined the presence of wrinkles on the skin of people born in Greece and living in Australia.High consumption of vegetables, legumes, and olive oil (and to a lesser extent fish) was correlated with fewer wrinkles.Meanwhile, meat, dairy, and butter (and to a lesser extent sugar) were all correlated with more wrinkles.
A possible explanation for the difference between these two studies is that theyrelativeSaturated fat intake, not total intake. And they took subjects from different regions.
Total saturated fat intake is fairly low in Japan for reference. Therefore, it is possible that the study in Japanese women showed the benefit of increasing saturated fat intake.at a certain level– while the Australian study may have shown the harm of saturated fat intakeabove a certain level...Or it could have been another problem.
But at this point we're just lookingMixed data on the effect of saturated fats (from animal foods) on skin aging.
"Meat-based diets" cause more inflammation
As we have already discussed,One of the top three causes of skin damage is inflammation.
This studioanalyzed biomarkers of chronic inflammation, mainly C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and their correlations with diet.
The study found that"Meat-based or 'Western' [dietary] patterns tend to be positively associated with biomarkers of inflammation...while plant- and fruit-based or 'healthy' patterns tend to be inversely associated."
Well, not all vegan diets are high in vegetables and fruits. But vegans whoit doesif they eat their veggies, there should be less inflammation since they don't have meat to contribute to their inflammation scores.
So this is another point for vegans to age more slowly due to less inflammation.
Why vegetarians live longer: epigenetics
The term"Epigenetics"refers to changes in yourgene expression🇧🇷 Although we are born with a specific set of genes, the expression of these genes can be affected by your diet.
This is actually due to changes in the way your DNA is coiled in certain regions. If it is more complicated, the genes are not fully expressed. And your diet can actually affect processes like "methylation," which affects how tightly your DNA is coiled.
This is exciting because essentially you canimprove your geneschange your diet.It will be exciting to watch as the science of epigenetics unfolds.
An exciting epigenetic change relevant to veganism and aging„Superoxid-Dismutation" Expression.
"Superoxide dismutase" and how it affects aging
Before you explain "superoxide dismutase," remember that aging is, to a large extent,Oxidation🇧🇷 Oxidation causes wrinkles, memory loss and all sorts of bad things as we age.
To slow down the aging process, we need to slow down oxidation.And we covered how aboveantioxidantsin food can help delay oxidation.
But unfortunately, the antioxidants make up for thatcandidateIt can't get into a specific and very important part of your body's cells: the mitochondria.
You may have learned about mitochondria in biology in high school or college. They are “the powerhouse of the cell”. This is where food molecules like glucose are converted into energy that the body can use.
Well, part of the byproduct of this process isOxidation.Therefore, we need antioxidants in our mitochondria to balance this oxidation.Get intoSuperoxid-Dismutation.
Superoxide dismutase and aging in vegetarians
To, "mitochondrial superoxide dismutase(MnSOD) is the antioxidant your body uses in its mitochondria. But levels of superoxide dismutase activity vary between different people.
This is actually one of the reasons why women live longer than men.Females generally have higher superoxide dismutase activity. Therefore, they have less oxidative aging in their mitochondria, so their mitochondria last longer.
butVegetarians were also foundthey have significantly higher levels of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase activity.
apparently you canepigeneticIncrease your MnSOD levels and thereforereducetheir oxidative aging through a vegetarian diet.
So here's the snack:Follow a vegetarian diet and your mitochondria can last longer, allowing you to live longer in better health.
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and aging
Another nutritional factor in aging is consumption of dietary advanced glycation end products (dAGE). These are also referred to asGlykotoxine.
These "expanded glycation end products" are and are present in certain foodseducatedin certain kitchens.
When you eat more AGEs, they can significantly contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation, which can accelerate aging.
In fact, AGEs have been dubbed "gerontotoxin," meaning "aging toxin."
So where are dAGEs found and how to avoid them?
we will goMany of the main sources of dAGE are animal foods high in protein and fat, especially meat.Fatty meat is particularly prone to AGE formation during cooking.
On the other hand, carbohydrate-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and milk "contain relatively few AGEs, even after cooking" (fuente).
An interesting detail about AGEs is thisYou can prevent their formation by:how do you cook the food.Moist heat cooking has been found to help at lower temperatures and shorter cooking times. Adding lemon juice or vinegar can also help.
Eliminate "gerontotoxins" to delay aging
Here's a useful onePeer Review Guidereduce the intake of AGEs (“gerontotoxins”) in your diet. butIf you're vegan, you've already eliminated most of the worst offenders.
When reviewing grocery lists and their AGE content, most of the worst offenders are meat. Oils and processed foods can also play a prominent role.
The remaining vegan foods that are high in AGEs tend to be the higher fat and most processed foods: tofu, nuts and nut butters, chips, potato chips, and certain cereals.
The final tip of the guide is:"Significantly reduced intake of dAGE can be achieved by increasing consumption of fish, legumes, low-fat dairy, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and reducing intake of solid fats, fatty meats, full-fat dairy, and highly processed foods."
Therefore, a vegan diet is notperfectadapted to minimize consumption of these gerontotoxins, but for most vegans our AGE intake will be less than that of carnivores.
Being skinny can make you look older.
Here's an odd side note that I just wanted to mention in this post, howbody fat percentageaffects your perceived age.
Wrinkles become more pronounced if you are thin and don't have a lot of fat on your face.And vegans as a group tend to be thinner. So, in that particular aspect, vegans may be at risk for more visible wrinkles, but only because they are thinner.
I know it myself, I noticed the first wrinkles on my face after losing a lot of weight andstarted getting a 6 pack🇧🇷 Maybe it's coincidence. butI think I've lost some of the facial fat that kept me from having visible wrinkles.
5 Vegan Tips to Minimize Wrinkles and Aging
Okay, so a vegan diet won't age you faster; In fact, it will likely help you age more slowly. But there are still some guidelines you can follow to minimize your wrinkles as a vegan:
- Protect your skin from the sun.I found it particularly interesting that chronic, low sun exposure actually causes more wrinkles than intense sunburn that only occurs a few times. So if you spend a lot of time outdoors, you should use sunscreen. Creating a dark tan is likely to cause a lot more wrinkles in the long run.
- Moisturize your skin.Daily use of a moisturizer will help make wrinkles less visible.Dry skinit just looks wrinkled, even compared to an equally wrinkled but hydrated face. Are hereGreen tea moisturizer that I use(Amazon Link) - I like it and it doesn't make my acne worse!
- Eat lots of vegetables.Consider the various studies showing that eating vegetables is linked to fewer wrinkles. Fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and other whole foods shouldn't hurt either.
- Don't eat too much refined sugar.Of all the "problem foods" vegans eat, sugar is the worst for the skin. I wrote more about this in my postHow to get rid of acne if you're vegan🇧🇷 (By the way, if you have problems with acne,to needto read this post! I takeYearsto study and experiment on myself to experience what I am sharing in this post).
- Get healthy fats.Nuts, avocados, and olive oil are some of the best sources of fat. Eat omega-3 fats too: DHA/EPA omega-3 supplementation is a good idea (Here's my take on what I'm taking—I love it because it also contains vitamin D and B12).
Follow these tips and you won't have to worry about getting old fast as a vegan! In fact, you might have the same perks as I did when I was vegan at 14 - people always say you look young for your age!
Two more recommendations for your plant trip
1. This is theThe best free training video I've foundabout plant-based nutrition.You'll learn how to reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and obesityvegetarian food.far free"Masterclass of Food for Health" hier.
2. This is theThe best vegan multivitamin I've foundin my 14 years as a vegan.It has vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 and nothing else. Translation: It only has the nutrients that vegans havevery low in there🇧🇷 Read mineFull Future Kind Multivitamin review here(with 10% discount).
If you found this post helpful and don't want to miss it, please pin it to your Vegan or Plant-Based Diet Pinterest boards.
FAQs
What does science say about vegan diet? ›
Vegan diets can boost heart health in several ways. A large scale 2019 study has linked a higher intake of plant-based foods and lower intake of animal foods with a reduced risk of heart disease and death in adults. Animal products — including meat, cheese, and butter — are the main dietary sources of saturated fats.
How does being vegan make you look younger? ›Typically, a plant-based diet is high in vitamin C, lysine and antioxidants, all of which help with the production of collagen at a cellular level. In turn, this helps the skin to stay supple and youthful-looking.
Does being vegan make you faster? ›A vegan diet will make it easier to lean-up and speed-up, eliminating the extra body fat weighing you down. Swapping saturated fats for healthy alternatives like avocados and nuts, while upping your intake of veg will undoubtedly reap rewards.
Do vegan children grow slower? ›Health study on vegan children
This involved looking at growth, body composition, cardiovascular health, and micronutrients. Its outcomes were that vegan children were on average three centimeters shorter, and had a lower bone mineral content of between four and six percent.
“I have always eaten animal flesh with a somewhat guilty conscience,” he once professed in a letter. He largely agreed with the moral motivations behind vegetarianism, but was unable to comply.
What doctors say about vegans? ›As PCRM says, eating plant-based foods can drastically reduce the chances of developing certain diseases. Some studies suggest that eating whole, vegan foods can dramatically reduce the risk of diabetes. It can also enable diabetics to effectively manage symptoms, and for some, drastically reduce their medication.
What is a vegan face? ›Simply, vegan face is a name for a slack, wasted look that is caused by an absence of protein in your diet. The skin is dry, sallow and flaky. Protein literally props up the face: it makes it look plump (in a good way) and fresh-faced and wakeful.
Does being vegan change your face? ›Dr. Pam Benito, another dermatologist, told Bustle: “Breakouts and skin changes aren't uncommon for people transitioning to a vegan diet … if you do get acne after cutting animal products out of your diet, give your body a few weeks to adjust to your new eating style and you might see it clear up on its own.”
Is being vegan anti aging? ›Plant-based diet is rich in anti-oxidants, vitamin C and lysine. This helps to boost the collagen at the cellular level, which in turn helps to keep the skin stay supple and prevents wrinkles by maintaining the elasticity of the skin.
Are vegan people stronger? ›A vegan diet contains all the protein and other nutrients needed to build muscle and strength, as numerous internationally recognised and national record holding strong vegans have proved. Some of the strongest powerlifters are vegans and more are showing an interest in plant-based nutrition.
What happens to your body when you first go vegan? ›
Here's what to expect when you switch to a plant-based diet. After just a few days, the health benefits of eating a whole-food, plant-based diet become clear. Your heart health improves, your skin clears up and the more you stay away from simple carbs and sugar, you can experience healthy weight loss.
What Becoming vegan does to your body? ›Health benefits, when done right
Research has shown that a vegan diet can help do the following: Promote weight loss. Reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. Lower your chances of getting certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer.
There's no set age when it's "OK" for a child to begin a vegan approach. Typically, mothers should breastfeed for four to six months, but once a baby begins solid foods, it's appropriate to replace meat products with mashed or pureed tofu or beans, along with soy yogurt and cheese, Johnson says.
What happens to vegan children? ›The study showed vegan children had lower fat mass, blood cholesterol and fasting glucose levels. Vegan children had higher intakes of some beneficial nutrients including fibre, vitamin C, folate, carotenoids, unsaturated fats, magnesium, all a reflection of the consumption of healthy plant foods.
Is Brad Pitt A vegan? ›Other publications, including the Daily Mail, suggest that Pitt is vegetarian—and has been for “decades.”
Are humans meant to be vegan? ›Although many humans choose to eat both plants and meat, earning us the dubious title of “omnivore,” we're anatomically herbivorous. The good news is that if you want to eat like our ancestors, you still can: Nuts, vegetables, fruit, and legumes are the basis of a healthy vegan lifestyle.
Does God believe in veganism? ›Mark 7 – Jesus declares all foods clean
Most Christians maintain that Jesus's teaching in Mark 7 demonstrates that Christians can eat whatever they want, that dietary choices are a matter of "Christian liberty", and that therefore vegetarianism or veganism could never be obligatory for Christians.
A vegan diet can be healthy as it is typically higher in fiber and lower in cholesterol than an omnivorous diet. As a result, some studies find a vegan diet lowers the risk of heart disease and premature death, helps manage type 2 diabetes and reduces the risk of cancer.
Who was the first vegan ever? ›In 1806, at the age of 41, Dr. William Lambe adopted an exclusively plant-based diet as a result of health problems. At the time, it was common for people following a “vegetable diet” to consume dairy products, but Dr. Lambe rejected these products as well, making him one of the first “vegans” as we know it today.
Why do vegans have dark circles under their eyes? ›"Deficiencies of various vitamins can cause darkening of the skin, dark circles under eyes, and brittle hair and nails," Sarkar said. Bhanusali he typically checks his vegan patients for their iron levels and B12 levels, as deficiencies in those can lead to pale skin, dark circles under your eyes, and even hair loss.
Does being vegan change your hair? ›
Following a vegan diet does put you at higher risk of hair loss, and whilst vegans are less likely to go bald completely, the diet itself lacks essential nutrients, such as protein, iron and zinc, that are needed to keep hair thick and healthy.
Who is healthier vegan or meat eater? ›Fully plant-based eaters score higher on the Healthy Eating Index not because they forgo meat, but rather because they eat more minimally-processed whole plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds.
What happens to your body when you stop being vegan? ›Most of the time, when a vegan or vegetarian starts eating meat after a long period of abstaining, what happens is ... nothing, according to Robin Foroutan, a registered dietitian nutritionist and representative for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Is Oprah a vegetarian? ›In 1996 she invited former cattleman Howard Lyman onto her show. Despite the fact that she currently eats a non-vegetarian diet, Oprah Winfrey has done more than nearly anyone else in the media to publicize the benefits of veganism.
What gender is more vegan? ›The most common demographic of vegans are women aged between 18 and 34 and twice as many women as men are vegan. Partially, this is because masculinity is tied up with eating meat. This is evident in the “soy boy” stereotype – a pejorative term used to insult left-wing and vegan men by questioning their masculinity.
Who is World's Strongest vegan? ›The world's strongest vegan, Patrik Baboumian, shows that plants are the perfect fuel—even for record-breaking powerlifters like him.
Do vegans have more girls? ›It turns out that – in almost every part of the globe, from Sweden – there are significantly fewer male vegans and vegetarians. In the US, one survey of 11,000 people found that just 24% of vegans are men.
Does going vegan change your body odor? ›A 2006 study by Czech researchers found women judge the body odor of vegetarian men to be "significantly more attractive, more pleasant, and less intense," than that of their carnivorous friends. So, cut out the meat and go in for the cuddle: Your armpits smell "significantly less intense" than that dude's.
What happens to your body when you stop eating meat? ›"If meat is simply removed and not substituted, the consumer is at risk of iron or B12 deficiency, anemia, and muscle wasting," Levy-Wollins explains.
Why do vegans lose weight fast? ›“Vegan diets likely lead to weight loss because they are associated with a reduced calorie intake due to a lower content of fat and higher content of dietary fibre.”
Why do people stop being vegan? ›
To sum it up, many vegetarians and vegans choose to let go of their non-meat diet for multiple reasons: health, impulse, life events, and mood shifts.
Do vegans have healthy babies? ›In truth, vegetarians and vegans have perfectly healthy pregnancies and babies. Why is there any concern at all? Some of the most vital baby-boosting nutrients are more easily found in meats and other animal-based products. But it's still a cinch to get them elsewhere.
Can vegans have babies? ›The answers are yes, yes, and yes. You can keep a vegan diet and have a healthy pregnancy. However, a vegan diet does put you at risk for some nutrient deficiencies, which may harm your baby if left unchecked, and could impact your fertility when trying to conceive.
Is being vegan scientifically healthy? ›A vegan diet can be healthy as it is typically higher in fiber and lower in cholesterol than an omnivorous diet. As a result, some studies find a vegan diet lowers the risk of heart disease and premature death, helps manage type 2 diabetes and reduces the risk of cancer.
Is Veganism backed by science? ›In conclusion, scientific evidence supports the fact that a vegan diet provides numerous benefits to your health, including: Weight loss and weight management. Reduced blood pressure. Reduced risk of diabetes.
Is a plant-based diet scientifically proven? ›Plant-based diets have been proven to prevent and reverse heart disease, improve cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.
What is the scientific rationale behind vegan? ›Some research has linked that there are certain health benefits to vegan diets with lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. Going vegan is a great opportunity to learn more about nutrition and cooking, and improve your diet.
Are humans supposed to be vegan? ›Although many humans choose to eat both plants and meat, earning us the dubious title of “omnivore,” we're anatomically herbivorous. The good news is that if you want to eat like our ancestors, you still can: Nuts, vegetables, fruit, and legumes are the basis of a healthy vegan lifestyle.
Why eating meat is better than vegan? ›Meat, poultry, and fish come packed with several nutrients we all need for optimal health and well-being, including protein, B vitamins, iron, zinc, and several other minerals. When compared to meat, plants often contain much lower amounts of those important nutrients.
What is healthier vegan or meat eater? ›Plant-based diets are healthier than diets where meat is consumed, whether measured by the occurrence of heart disease, cancer, or death. These benefits are likely because of both the avoidance of meat and the predominance of dietary vegetables and fruits.
Why is veganism not good for the planet? ›
But, what are the negative effects of veganism on the environment? While veganism is sustainable to some degree, it can lead to soil pollution, air pollution, and water depletion, due to the agricultural practices involved.
What happens if the world becomes vegan? ›If we all gave up meat, around eight million fewer people would die each year, as a result of lower levels of heart disease, strokes and cancer. But most crops have lower levels of micronutrients per calorie than meat – especially vitamins A, B12 and D, and some essential fatty acids.
Why don't doctors recommend a plant-based diet? ›Due to insufficient time spent on the subject of nutrition, many doctors believe that you cannot get enough protein on a plant-based diet, and that you are at risk of becoming iron and calcium deficient.
Do you live longer on a plant-based diet? ›For several decades now, research has consistently found that a vegetarian diet, that is mainly made up of fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes and wholegrains, can reduce your risk of major diseases and help you live longer1–5.
What is the downside of a plant-based diet? ›Cons of Plant-based Diets
Protein requirements can be tough to meet without consuming meats, poultry, and seafood. Iron, calcium and B12 nutrient levels may be difficult to maintain and these deficiencies are common in individuals adhering to a plant-based diet.
A vegan lifestyle prevents a tremendous amount of animal slaughter and suffering. It offers a potent way to shrink our environmental footprint, especially in regard to climate change. And a well-planned vegan diet can fuel the highest levels of fitness, while reducing our risk of various chronic diseases.
Why do vegans try to recreate meat? ›Most vegans who embrace a plant-based diet do so for ethical reasons (and some for health reasons) but not because we object to the flavor and texture of cooked meat and meat products. What we do object to is the inhumane treatment and slaughter of animals when plant-based food sources are readily available.
Why do raw vegans exist? ›Those choosing to follow a raw vegan diet are often motivated by health reasons. They believe that raw and minimally heated foods are more nutritious than cooked ones. Alternative meal preparation methods, such as juicing, blending, soaking, sprouting and dehydrating, are used instead of cooking.