Put your hand up if last year you tried Veganuary?

You were not alone, as worldwide over half a million people signed up for eating no animal products in January, and every year more and more participants take the Veganuary pledge.

The Veganuary 2021 survey found that almost half (46%) of the participants signed up said they wanted to protect animals from suffering, followed by 22% saying personal health was the reason, and 21% said looking after the environment. Other reasons included a change/challenge/curiosity (5%), global health (4%) and a friend/partner/family member participating (2%). 

Being vegan is often associated with being healthy and many studies do suggest that this way of eating can improve heart health, lower the risk for type 2 diabetes, decrease weight, and protect against cancer. This all makes sense. If you’re eating more plants you are automatically increasing your fibre intake, as well as important nutrients such as vitamin C, phytochemicals and other biologically active compounds found in plants which are all important for reducing disease risk and keeping us healthy.

However there are plenty of vegan options which although labelled as plant-based are filled to the brim with some rather nasty ingredients that we should be avoiding to keep healthy. If you are embarking on Veganuary, or just want to eat more plant-based foods, read on to make sure you stay on the right track!

Just because it’s vegan, doesn’t mean it’s healthy

With increased demand for plant-based products there is literally an alternative for everything. Can’t have butter? Have vegan margarine. Can’t have bacon but you miss it? Don’t worry, fry up this vegan bacon - it tastes just like the real thing! These products are highly processed and just because they don’t contain animal products, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are good for you.

Many vegan products contain highly processed plant oils such as sunflower oil. These are not good for our health, due to the chemical extraction and processing methods. These plant oils can raise our levels of omega 6 fats (which can be inflammatory) and increase inflammation in the body. If our omega 6 intake is high, it can create an imbalance of our omega 3 essential fats which are important for every cell membrane and impact on hormone balance, immune function and cardiovascular health. So if you’re planning on trying Veganuary, make sure you are eating nuts and seeds, vegetables tossed with cold pressed hemp oil, and potentially a supplement with algae too.

Many vegan products also contain soy protein isolate and wheat gluten, which are highly processed and contain many additives. If you’re planning on eating vegan meat, check the label for these ingredients! Wheat gluten is associated with increased inflammation in the gut and for many people can cause digestive issues such as bloating and abdominal pain. Regularly eating gluten - even if you don’t have digestive issues - is not something that a nutritional therapist would recommend for overall health. Dr Mark Hyman author of Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? advises to stay away from processed soy and fake meat.

However, eating soy products like tempeh, tofu and miso in their natural form can lower cardiovascular risk and can be beneficial for our overall health. So eat soy in its natural or fermented form, but stay away from processed soy and soy protein isolate!

Avoid vegan fast food. The meat replacement is full of additives and processed ingredients, and the meals are often much higher in salt, flavourings, sugar, and preservatives than the traditional meat options. For example a McDonald’s Plant burger has 17 ingredients in the patty (many of which are difficult to pronounce and wouldn’t be in your cupboard), compared to the meat patty which has 1 ingredient. Beef.

There are often claims that eating a vegan diet fills all human nutrient needs and supplementing is not necessary. However there are a few supplements that should be taken along a plant-based diet.

Supplements to Support a Vegan Diet

B12 is something that many of us are already deficient in, whether vegan or not, however research suggests there is a higher risk of deficiency in those that don’t eat meat. You can get your daily dose with a good quality multivitamin.

Omega 3 fatty acids, which your body can only get from the food we eat. Research suggests that vegans and vegetarians can have up to 50% lower concentrations of this important fatty acid in their blood and tissue than omnivores. If you’re a vegan, make sure you take a supplement derived from algae. Vivo Life has an omega 3 supplement from sustainably sourced algae that is vegan friendly and has a good ratio of both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

Iodine is only needed in small amounts, but a vegan diet can easily become deficient unless you are eating enough iodine rich foods such as seaweed. Iodine is often neglected in multi vitamins so make sure it’s in your supplement drawer.

Iron is found in two forms - heme and non-heme iron. Non-heme iron is available from plants and is not as bioavailable as heme iron, which means you may not absorb that much from the food you eat. Taking a Timed Release Iron tablet could be your best bet.

Generally supplementing with a good quality multi-vitamin daily should help reduce any risk of deficiency in these important nutrients.

Veganuary can be a good way of exploring new foods, upping your fruit and vegetable intake, and making some brilliant new food choices that can support your health. It’s important to realise that any diet can become nutrient deficient and unhealthy if you start to eat away from ‘real whole foods’ and rely on supermarket ready meals, fast food and other factory made products - even when they are plant-based!