While a well-balanced plant-based diet can provide a wide range of nutrients, certain essential nutrients are more abundant in animal-derived foods. Plant-based diets can sometimes lead to nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, make such a diet plan, so that you can get all these nutrients. Similarly, omega-3 fatty acids, especially the form known as DHA, are essential for brain health and are commonly found in fish. Plant-based sources of omega-3s, such as flaxseeds and walnuts, provide ALA, a precursor that the body can convert to DHA, but the conversion rates are often inefficient. This can potentially lead to cognitive issues and other health concerns if not properly addressed.
FAQs
The dangerous side effects of plant-based diet that no one told you about? ›
Causes digestive issues
Why is a plant-based diet bad for you? ›Studies elsewhere have found that vegan diets can be deficient in other micronutrients, including vitamin D, iodine, selenium, riboflavin and vitamin B12. The latter can be particularly problematic, since it does not occur in plants, therefore vegans must rely on taking vitamin B12 supplements to acquire enough.
What nutrient do many people wrongly think is deficient in a plant-based diet? ›Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that's almost exclusively found in animal-sourced foods, such as fish, meat, dairy products, and eggs ( 1 ).
What are the problems with whole food plant-based diet? ›- Protein. Generally, patients on a plant-based diet are not at risk for protein deficiency. ...
- Iron. Plant-based diets contain iron, but the iron in plants has a lower bioavailability than the iron in meat. ...
- Vitamin B. ...
- Calcium and Vitamin D. ...
- Fatty Acids.
- Assuming Products Are Automatically Healthier & Not Eating Enough Whole Foods. ...
- Not Eating Enough Protein-Rich Foods. ...
- Not Getting Enough Vitamin B12. ...
- Eating Too Few Calories. ...
- Not Drinking Enough Water. ...
- Forgetting About Iron. ...
- Consuming a Diet Low in Calcium.
Deficiency of micro-nutrients
While a well-balanced plant-based diet can provide a wide range of nutrients, certain essential nutrients are more abundant in animal-derived foods. Plant-based diets can sometimes lead to nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids.
The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the healthiest way to eat by US News & World Report. The eating plan is flexible, full of whole foods and plants, and is linked to longevity benefits.
What is the most common deficiency in vegans? ›A cross-sectional analysis of participants with omnivorous, vegetarian, or vegan diets found that about half of the 232 vegan participants had vitamin B12 deficiencies. Compared with the other groups, the vegan group had the lowest overall levels.
Do vegans live longer than meat-eaters? ›Some vegans may live longer
One large review of vegans and vegetarians in the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and Japan suggests that they have a 9% lower risk of death from all causes, compared with omnivores ( 4 ).
- weakened immune system.
- weak bones.
- depression.
- fatigue.
- slow wound healing.
- hair loss.
What happens to your body when you only eat plant-based food? ›
Plants are high in fiber.
Eating a plant-based diet improves the health of your gut so you are better able to absorb the nutrients from food that support your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar and it's great for good bowel management.
You're not eating enough iron
This mineral transports oxygen throughout the body. Without enough iron in the diet, you may feel fatigued due to lack of oxygen in the muscles. Iron is a little bit harder to get on a plant-based diet, but it's not impossible to find. There are two types of iron– heme and non-heme iron.
Because of their processed nature, plant-based meats don't provide a plethora (or sometimes any) of the nutrients that make whole plant foods so good for you, such as significant amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals, monounsaturated fats, and polyphenols.
What are the negatives of a plant-based diet? ›Plant-based diets carry some risk of inadequate protein, vitamin, and mineral intake. But these risks are readily overcome by choosing the right vegetarian foods and, when necessary, supplements. For example, soy, quinoa, and nuts are good sources of protein, and tofu, lentils, and spinach are good sources of iron.
What are the downfalls of a plant-based diet for seniors? ›Like all people who follow a vegan diet, however, seniors may need to consider B12 supplementation. Research suggests that the likelihood of vitamin B12 deficiency increases with age, and affects six percent of people aged over 60.
How can a plant-based diet be unhealthy? ›Furthermore, vegetarians and vegans can experience nutrient deficiencies in iron, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, due to the exclusion of animal foods that are rich in these nutrients.
What happens to your body when you go plant-based? ›Vegetarian diets have also been shown to support health, including a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and increased longevity.
What are the disadvantages of plant protein? ›Incomplete Amino Acid Profile
Unlike animal-based protein sources, which provide all essential amino acids, most plant proteins lack one or more essential amino acids. For example, grains and legumes are deficient in the essential amino acid lysine, while fruits and vegetables often lack methionine.
Con #1: Plant-based meat can be more heavily processed than animal meat. As some plant-based meat and mock meat products are created to replicate animal meat, they may undergo more processing. This leads to a high content of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar.
Can I eat eggs on a plant-based diet? ›Eggs can and should be part of a plant-based diet, and these five suggestions showcase how easy it is to incorporate the incredible egg into your plant-forward dishes.