Every January, hundreds of thousands of people around the world participate in Veganuary, the global movement started in the United Kingdom in 2014 that encourages people to go vegan for a month.
Last year, 400,000 people from 192 countries participated in the initiative, which seeks to create a more just and sustainable society.
“Switching to a plant-based diet only brings benefits”, says Alberto García Guerrero, Cardiologist and Expert in Plant-Based Nutrition of the Health Service of the Principality of Asturias (SESPA), dismantling the myth that a plant-based diet cannot be nutritious. Here are his top 10 myth-busters on the vegan diet.
1. A plant-based diet is NOT deficient in protein: “Proteins of vegetable origin (legumes, whole grains, nuts) are accompanied by phytonutrients and other trace elements that are associated with a greater quantity and quality of life in the long term. In a strict normocaloric vegetarian diet, there will be enough protein to meet the requirements of any population or stage of life: children, adults, pregnant women, the elderly and even professional athletes.”
2. A plant-based diet is NOT deficient in Vitamin B12: “It has been shown that those patients who follow a plant-based diet with adequate vitamin B12 supplementation have more adequate levels of vitamin B12 than those who follow an omnivorous diet.”
3. A plant-based diet is NOT deficient in vitamin D: “Vitamin D is a vitamin that is synthesized in the skin through sun exposure. Nowadays, it is frequently avoided due to its adverse effects on the skin, so physicians generally advise taking an oral supplement in times of low sun exposure regardless of diet. In the sunny months, slight sun exposure is enough to reach adequate levels of vitamin D.”
4. A plant-based diet is NOT deficient in omega 3 fatty acids: “According to the National Academy of Medicine, the only essential molecule of omega 3 is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Our body is capable of synthesizing the rest of omega 3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from ALA. We can find abundant amounts of ALA in plant-based products such as flax seeds or walnuts. ”
5. A plant-based diet is NOT deficient in iron: “Iron deficiency, known as anemia is common throughout the world, but it has never been shown that people who follow a plant-based diet have a higher prevalence of iron deficiency than people with omnivorous diets. In addition, a person who bases their diet on products of plant origin usually consumes twice as much iron as they need.” Women generally need 18mg/day of iron while men need about 12-15mg: a large roast potato contains approximately as much iron as 90 grams of chicken meat. Three cups of spinach contains about 18 mg of iron, which is more than a 240 gram steak, and a single cup of cooked soybeans contains between 8 and 9 mg of iron.
6. A plant-based diet is NOT deficient in calcium: “Green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, and nuts are the main sources of calcium in a plant-based diet. A serving of whole cow’s milk contains approximately 125mg of calcium, while serving of almond milk contains about 200mg. A serving of spinach contains around 145mg of calcium.”
7. A plant-based diet IS suitable for athletes: “In the latest consensus statement, the American Dietetic Association states that strict vegetarian eating is healthy and nutritionally adequate for elite athletes. Furthermore, emerging scientific evidence shows clear advantages in blood flow, cardiac morphology and function.”
8. A plant-based diet does NOT lead to virility problems: “Regarding levels of testosterone, no differences have been observed between people with plant-based diets and omnivores. Emerging evidence suggests that a higher consumption of whole plant foods could be associated with a lower prevalence of impotence problems.”
9. A plant-based diet is NOT prohibitively expensive: “In all the studies conducted to date, plant-based diets are actually cheaper than omnivorous diets.”
10. A plant-based diet can NOT cause intestinal diseases: “A 100% vegetable diet is currently used as a treatment for inflammatory intestinal diseases. The intestine is healthier the greater variety of plants we consume. Both the soluble and insoluble fiber present in plant foods show a crucial role in the proper functioning of our intestinal microbiota. ” The consumption of vegetable meat reduces gas emissions by an astounding 99% compared to animal meat.
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Huera is a 100% plant-based meat start-up. Its mission is to create solutions that make the current food system obsolete and accelerate the transition to a world in which animals are out of the protein production equation. Its roots and culinary tradition from the Mediterranean are reflected in its products: clean label, high nutritional values, and flavour. Founded by food activists Marc Colona and Bernat Añaños, Huera was born in April 2017 and is currently present in 3,000 points of sale in Spain, Andorra, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Singapore, Hong Kong, Chile, and the United Kingdom.
