The less-talked downside of the vegan diet that can harm your health

Sneha Biswas | May 7, 2020, 15:51 IST
Not long ago the idea of turning yourself a vegan to eliminate animal products completely was considered healthy for three health and environment. No doubt, veganism is beneficial to the mother nature as it bans animal cruelty. Interestingly, the spike in veganism has led to coming up with more and more plant-based options to make this concept more practical. Are you too considering veganism? Whether you are conscious about the environment or intrigued by the health benefits from the plant-based diet, everyone must be aware of the downside of the vegan diet too. The less-talked side of this diet is all about harmful effects on an individual’s health.

Turning vegan is not a one day work, instead, it’s a process that takes time for your body to adapt. The huge change in diet can sometimes be more complicated than you thing. This radical change tends to mess up the regular functions of the organ. In simple words, some people’s bodies might just not accept vegan food no matter how hard you try.

According to evidences, vegan diets contain a lack of essential vitamins and minerals required by the body, such as vitamin B-12, calcium, Vitamin D, and even protein found in only animal meats. This, in the long run, can cause severe deficiency in the body resulting in numerous diseases. In some cases, iron and zinc status of vegans can also be of concern as the diet contains zero to little of these minerals.

Plant-based protein usually falls short of nine essential amino acids that are required by the human body. Food items like meat, egg, and dairy products are the complete source of protein as they contain all nine essential amino acids. This is why vegans need to carefully balance their proteins to avoid health risks from their no-animal diet. Not meeting your bodily protein requirement can weaken your immune system and health.

People with medical conditions like diabetes, osteoporosis must consult their doctor before jumping in veganism as it can interfere with their existing health complications to worsen them.

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