Is veganism healthy?
It’s important to remember that veganism is not a diet, nor is it a health movement. It’s a moral and ethical philosophy against animal exploitation, and that’s it. But in addition to veganism being the best thing for the animals, it just so happens to be the best thing for your health, assuming you’re eating a relatively healthy diet and not exclusively vegan junk food. So even though one of the criticisms we often hear is how unhealthy veganism is, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
We know that getting protein as a vegan is easy as a vegan, despite the myth that we are protein deficient because “protein is only found in meat.”
We know that we don’t need to take a ton of supplements despite the claims we keep hearing (but please, make sure you are getting B12 through a supplement or fortified food).
The rest of this article is quite lengthy and cites studies, articles, and recommendations regarding a vegan diet, as well as how unhealthy eating animal products are. If you want to skip directly to a section, click the links below:
What do the experts say about a vegan diet?
Veganism is acknowledged as healthy for people in all stages of life, and is recommended by numerous expert organizations in the dietetic and medical fields:
University of Bologna “Cardiovascular health and cancer risk associated with plant based diets: An umbrella review”
“Plant-based diets appear beneficial in reducing cardiometabolic risk factors, as well as CVDs, cancer risk and mortality.”
Source: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0300711
Here’s an article that explains the findings in layman’s terms: https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/yes-plant-based-diets-really-are-better-for-your-health-review-finds-386813
Stanford Medicine “Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs Vegan Diets in Identical Twins - A Randomized Clinical Trial”
“In this randomized clinical trial of 22 healthy, adult, identical twin pairs, those consuming a healthy vegan diet showed significantly improved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, fasting insulin level, and weight loss compared with twins consuming a healthy omnivorous diet. The findings from this trial suggest that a healthy plant-based diet offers a significant protective cardiometabolic advantage compared with a healthy omnivorous diet.”
Source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2812392
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition “Dietary protein intake in midlife in relation to healthy aging – results from the prospective Nurses’ Health Study cohort”
“Plant protein was also associated with higher odds of absence of physical function limitations and good mental status. Dietary protein intake, especially plant protein, in midlife, is associated with higher odds of healthy aging and with several domains of positive health status in a large cohort of female nurses.”
Source https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523662823
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics “Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics on Vegan Diets”
“It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes.”
“Vegetarians and vegans are at reduced risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity. Low intake of saturated fat and high intakes of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, soy products, nuts, and seeds (all rich in fiber and phytochemicals) are characteristics of vegetarian and vegan diets that produce lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and better serum glucose control.”
Source: https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(16)31192-3/abstract
United Kingdom National Health Service “The vegan diet”
“With good planning and an understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs.”
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-vegan-diet/
British Nutrition Foundation “Vegetarian and vegan diets”
“A well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet can be healthy and provide all the nutrients we need. This is true across all life stages from childhood to pregnancy.”
“The World Cancer Research Fund recommends eating more plant-based foods and less red and processed meat to help prevent cancer.”
British Dietetics Association “Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based diet”
“Plant-based diets can support healthy living at every age and life stage.”
“Plant-based eating is recognised as an intervention to improve health outcomes. They could reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some cancers and may help you manage your weight.” “Carefully planned plant-based diets can support healthy living at every age and life stage.”
Source: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/vegetarian-vegan-plant-based-diet.html
Dietitians of Canada “What You Need to Know About Following a Vegan Eating Plan”
“Anyone can follow a vegan diet – from children to teens to older adults. It’s even healthy for pregnant or nursing mothers. A well-planned vegan diet is high in fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, it’s low in saturated fat and cholesterol. This healthy combination helps protect against chronic diseases. Vegans have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer than non-vegans. Vegans also have lower blood pressure levels than both meat-eaters and vegetarians and are less likely to be overweight.”
Israel Ministry of Health “Infant Nutrition in Vegetarian and Vegan Families”
“A balanced, healthy and diverse vegetarian and vegan diet can satisfy all our dietary requirements from infancy to old age, while also providing health benefits.”
The Norwegian Directorate of Health “Vegetarian diet and vegan diet: Nutritious plant-based diet”
"With good knowledge and planning, both vegetarian and vegan diets can be suitable for people in all phases of life, including during pregnancy and breastfeeding, for infants, for children and young people and for athletes."
The BMJ “What does the evidence say about vegan diets in children?”
“Given that atherosclerosis starts in childhood, these findings are potentially the advantage of a vegan diet, especially since we know that meat-free and vegans diets are associated with a lower risk of ischaemic heart disease in adults. In addition, a healthier body weight is essential for combating the rising rate of type 2 diabetes in children and we know that a vegan diet significantly reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.”
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine “All Physicians Should Know the Benefits of Plant-Based Diets for These Six Health Conditions”
“Adopting healthy behaviors, which include remaining physically active and consuming diets rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, has the potential to reduce breast cancer risk by as much as 50-70%. Research also shows that diets that include soy and are high in fiber reduce breast cancer risk. Diets high in dairy products increase prostate cancer risk. High-fiber diets reduce colorectal cancer risk, while daily consumption of red and processed meat increases its risk.”
The Mayo Clinic endorses a plant-based diet
“In research studies, vegans, people who don't eat any animal products, including fish, dairy or eggs, appeared to have the lowest rates of cancer of any diet.”
Source: https://veganhorizon.substack.com/p/the-best-hospital-in-the-world-endorses
Studies Show Plant-Based Diets Would Save Hundreds of Billions in Health Costs
“A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that a worldwide shift to plant-based eating by 2050 would save $700 billion to $1.4 trillion in healthcare costs per year.”
Source: https://veganhorizon.substack.com/p/studies-show-plant-based-diets-could
Are plant-based meat substitutes healthy?
I think this part might be my favorite. We know that a whole foods plant-based diet is of course the healthiest, but even plant-based meat substitutes are often healthier than meat:
Stanford Medicine “Plant-based meat lowers some cardiovascular risk factors compared with red meat, study finds”
“A diet that includes an average of two servings of plant-based meat alternatives lowers some cardiovascular risk factors compared with a diet that instead includes the same amount of animal meat, Stanford Medicine scientists found.”
Source: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2020/08/plant-based-meat-versus-animal-meat.html
T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies “The Future of Meat is Meatless; Is It Also Greener and Healthier?”
“Several studies have compared the nutrient composition of meat substitutes with retail meat. Although products on the market vary in nutritional composition, a few trends emerge. First and perhaps most obvious, meat substitutes contain more fiber. They are also generally lower in total fat and saturated fat (despite commonly containing coconut milk). They contain no dietary cholesterol (found only in animal products) or trans fats (naturally occurring in some meat and dairy products).”
Source: https://nutritionstudies.org/the-future-of-meat-is-meatless-is-it-also-greener-and-healthier/
University of Bath “Plant-based meat ‘healthier and more sustainable than animal products’ - new study”
“This review demonstrates overwhelming evidence that, as well as being far more sustainable compared to animal products in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water use and land use, plant-based animal product alternatives also have a wide range of health benefits.”
Science Direct “Plant-based animal product alternatives are healthier and more environmentally sustainable than animal products”
“Their analysis indicated that more premature deaths are avoided at higher levels of Plant-based animal product alternatives (PBAPA) uptake, and that over 85% of deaths avoided are attributable to diet-related health risks such as coronary heart disease, cancer, and stroke, as opposed to weight management. The authors recommend a shift towards PBAPAs for public health. Overall, the evidence in this section suggests that PBAPAs can lower cholesterol, improve gut health, and prevent premature deaths.”
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833522000612
Healthline “Why Most Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Are Healthier Than Real Meat”
“A systematic review and meta-analysis, including 12 controlled trials, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology suggests that plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) might be an exception, actually helping to improve cardiovascular health. According to the study, while the nutritional profiles of various PBMAs vary widely, overall, they have characteristics that make them heart-healthy. The researchers also found studies showing that PBMAs could improve certain cardiovascular risk factors, including total cholesterol, LDL, apolipoprotein B-100 (a form of LDL implicated in inherited forms of high cholesterol), and body weight.”
Source: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/plant-based-meat-healthier
SciTechDaily “Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Are Better for Your Heart Than Normal Meat”
“A review article in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, which examines studies comparing plant-based and animal-based meats, consistently indicates that plant-based options can enhance cardiovascular risk factors.”
Pro Veg International “Study finds meat substitutes are often healthier than comparable meat products”
“A report released by ProVeg Netherlands, titled, “How healthy are meat substitutes? Analysis of the nutritional value of meat substitutes compared to animal meat products,” found that meat substitutes are often a healthier choice than the meat products they replace.”
The Food Foundation “Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Healthier And Better For The Planet”
“The study found that all three plant-based meat alternative categories contain on average lower levels of saturated fat, fewer calories, and offer more fiber on average than all meat products analyzed.”
Source: https://plantbasednews.org/news/alternative-protein/plant-based-meat-alternatives-healthier-report/
Is it unhealthy to eat animal products?
Eating animal products has numerous health risks including multiple forms of cancer (ovarian, prostate, renal, colorectal, pancreatic, lung, and stomach cancers), heart disease, diabetes, strokes, pneumonia, dementia, obesity, high blood pressure, other serious illnesses, and earlier death.
Health issues associated with eating meat:
The World Health Organization has classified some forms of animal meat as carcinogenic
“What types of cancers are linked or associated with eating processed meat? - The IARC Working Group concluded that eating processed meat causes colorectal cancer. An association with stomach cancer was also seen, but the evidence is not conclusive.”
“What types of cancers are linked or associated with eating red meat? - The strongest, but still limited, evidence for an association with eating red meat is for colorectal cancer. There is also evidence of links with pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer.”
Oxford University researchers found that eating meat raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and pneumonia
“Eating meat regularly increases a person’s risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, pneumonia and other serious illnesses, research has found. It is already known that intake of red and processed meat heightens the risk of being diagnosed with bowel cancer. But these findings are the first to assess whether meat consumption is linked to any of the 25 non-cancerous illnesses that most commonly lead to people being admitted to hospital in the UK. The academics from Oxford University who published the study found that consumption of red meat, processed meat and poultry meat such as chicken and turkey, either alone or together, at least three times a week was linked to a greater risk of nine different illnesses. Their results add to the growing evidence from researchers and the World Health Organization that eating too much meat, especially red and processed meat, can damage health.”
A UK Biobank study found that even moderate intake of red meat raises cancer risk
“Eating even the moderate amounts of red and processed meat sanctioned by government guidelines increases the likelihood of developing bowel cancer, according to the largest UK study of the risks ever conducted.”
Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future states that meat leads to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, and earlier death
“A strong body of scientific evidence links excess meat consumption, particularly of red and processed meat, with heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, and earlier death. Diets high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans can help prevent these diseases and promote health in a variety of ways.”
A study from Harvard has found a link between heme iron and diabetes. Heme iron is a type of iron only found in animal products; it is not found in any plant-based foods
“The study found a significant association between higher heme iron intake and T2D risk. Participants in the highest intake group had a 26% higher risk of developing T2D than those in the lowest intake group. In addition, the researchers found that heme iron accounted for more than half of the T2D risk associated with unprocessed red meat and a moderate proportion of the risk for several T2D-related dietary patterns. In line with previous studies, the researchers found no significant associations between intakes of non-heme iron from diet or supplements and risk of T2D.”
A meta-analysis of studies of colon cancer consisting of 566,607 individuals and 4,734 cases of colon cancer showed that heme iron (which is only found in animal products) has been shown to increase the risk of colorectal cancer
“Red meat and processed meat intake is associated with a risk of colorectal cancer, a major cause of death in affluent countries. Epidemiological and experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that heme iron present in meat promotes colorectal cancer. This meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies of colon cancer reporting heme intake included 566,607 individuals and 4,734 cases of colon cancer.”
The Alzheimer’s Association presented this 43-year study of more than 130,000 people that showed processed red meat raises the risk of dementia
“Swapping a serving of processed red meat for a serving of nuts, beans or tofu every day may lower the risk of dementia by 20%.”
Source: https://aaic.alz.org/downloads2024/AAIC-2024-Processed-red-meat.pdf
The American Journal of Hypertension published this study showing that red meat raises your blood pressure and can lead to hypertension
“Extensive research demonstrates that blood pressure (BP) levels and hypertension (HTN) prevalence are distinctly lower among those who follow a diet devoid of meat.”
Source: https://academic.oup.com/ajh/article/35/8/679/6585635
Total, red and processed meat consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies
“Convincing evidence of the association between increased risk of (i) colorectal adenoma, lung cancer, CHD and stroke, (ii) colorectal adenoma, ovarian, prostate, renal and stomach cancers, CHD and stroke and (iii) colon and bladder cancer was found for excess intake of total, red and processed meat, respectively.”
Potential health hazards of eating red meat
“The evidence-based integrated message is that it is plausible to conclude that high consumption of red meat, and especially processed meat, is associated with an increased risk of several major chronic diseases and preterm mortality. Production of red meat involves an environmental burden.”
Meat and fish intake and type 2 diabetes: Dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies
“Our meta-analysis has shown a linear dose-response relationship between total meat, red meat and processed meat intakes and T2D risk. In addition, a non-linear relationship of intake of processed meat with risk of T2D was detected.”
Red meat consumption, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
“Unprocessed and processed red meat consumption are both associated with higher risk of CVD, CVD subtypes, and diabetes, with a stronger association in western settings but no sex difference. Better understanding of the mechanisms is needed to facilitate improving cardiometabolic and planetary health.”
Meat Consumption as a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes
“Meat consumption is consistently associated with diabetes risk.”
Then there’s the disgusting truth that every hamburger you eat probably has a little bit of poop bacteria in it
“Yes, the report found fecal bacteria in practically every pound of beef tested — in both conventional and organic beef. It also found that almost one-fifth of conventional beef tested positive for drug-resistant bacteria”
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/poop-bacteria-in-all-ground-beef-us-consumer-reports-2015-8
Dairy isn’t any better, because not only does it not help build strong bones, it actually leads to increased bone fractures and higher rates of cancer and death:
Harvard study on milk
“They found that countries that consume the highest amounts of dairy tend to also have the highest rates of hip fractures. They also noted that high dairy consumption may be associated with greater risk for prostate and endometrial cancer.”
Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/milk-healthy-diet/
A Swedish study on milk published in the British Medical Journal
“In the 20-year follow-up period in which the women were monitored, those who drank more than three glasses, or 680ml, of milk a day were more likely to develop fractures than those who had consumed less. The high-intake group had a higher risk of death too.”
A study funded by the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, and the World Cancer Research Fund and published in the International Journal of Epidemiology
“Researchers followed 52,795 women who were part of the Adventist Health Study-2 cohort and found that women who consumed 1/4 to 1/3 cup of cow’s milk per day had a 30 percent increased chance for breast cancer. One cup per day increased the risk by 50 percent, and 2-3 cups were associated with an 80 percent increased chance of breast cancer. Replacing dairy milk with soy milk was associated with a 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer.”
Source: https://www.pcrm.org/news/health-nutrition/cows-milk-may-increase-risk-breast-cancer
Dairy Intake and Incidence of Common Cancers in Prospective Studies: A Narrative Review
“Naturally occurring hormones and compounds in dairy products may play a role in increasing the risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers”
Eggs aren’t healthy for you either:
Egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes: a meta-analysis
“Our study suggests that there is a dose-response positive association between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”
So not only is a vegan diet healthy, but eating animal products is quite literally killing you.
