Embracing the Plant-Powered Life: Veganism

A popular diet we have all heard about is the plant-based diet, the Vegan diet. Veganism is one diet that tends to extend past just a diet choice but is a full lifestyle choice, promoting environmental sustainability, kindness and compassion to animals, and health benefits, all in one. Let’s dive into the details and see how great can the Vegan diet really be and how to best take advantage of the concepts.

Veganism at its core is focused on wholly excluding any animal-based products. This goes beyond just meat, but also avoiding the consumption of any food that is derived from animals, like dairy products (milk, cheese), eggs, honey, etc. The common vegan meal would look more like a vibrant set of fruits and vegetables, matched with legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. We also hear constantly about the ethical considerations behind Vegan diets. Many of those who are championing movements for animal rights and encouraging fair treatment of all living beings, will also advocate for a diet that matches. Another main pillar behind veganism as both a diet and lifestyle choice is the effect on the environment. Both the meat and dairy industries are known for their resource-intensive practices, leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions (Source). By moving to a plant-based diet, vegans can help in reducing their own personal carbon footprint. The final pillar of veganism is the health benefits. There have been many claims and studies saying that a well-balanced vegan diet can offer health advantages like reduced heart disease and reduction in risks for high blood pressure. Improving one’s grasp on personal weight management is also widely mentioned.

Health and Vitality: My main goal has always been personal improvement, therefore, exploring the potential health benefits of Veganism is the sole most important factor when deciding when you choose a different diet.  According to RUSH University Medical Center (Source), vegan diets have promoted weight loss, reduced cholesterol levels in many individuals (reducing the risk of heart disease), lowered the chances of getting certain types of cancer (ex: colon cancer), and helping in management of diabetes (by lowering A1C levels). Having said that, Vegan diets will often time require significantly more planning to get all the nutrients you need while sticking to the requirements of the diet.

Proteins: A Vegan diet will require you to explore different sources of protein apart from animals and animal-based products. Soy products (tofu, for example), or different legumes, like chickpeas, lentils, or nutritional yeasts are all great sources of protein. With a bit of research, it should be simple to come up with a set of dishes that are both delicious and nutritious. See the end of this article for some examples.

Vitamin B12: B12 is the nutrient that keeps your body’s blood and nerve cells healthy, and not getting enough can make you feel very weak and tired. At extreme levels, there can be much worse side effects of B12 deficiency, like dementia, nervous system damage, and megaloblastic anemia. (Source) Unfortunately for vegans, the most common ways to get these nutrients are through animal products, like eggs, beef, milk, fish, etc. To make sure you get your fill (2.4 mg for the average adult), look into fortified cereals, rice, or soy drinks. Otherwise, adding a bunch of healthy green veggies can help with getting your generally needed vitamins for the day. Worst case, Vitamin B12 or B-Complex supplements are available.

Essential fatty acids: With a more difficult job in getting essential fatty acids, vegans run the risk of various cognitive health issues and depression. These are typically taken care of with any variation of fish products, fish oils, etc., but without these items on our menu, vegans will need to look into whole grain foods and green vegetables (spinach, kale, collard greens, etc.) On a snacking note, nuts of all kinds and nut oils are a great source as well. Personally, almonds have been a key snack for any diet, given their high levels of nutrients, especially proteins.

Iron: Iron is key for your body’s growth and development. Iron is used to create proteins, hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to all parts of your body, and myoglobin which provides oxygen to your muscles. Typically, average adults need between 8 – 18 mg of iron per day. (Source) The main sources of iron for both people today are meats, seafood, and poultry. To replace this, vegans will need to indulge in some beans and lentils. Green vegetables and nuts also have some iron as well, so the methods of replacing animal products to get your daily dose of iron are plentiful.

Lastly, let’s look into an article written for physicians as an update to plant-based diets and their purpose in our current world of rising healthcare costs matched with unhealthy lifestyles that commonly result in obesity, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. (Source) Philip J Tuso, MD, a co-lead to the Complete Care Program of Southern California Permanente Medical Group (among other titles), lead the review of this material (with the help of half a dozen equally qualified medical professionals). In this review, they start by describing that “looking for cost-effective interventions to improve health outcomes” is a key goal in helping patients lead healthier lives. In this review, evidence is presented to support plant-based diets, backed with specific case studies as well.

Starting with the case study, we have a 63-year-old man with a history of hypertension. He has issues of fatigue, nausea, and muscle cramps. After blood glucose testing, he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, having high total cholesterol, high blood pressure, and slightly higher than average BMI. He was taking 4 different medicines (lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide, amlodipine, and atorvastatin). Based on these results, he was prescribed a plant-based diet, low in sodium, and limiting refined sugars and bread, rice, and potatoes to single servings daily. This was replaced with eating as many starchy vegetables and legumes as possible and at least 2 ounces of nuts and seeds. Lastly, exercise for 15 minutes, twice a day. Over 16 weeks, all biometrics measurements had improved and he was able to completely wean off of his 4 medicines. His only remaining need was taking metformin twice daily for his diabetes.

I will not go into more detail on the review article, as most of the basic information is already presented above, but I highly recommend looking at this article in more detail if you are looking at a Vegan diet for any specific medical need (e.g. obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure).

Environmental Impacts and Ethical Choice: Now that we have fully diagnosed plant-based diets as a truly healthy and effective method for healthy living, let’s see how effective this lifestyle change truly is for the environment. To take a deeper dive into this, we need to understand how to measure your impact. The best way I have found is to measure your personal carbon footprint. Just as you can do this with the amount of electricity you use, or the car you decide to drive, you can do this with your diet as well.

For food, there are 5 main categories to understand as part of a food carbon footprint: (Source)

1) Production of the food, whether it be in the food fed to the animals, the fertilizers and pesticides used to grow plants, or electricity and water needed to grow/raise food.

2) Processing food takes a significant amount of resources. Harvesting crops, prepping animal and animal products, running machinery and tooling, etc.

3) Transportation from farms to processing plants to grocery stores and eventually to your home or a restaurant are all contributors to total footprint.

4) Storage and Cooking involve everything we do once the farms have passed it on to your preferred grocery store or in our homes. Refrigeration and cooking of the food takes its own resources, electricity, gas, etc.

5) Food Waste will account for all the processing and disposal of leftover food, uneaten parts of meat or plants, etc.

In my research, I see a lot of numbers claimed with not much explanation. “Animal products, both meat and dairy, in general, require more resources and cause higher emissions than plant-based alternatives” or “57% of global greenhouse gas emissions from food production come from meat and dairy products” and “just 29% of food-related global greenhouse gas emissions come from plant-based foods”. (Source) My issue with this so far is that one cannot really say that one is better than the other based on these numbers. For example, if everyone did move to a vegan diet, would the greenhouse gas emission number decrease, and by how much? Which foods are the most important to reduce?

Instead, using OurWorldinData.org (Source), we can see a representative show of the greenhouse gas emissions based on each food choice. In addition to each food, they also broke this information down by each section of the footprint chain, as mentioned before. See that chart below.

Based on the information presented, I think it is very clear that removing animal products, the majority of the top 7 in this list, we would see a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emission. These would then be replaced by things like Tofu, groundnuts, soy products, fruits, vegetables, etc. I did not want to fill up the article with tons of charts, but I would suggest clicking the link earlier to the website and playing around with their filters. You can view the problem from different angles. An example that I find more interesting than the above chart is actually which foods are the worst if you are basing your footprint on how much emission would be needed to provide us with 100g of protein. This puts it in perspective, because it may end up taking 3x the emissions worth of nuts to get us the same amount of nutrients from a good piece of steak. The results from that search do not actually change the conclusion that plant-based diets are overall better for the environment than animal products, but it does show that the greatest issue in emissions actually is in terms of cows. Beef has a emission amount of 49.89kg per 100g of protein, compared to pork or chicken, which are only 7.61 kg and 5.7 kg respectively. One key takeaway from this is that, if you are someone who is both environmentally conscious, but do not want to move to 100% plant-based diet, removing beef from your diet and replacing it with a mix of pork and chicken, you are already having a big impact.

The challenges behind veganism are the usual issues people face when moving to new diets.

1. Planning: As we discussed earlier, planning out your meals and your specific food choices is key to making sure you get all the nutrients your body needs to function properly. Variety and substance are very important for you, and any deficiency in any area, especially for long periods, can lead to negative health effects, sometimes much more serious ones. We briefly discussed this earlier, so I won’t repeat the specific negatives here.
2. Product Awareness: The vegan diet can often feel very strict, and there will be many surprises along the way where you find yourself saying “Wow.. I really can’t even eat that?” Being mindful of what you can and cannot eat, especially when you are out to lunch with friends or coworkers, can be a hassle. This is one of those things that comes with practice, as you start to create a system in your head where you know where to go and where not to go, which foods to eat and which ones not to eat. Luckily for us, the number of vegan products available has been vastly growing in recent years.
3. Social Challenges: As with most diets, Veganism will be limiting on what shared foods you get to indulge in with your friends. Stay away from those charcuterie boards and open a bag of nuts instead! This can be very frustrating for some, especially those who enjoy going out, where many of the places you could previously just walk into and choose whatever you want off the menu, now become a 10-minute read and Google search to find the best option to not break your diet and get the nutrients you need. My personal policy has always been to give yourself breaks, usually when you are at events or out with family. There is something to be said for those disciplined enough to stick to their diets all the time, and there is something to be said for those who can live their life in moderation, staying healthy, but also enjoying themselves and their time with others.

Adopting a vegan lifestyle is one that could be for more than just one reason. Whether you are passionate about animal rights, care about the environment, or simply want to lead a healthier lifestyle, it is a great diet to give a shot and see how it goes for you. Before you take the leap to make a full transition away from animal products, I’d recommend talking to your personal doctor or physician and getting their input. Based on your own health status and your needs, it is very possible that a vegan diet would actually be detrimental to you.

To try and help anyone interested in starting this diet, I’ve detailed some potential breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options. Take a look and definitely tell me of any great recipes that I didn’t mention.

1. Avocado Toast: Whole-grain bread topped with mashed avocado, cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, and a dash of olive oil.
2. Chia Seed Pudding: Mix chia seeds with plant-based milk, a touch of maple syrup, and your favorite berries. Let it sit overnight for a creamy pudding.
3. Vegan Oatmeal: Cook rolled oats with almond milk, cinnamon, and sliced bananas. Top with chopped nuts and a drizzle of almond butter.
4. Smoothie Bowl: Blend frozen berries, a ripe banana, spinach, and plant-based protein powder. Pour the smoothie into a bowl and top with granola, coconut flakes, and fresh fruit.
5. Tofu Scramble: Sauté crumbled tofu with turmeric, black salt, veggies, and your favorite spices for a hearty and savory breakfast.

1. Quinoa Salad: Mix cooked quinoa with diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black olives, and fresh herbs. Dress with a lemon-tahini dressing.
2. Hummus Wrap: Spread hummus on a whole-grain wrap and fill it with roasted vegetables, greens, and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
3. Vegan Buddha Bowl: Create a bowl with a base of cooked brown rice or quinoa. Top it with roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, steamed kale, and a tahini dressing.
4. Vegan Lentil Soup: Make a hearty soup with red lentils, carrots, onions, and spices. Serve with a side of whole-grain bread.
5. Vegan Sushi Rolls: Create sushi rolls with nori seaweed, avocado, cucumber, and julienned carrots. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

1. Vegan Stir-Fry: Sauté tofu or tempeh with a variety of colorful vegetables in a savory soy or teriyaki sauce. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.
2. Chickpea Curry: Cook chickpeas with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a blend of spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.
3. Vegan Spaghetti: Replace traditional pasta with whole-grain or legume-based pasta. Top with a rich tomato sauce, sautéed mushrooms, and nutritional yeast.
4. Vegan Tacos: Fill corn tortillas with seasoned black beans, sautéed bell peppers and onions, fresh salsa, and guacamole.
5. Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers: Stuff bell peppers with a mix of cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and spices. Bake until tender and serve with a drizzle of avocado crema.

1. Fresh Fruit with Nut Butter: Slice up some apples, bananas, or celery sticks and dip them in almond, peanut, or cashew butter for a satisfying and nutritious snack.
2. Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruits: Create your own trail mix by combining a variety of raw nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews) with dried fruits like raisins, apricots, and cranberries.
3. Veggie Sticks with Hummus: Cut up an assortment of fresh veggies like carrots, cucumber, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes, and dip them in creamy hummus for a crunchy and satisfying snack.
4. Popcorn: Pop some plain popcorn (air-popped is healthiest) and season it with your favorite spices like nutritional yeast, paprika, or cinnamon for a flavorful, low-calorie treat.
5. Rice Cakes with Avocado: Spread mashed avocado on whole-grain rice cakes and add a sprinkle of sea salt or red pepper flakes for a simple yet delicious snack.