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Understanding Vegan & Vegetarian Diets Impact on Health

Writer's picture: Jessie WhelanJessie Whelan

Updated: Aug 1, 2024

July 2024

Vegetarian Pizza

Plant-Based Diets is an umbrella term for a variety of types of diets with a shared commonality of having the base and bulk of the diet being…well…plants. There are degrees of plant-based diets that differ by level of restriction. 


Types of Plant-Based Diets

  • Vegetarian (or ovo-lacto vegetarian): a diet that includes all plant-based foods and also allows eggs and dairy, but does not allow meat or seafood

  • Vegan: a diet (and lifestyle) that only includes plant foods, excluding meat, daily, eggs, and sometimes honey. Vegan diets are often followed for ethical, moral, and/or environmental concerns of the consumer. 

  • Pescatarian: a diet that includes all plant-based foods and seafood, but does not allow meat. Depending on the person this diet may or may not include eggs and dairy. 

  • Whole-foods, plant-based (WFPB): a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and is typically low in fat. This type of diet can be very similar to a vegan diet, but is typically followed for health concerns as opposed to the ethical and environmental concerns of the vegan diet. 

  • Flexitarian: a diet with a broader meaning, following mostly a vegetarian diet but at times allowing some meat, dairy, and seafood


Benefits of Following a Vegan / Vegetarian Diet 

Weight Management 

Plant-based diets naturally have a lower caloric load and higher nutrient load. Plant foods are loaded with a variety of vitamins and minerals essential to the overall functionality of the human body. Plant foods are often considered “volume” foods as they assist in filling you and packing a ton of vitamins and minerals with less overall calories. 


Plant foods overall are also lower in fat. Fats pack 9 calories per gram of fat, as opposed to carbohydrates and protein which contain 4 calories per gram. So as you can see calories from consuming higher amounts of fat containing foods can add up quickly. Consuming a higher amount of dark leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, beans/legumes, and whole grains contributes to an overall lower fat and therefore calorie intake in plant-based dieters. 


Plant foods are also excellent sources of fiber. The daily average recommendation for fiber intake as per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 - 2025 is 14g of fiber per 1,000 calories. Fiber assists the body with feelings of fullness, which helps to regulate appetite. 


Cardiac Health 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States, killing 314,186 women in 2020 as per the CDC (Center for Disease Control). High fat diets are associated with increased risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke. The low intake of far associated with a plant-based diet is associated with a reduced risk in cardiac events in humans. 

The high fiber content of plant foods also helps to reduce levels of inflammation in humans, and to regulate both blood sugar levels and blood pressure. This is associated with a reduced risk of cardiac events. 


Plant based diets are also associated with being lower in cholesterol and cholesterol is found in animal products. The few animal products someone eats, the less additional cholesterol they consume. This helps reduce levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body, and in turn risk of clotting and associated cardiac events. 


Reduce Risk of Diabetes

Glycemic control and weight maintenance are key factors for those with Type II Diabetes Mellitus. The high fiber content and lower overall caloric structure of a plant-based diet can be helpful to individuals with Type II Diabetes in achieving weight loss/maintenance and regulating blood sugar levels. 


A study of 21 patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus published in the Journal of Nutritional Medicine in 1994 showed significant improvements in patients fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, and insulin resistance within two weeks of shifting to a plant-based diet. Blood glucose levels dropped an average of 35% in patients within the first two weeks of the shift, and five of the 21 patients were able to go off of their glucose-lowering medications. In a four year follow-up, the 17 patients who continued with the plant-based diet continue to see improvements in their condition. 


Reduce Risk of Cancers 

Processed and cured meats, such as ham, bacon and luncheon meats, have been positively associated with risk of colorectal cancer. Studies have suggested that a plant-based diet may decrease risk of this and various other types of cancers. 


Soy, while controversial and often consumed on a plant-based diet, has been suggested in some studies to be protective against certain cancers such as breast, ovarian, prostate, gastric, liver, and colorectal cancer. 


Other components of plant-based diets too such as high fiber and high antioxidant levels contribute to the cancer fighting properties of a plant-based diet. 


Reduce Risk of Hypertension 

A review published in 2020 showed that a vegan diet is associated with a significant decrease in blood pressure in individuals with hypertension. Those who followed a vegan diet (most strict of the diets) had more significant decreases in blood pressure than those who followed a vegetarian diet. 


Improved Mental Health Status 

A plant-based diet is rich in vitamins and minerals that are essential to cognitive function and development. Fatty acids found in foods like walnuts, avocados, and coconuts are essential to the health and development of the brain. 


Gut health is directly related to cognitive health. Dysbiosis in the gut can lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression, and be related to symptoms of states such as ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Improving the balance in the gut microbiome by eating a vitamin, mineral, and fiber rich diet can improve feelings of anxiety and depression, and also lead to improved symptoms often related to Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD (behavior struggles, speech delays, gastrointestinal distress, brain fog, anxiety, depression, impulse control, and more). 


What are the Risks?

Any time you cut a food group of your diet you are presented with risks if you do not plan well. The more restrictive, the greater the risk. Vegetarian and pescatarian diets pose less risk than a vegan diet, but without proper planning, there are some malnutrition risks associated with plant-based diets. 


Caloric Deficiency

It can be difficult for some to consume the amount of calories they need to function and perform, especially if they are eating primarily vegetables with little grains or fat sources. This can lead to malnutrition and unintentional weight loss. 


Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vegan diets in particular pose risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to neurological and muscular distress. Using ingredients like nutritional yeast in daily cooking can help a vegan maintain their vitamin B12 levels. Supplementation may otherwise be needed. 


Calcium Deficiency

Calcium is also essential to bone health and can be at risk if you are not consuming enough dark leafy greens, bell peppers, beans, and foods like fortified cereals. 


Vitamin D Deficiency 

Vitamin D is essential to bone health and is a common deficiency in many individuals whether or not a plant based diet is being followed. A lot of this has to do with access to daily sun exposure. Pescaterians can consume foods like salmon and mackerel to help with vitamin D consumption. Vegetarians and vegans alike can consume mushrooms, but supplementation daily may be required.  Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium, so if you have a vitamin D deficiency, your calcium levels may be at risk as well.


Protein Deficiency

Protein containing plant foods like soybeans, tofu, quinoa, beans, lentils, seeds, nutritional yeast, and green peas may not be enough to help a plant based dieter meet their needs if they are following a strict vegan diet. Those consuming eggs, dairy, and some fish, will have an easier time meeting daily protein needs. A complete protein supplement containing all essential amino acids may be beneficial, especially because many plant foods are low in leucine, an essential amino acid for muscular health and development. 


Iron Deficiency

Iron is essential in the diet for the formation of hemoglobin and myoglobin for oxygen delivery to cells. Consuming a variety of plant iron based foods such as dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and whole grain cereals can help reduce risk of iron deficiency anemia. Evidence suggests a well planned plant based diet doesn’t pose any greater risk to iron deficiency anemia than a non-vegetarian diet. 


Zinc Deficiency

Zinc is a coenzyme for many processes involving growth, immune function, cognitive function, bone function, and regulation of gene expression. Consuming the aforementioned iron rich plant foods can help reduce risk as they are also excellent sources of zinc. 


Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Deficiency

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential to cognitive and cardiac health. Consuming foods like flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts can help keep your levels of PUFAs up and help reduce your risk of cardiac events. 


Overall

Following any level of a plant-based diet can help you improve your overall state of health and reduce your risk of disease states such as obesity, Type II Diabetes, certain cancers, and help protect your heart, brain, and gut. Understanding that the more restrictive you are with your dietary choices, the more you will need to plan for any potential supplementation to help close the nutrition gaps and avoid malnutrition. 


Recipe Examples

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 large sweet potato (about 3/4 to 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

  • 1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach or 1 large bunch spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-sized pieces

  • 1/2 cup half-and-half

  • 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat.

  2. Stir in the sweet potato cubes, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are just starting to soften.

  3. Uncover the skillet and add the broth, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula to dissolve the browned bits. Add the spinach in handfuls, stirring until it wilts down, before adding more.

  4. Stir in the half-and-half, then cover once more and bring the liquid to a simmer.

  5. Uncover and stir in the tortellini. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tortellini are plump and cooked through.

  6. Serve immediately.


Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, peeled, halved, and sliced

  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded, and cut into strips

  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded, and cut into strips

  • 1 head broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

  • 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

  • ⅓ cup olive oil

  • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder

  • ¾ teaspoon cumin

  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

  • ½ teaspoon paprika

  • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 8 flour tortillas

  • Avocado, (optional)

  • Lime juice, (optional)

  • Cilantro, (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the onions, bell peppers, broccoli, and mushrooms.

  2. In a glass measuring cup, combine the oil and spices. Pour over the vegetable mixture and stir well.

  3. Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the marinated vegetables and cook, stirring, until just tender, 5-7 minutes. Spoon into warmed tortillas and top with avocado, lime juice, and cilantro if desired.

Ingredients


Instructions 

  • Preheat a large skillet or wok to medium heat. Add vegetable oil, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil and shrimp to the skillet and salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

  • Add white onion and peas and carrots and fry until tender. Slide the onion, peas and carrots to the side, and pour the beaten eggs onto the other side. 

  • Using a spatula, scramble the eggs. Once cooked, mix the eggs with the vegetable mix.

  • Add the rice and shrimp to the veggie and egg mixture. Pour the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil on top. Stir and fry the rice and veggie mixture until heated through and combined. Add chopped green onions if desired.

  • *Use day old cold cooked rice for best results. If you don't have precooked rice, it is just fine to cook the rice the same day.


*A Whole-foods, plant-based (WFPB) meal is going to look similar to a vegan meal. 

*Flexitarian refers to your overall day/week where meals will vary amongst the various diet types. 


Resources

Berding, K., & Donovan, S. M. (2018). Diet can impact microbiota composition in children with  autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 12

Clem, J., & Barthel, B. (2021). A Look at Plant-Based Diets. Missouri Medicine, 118(3), 233–238. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8210981/

‌Craig, W. J. (2018). Vegetarian nutrition and wellness. Crc Press, Taylor & Francis Group.

‌‌Dietary Approaches and Nutritional Complexities of Autism. . . : International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. (n.d.). LWW. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijnpnd.ijnpnd_65_22

Lord, C., Elsabbagh, M., Baird, G., & Veenstra-VanderWeele, J. (2018). Autism spectrum disorder. The Lancet, 392(10146), 508–520. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(18)31129-2

Lower Your Risk for the Number 1 Killer of Women | Health Equity Features | CDC. (2020, August 20). Www.cdc.gov.https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/heartdisease/

What you need to know about carcinogens. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved December 7, 2023, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/25081-carcinogens#:~:text=Chemical%20carcinogens%2C%20like%20asbestos%2C%20tobacco



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