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THE DIETITIAN’S VIEW

BY RENEE MCGREGOR

“While a balanced vegan approach to nutrition can be a healthy way of eating, a vegan diet isn’t necessarily a more beneficial one.”

The number of vegans in Great Britain quadrupled between 2014 and 2018, from 150,000 to 600,000, according to The Vegan Society. Moving to a vegan diet takes careful planning to ensure the body has all the nutrients it requires – getting sufficient calcium and the right mix of essential amino acids from plant proteins need particular attention.

A balanced vegan diet will provide the majority of necessary nutrients, but will lack vitamin B12 unless a supplement is taken – it’s only found naturally in foods from animal sources. Vitamin D, iron (and calcium) may also need supplementing.

Generally, people who become vegan are open to learning more about how to ensure their diet provides all their nutritional needs. For some, however, veganism is chosen because of a heightened need to control their food intake, and can be the hallmark of a dysfunctional relationship with food. As well as meat, fish and dairy, such people may also cut out sugar and gluten – and may restrict their carbohydrate intake, perhaps creating elaborate plates of vegetables that look colourful and wholesome on Instagram, but lack sufficient energy and protein. In cases like these, veganism can spiral out of control, leaving the individual severely lacking in essential nutrients, as well as causing a heightened sense of anxiety when their specific ‘food rules’ can’t be met. And there’s nothing healthy about that.