A nutritional diet is an important part of a person’s health and wellbeing. Approximately 2% of the United States population follows a vegan diet, which is a philosophy and lifestyle that does not use animal products such as those used for food. Individuals become vegan to support the ethical treatment of animals and obtain health benefits. Although there has been some research that questions whether vegans lack essential nutrients, there are a number of benefits to a vegan diet, such as reducing the prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.
Vegan diets raise concern over the inability to obtain essential nutrients normally for the body such as vitamin B-12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which all can be linked to neurologic disorders, anemia, and bone strength issues. Medical experts fear this lack of essential nutrients can be harmful to those with poorly planned vegan diets, but state that proper education regarding veganism and routine wellness exams are instrumental to utilize the benefits and reduce the risks of veganism.
Since vegans avoid foods containing animal products, they tend to consume foods high in dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamins C and E, and folate. This dietary difference is a contributing factor in reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The projected number of people who will live with diabetes by 2040 is approximately 642 million, and nearly 15% of deaths around the world are diabetes-related. In 11 clinical trials between 1999 and 2017, there was a comparison performed between plant-based (vegan) diets and other types of diets. The trials included a sample of 433 people diagnosed with diabetes with an average age in the mid-50s. Each trial occurred over a duration of 23 weeks, and results showed that neuropathy, a type of nerve pain in the hands and/or feet associated with diabetes, eased the most in individuals who underwent a vegan diet. In six of the studies, participants reported discontinuing or decreasing the dosage of medication they had been taking to control their diabetes and associated conditions, such as hypertension.
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Additionally, following a vegan diet can help people lose more weight and prevent future obesity. A hospital in Taiwan reviewed the results of twelve random, controlled diet trials, consisting of 1,151 dieters who followed a specific eating plan between nine and 74 weeks. The results showed that individuals generally assigned to vegetarian diets lost approximately 2.02 kilograms more than dieters who ate meat and other animal products, with the most net weight lost by individuals on a vegan eating plan.
Veganism has a variety of benefits to the human body, including reducing the risk of chronic medical conditions and assisting in weight loss.
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