9 Vegan myths debunked

Here is a great article by Everyday Health

Chances are, you've heard a lot about veganism — and developed your own opinion. Whether you're interested in learning more or are already vegan, test your knowledge of animal-free living.

According to a 2009 survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group, more than 1 million vegans currently live in the United States — up from about half a million in 1994. The same survey found that another 5 to 7 million Americans consider themselves to be vegetarians. As vegetarian and vegan diets become more mainstream, so have misconceptions about vegan diets, including both their pros (vegan diets make you skinny, vegans never get sick) and their cons (vegans are always tired, vegans are all vitamin deficient).
We talked to nutritionists Jack Norris, RD, and Ginny Messina, RD, vegans themselves and authors of the new book Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet to get the bottom of the most popular myths about following an animal-free diet. Whether you’re a longtime vegan diet devotee or a meat-eating skeptic, see how much you really know about living the vegan life.


Myth:  Vegans Are Always Weak or Tired - Fact: Because meat is packed with iron and vitamin B12, essential nutrients for preventing anemia and sustaining energy levels, people assume vegans are more prone to fatigue and other health problems. But shunning animal products doesn't automatically make you iron or B12 deficient as long as you nourish your body with healthy, nutrient-rich alternatives.

“Whether you feel weak with a vegan diet depends a lot of what you eat,” Norris says. “If you’re not eating a lot of calories or protein and you’re not getting enough vitamin B12 or iron, you will develop fatigue at some point.”
But because plant-based sources of iron are harder to absorb than those that come from meat, vegans need more iron than meat eaters — 33 milligrams of iron daily for premenopausal women and 14 grams of iron a day for men and postmenopausal women. For daily B12 intake, both men and women need more than 2.4 micrograms a day — less than what’s found in a serving of B12-fortified cereal, but more than the amount in one egg or a serving of yogurt.
Make sure to eat plenty of plant-based sources of iron, such as beans and dark leafy veggies like spinach. It’s hard to get vitamin B12 from non-animal sources, but you can look for fortified cereals or soy milk, and take vitamin B12 supplements.


Myth: You Can't Get Protein on a Vegan Diet - Fact: According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), an adult woman needs 46 grams of protein daily, and an adult man 56, which is the equivalent of slightly more than two-and-a-half 3-ounce servings of meat. But legumes like soy, beans, lentils, peas, and peanuts, are packed with protein, and whole grains contain decent amounts as well. By comparison, one cup of dry beans has 16 grams — or a little less than one-third of what’s recommended each day — and one serving of cooked brown rice has 5 grams.

For the first time, the latest USDA dietary guidelines, released earlier this year, have specific recommendations for how to eat a healthy vegan diet, including how to get protein from plants and whole grains.

Myth: Vegans Need Less Calcium - Fact: Some research has linked low bone density and osteoporosis to meaty, high-protein diets, which has lead some vegans to believe that they don’t need as much calcium, a mineral commonly consumed to boost bone health, as omnivores.  It’s also more challenging for vegans to consume enough calcium from their diets because, unlike vegetarians, they don’t eat dairy. As a result, some vegans and vegetarians have lower bone density than non-vegetarians, a 2009 study published in the American Journal of Clinician Nutrition found, though the vegetarians studied did not have a higher occurrence bone fractures.

Still, there’s no evidence that vegans need less calcium than anyone else, according to the Vegetarian Resource Group. The USDA recommends that women age 50 and under get 1,000 mg daily; 51 and older should get 1,200 mg. Vegans should get plenty of non-dairy sources such as fortified soy milk and juice, and green veggies like broccoli or kale. Many vegans will also likely need a calcium supplement to get the recommended amount.

Myth: Vegans Don't Need Supplements - Fact: Norris says a popular vegan misconception is that they don’t need to take vitamin B 12 supplements until they've been following a vegan diet for several years. Instead, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor about whether you need them as soon as you start cutting out animal products from your diet. It’s virtually impossible to get vitamin B12 from plant-based sources, and a B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, nerve damage, depression, and even memory problems and dementia.

Messina says it’s also important to consider other supplements, such as omega-3 and iodine. Vegans shouldn’t resist taking supplements because they’re afraid of demonstrating that vegan diets provide insufficient nutrition, say Messina and Norris. Instead, “taking every precaution to make sure that we are healthy is one way to help others feel confident about going vegan,” they write in their book.

Myth: Pregnant Women Shouldn't Be Vegan - Fact: Many vegans, including high-profile celebrities like Natalie Portman, have ditched their vegan diets during pregnancy, for the health of their developing baby — and to satisfy those pregnancy cravings. While it’s extremely important to get adequate nutrition during pregnancy, Norris says you shouldn’t assume you have to change your eating habits simply because you’re expecting, as long as you’re eating a well-rounded diet and taking the right supplements. These may include a prenatal vitamin, omega-3 supplement, and possibly B12 or folic acid (depending on how much of these are included in the prenatal vitamin).

Pregnant vegans should talk about their diet with their healthcare provider and possibly also consult a nutritionist who specializes in prenatal nutrition to make sure they’re getting all the nourishment they and their baby need.

Myth: Eating Soy Causes Cancer - Fact: Soy — high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants — is a vegan diet mainstay, so any links between soy consumption and cancer risk are naturally alarming. Soy contains estrogen-like compounds called phytoestrogens, which can mimic the action of the hormone in the body. And while animal studies have linked high consumption of these phytoestrogens to an increased risk of breast cancer, most experts agree that a diet rich in soy foods, like edamame, tofu, and soymilk, is perfectly safe for women.

Women who are at high risk of breast cancer, who are currently receiving breast cancer treatment, or who are breast cancer survivors should avoid soy or ask their doctors about a safe intake.
“Eating two to three servings daily can be very healthy, but if you’re concerned about it, you can also eat other protein sources as an alternative,” Messina says.

Myth: Vegans Don't Get Sick - Fact: Eating a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help boost the immunity of vegans and non-vegans like, according to Messina. Largely plant-based diets are also associated with lower risks for serious chronic conditions like heart disease and cancer, but that doesn’t mean vegans are bulletproof. “Some vegans think they’ll never get sick, but the fact is, vegans get cancer and vegans get heart disease,” Messina says. “A plant diet is not a 100 percent protection against any disease, but it certainly can reduce your risk.”

Myth: It's Too Hard to be Vegan - Fact: For a diehard steak lover or a fish fanatic, going vegan can be a difficult adjustment at first. Messina says that if you’re interested in going vegan or eating less meat for your health, start by slowly cutting out animal products and replacing them with new vegans foods. She recommends soy or nut milk in cooking and on cereal, meat substitutes made with soy protein, wheat gluten, or vegetable protein, ready-to-eat vegan soups, and vegan mayonnaise and salad dressings as good places to start.

“The average American family has 7 to 10 dinner menus that they eat over and over again,” Messina says. “When you think about it that way, it’s not unrealistic to try to incorporate one vegan dinner every week and gradually increase that number if you choose.”

Myth: Going Vegan is a Good Way to Lose Weight - Fact: Celebs like Alicia Sliverstone, Ellen DeGeneres, and Alanis Morissette tout veganism as a diet plan to stay slim for life, but Norris and Messina caution that becoming vegan to lose weight is certainly not a sure thing. Although a 2006 study at the University of North Carolina found that vegan women lost more weight over a two-year period than women on a non-vegan low-fat diet, nutritionists caution that making the wrong choices, even if they’re vegan ones, won’t add up to weight loss.

“It all comes down to what you’re eating and your body,” Norris says. “Certainly eating more plants and fewer processed foods can lead to weight loss, but if you’re still eating junk as a vegan, you probably won’t lose weight.”
Eating healthier and portion control will lead to weight loss as well as adding in an exercise program.  Choose wisely.