Cara Cunningham, Community Dietitian
Climate change is all around following the recent conclusion of COP26 in Glasgow.
There is a lot of talk around what changes we can make that could impact on our carbon footprint. What comes up a lot is a big push for us to switch to a plant based diet. So what’s the story on this – can this be a healthier choice for both the environment and ourselves?
There are varying statistics but it seems plant require 2.5 times less land to grow compared to land required to produce a meat-based diet. But it is also argued that not all land is suitable for crop production – think of the sheep up on the hills, what else could survive at those heights!
Also, growing some plant based protein such as almonds requires a lot of water, fertiliser and pesticides; many more exotic fruits like avocados or jackfruits can only grow in hotter climates, and so we need to factor in the transport costs of getting them to Ireland.
A fully vegan diet, where all animal products are cut out tends to be lower in saturated fat which is beneficial for promoting good cholesterol levels. However, it doesn’t always mean that a vegan diet is automatically low in all fats – chips cooked in vegetable based oil are vegan but should only be eaten in moderation. Coconut oil is in itself high in saturated fat so best not to be an everyday choice.
When you cut out meat, you cut out the most absorbable source of iron in your diet. Although iron is in many plants and cereals these types of iron are more difficult to absorb. It is important, therefore, to watch for signs of anaemia and possibly to monitor your haemoglobin level to make sure your body is getting sufficient iron.
Some vitamins may be difficult to get from a plant based diet. Dietary sources of Vitamin D, nearly all occur in animal based products such as Oily fish, Egg yolks. Whilst it is added to some foods such as fortified milks and breakfast cereals Vegans would need to check if the fortifying vitamin D used is not from an animal source.
Although Vitamin D can be manufactured by your skin when it is exposed to sunlight in the darker months (October- March ) sunlight isn’t strong enough to provide an adequate amount – it might be prudent, therefore, to make sure that milk substitutes (soya milk etc. ) are fortified with a vegan friendly vitamin D.
Vitamin B12 is the main vitamin often called into question as it is only found naturally in animal products. However there it can be made by bacteria using bacterial cultures, this is then used to fortify some foods or to make supplements. When sourcing supplements vegans need to be mindful that many contain gelatine which may come from an animal source.
Beans, lentils and soy products like quinoa are good sources of protein, it is important to include these in a vegan diet. However be careful if you are relying on processed ready meals containing meat substitutes; whilst they can be handy they may be packed with salt – a food label saying ‘Vegan friendly’ doesn’t necessarily mean Healthy
That is not to say that there isn’t huge benefits to having more plants in your diet – one of the major ones is that a vegan diet usually contains way more fibre which is great to aid digestion, keeping you ‘regular’. Also when you eat more fibre this fills you up making you less hungry which should mean you eat less; good for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
It’s up to everyone to choose what foods they eat and what they avoid, perhaps the best approach is the Flexitarian, where a small amount of animal products are eaten but a greater amount of plant based foods make up the diet.
For more information on diet and nutrition see www.indi.ie or contact Maria at: The Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service, HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster: (044 ) 9395518 or email [email protected].
