To Go Vegan or Not to Go Vegan

Someone recently mentioned that they are thinking of going vegan and asked for my thoughts. As I came up with some questions to ask her to help consider the decision from a dietary prospective, I thought I'd post them here in case others are also thinking of going vegan in the new year, or just curious what changes they might need to make to their diet if they ever make the switch to a plant-based diet.

• Are you considering becoming vegan for purely ethical reasons, purely health reasons, or a combination of the two? 

This is important for several reasons; it tells me whether or not you'll be willing to make exceptions if need be. For example, if I'm doing a diet analysis with someone who has recently gone vegan purely for health reasons and realize that they have a soy allergy and hate all beans, I might see if they'd be willing to consider some alternative lean protein sources like yogurt or fish. It can also be more challenging to eat at restaurants or go to family or work functions if you're not willing to be flexible on occasion.

• What are the current sources of calcium, protein, and iron in your diet? Calcium sources include dairy products, fortified juices and soy milk, green leafy vegetables, and some nuts and beans. Protein sources include meat, poultry, fish, dairy, beans, nuts, soy, and tofu. Iron sources include beans, fortified cereals, whole grains, fish, meat, eggs, some nuts, and some green vegetables.

If a person currently gets the majority of their calcium, protein, and iron from animal-based sources I would suggest that they make a slower transition to veganism in order to make sure that they are willing to eat the right types of foods to get all of these important nutrients. For someone who already eats a lot of nuts, legumes, and veggies, it might not be as hard to make the full transition. Most people think that protein is the hardest nutrient to get enough of when becoming vegan, but as I mentioned last year in this post about vegetarian protein, there is protein in a lot of places that you might not expect it (like grains and vegetables). While protein is certainly a concern, I'd say it's probably more important to pay attention to calcium and iron since these can be easier to forget about.

• Are you willing to take supplements if your diet doesn't provide the necessary vitamins and minerals?

There is no arguing that when going vegan, at least at first, it can be a challenge to get the necessary vitamins and minerals. Technically B12 is the only nutrient that is not naturally available in non-animal foods. In order to get the recommended 2.4 mcg/day of B12, a vegan needs to either eat fortified foods or take a supplement (don't worry, the B12 found in these forms is not taken from animals, it is derived from bacteria). Foods fortified with B12 include soy milk and various cereals. It is important to check in either with a Registered Dietician or by doing an online food analysis to make sure that you're getting enough nutrients in your diet.

A vegan diet can be healthy and can prevent a host of diseases and health problems, but remember, there are plenty of the bad guys like sodium and fat in vegan foods as well. Just because that cupcake is vegan doesn't make it healthy! In fact, vegan products that are attempting to imitate meat have a lot of sodium in them in order to mimic the flavor. Some vegan baked goods make use of cashew butter and coconut oil - both things that are ok to consume in moderation, but aren't exactly what you'd call healthy either. As long as you learn to make smart choices and check often to make sure that you're getting all of the nutrients you need, going vegan can be fun - not to mention delicious!

If you have more questions about going vegan or advice (and recipes) for those looking to make the leap leave it in the comments section...