Let's go vega(n)?

Vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian... these are just a few dietary patterns that are gaining popularity. This is not only because they frequently appear on Instagram and other social media, but also because of factors such as animal welfare, ecological footprint, environmental friendliness, and health, which greatly contribute to the immense interest in these dietary patterns. In this article, we explain the positive impact of plant-based nutrition on your health and how best to transition to a more plant-based diet. 

Which dietary pattern suits you best?

You may have decided to eat more plant-based foods because you've read many positive things about it. But what suits you best? To make it easier, we'll briefly explain how the different ways of eating differ from each other. Flexitarian: this is a diet where someone does not eat meat one or more days a week but does not want to completely eliminate meat and fish from their diet. Research shows that 55% of the Dutch do not eat meat three days or more a week during meals or snacks. Vegetarian: there is some confusion about this term because there are several variants of the vegetarian diet, but officially a vegetarian is someone who does not eat anything that comes from a dead animal. It is said that 4-6% of the Dutch are vegetarians. vega(n)? Vegan: this is perhaps more than a diet; it is a lifestyle where someone refrains as much as possible from consuming or using animal products and foods. This includes food but also pays attention to the use of clothing, personal care products, and other items with animal ingredients. About 1.5% of the Dutch population are vegans. You might be leaning towards a particular way of eating based on these descriptions, but are not yet convinced of the health benefits. Or perhaps you hear from some people around you, who are attempting it, that they quickly go back to eating (more) meat because they feel listless, weak, and hungry? Then read on! 

Why eating (more) plant-based is healthy

We have already mentioned some benefits of plant-based eating, but we would not be Health Coaches if we did not also talk about the positive influence of plant-based nutrition on your health. Fruit and vegetables are healthy. Full stop. The Health Council, consisting of experts working in science and healthcare, has once again recommended this year to eat 2 pieces of fruit and 200 grams of vegetables daily. They contain essential nutrients: vitamins and minerals necessary for the proper functioning of all body functions every day, but also a whole range of other health-promoting substances and fibres that are good for normal bowel function. Enough reasons to focus more on plant-based food. 

Your gut microbiome is happy with fruits and vegetables

But there is more evidence. For this, we will look at the place where health (and often disease) begins. The intestines. The intestines are part of our digestive tract, and their main function is to digest food, absorb nutrients, and excrete waste products. The intestines, or the mucosa lining the inside of the intestines, house an extensive collection of microorganisms. These microorganisms, mainly bacteria, yeasts, and fungi in our gut, form an ecosystem where they can interact with each other and with their host, humans. This entire collection, including their genetic material (genome) and the influence they have on us and each other, is called the gut microbiome. We live in symbiosis with our gut microbiome, meaning there is mutual benefit. The microbiome helps us with digestion, and in return, they are allowed to live in our gut. Nutrition has a huge impact on our gut microbiome, and in the long term, a certain diet will determine which bacteria dominate your gut. When we predominantly consume animal fats and proteins, there will be a large representation of bacteria belonging to the Bacteroides family. This overrepresentation is linked to a higher risk of developing diet-associated chronic diseases such as obesity and metabolic syndrome. The reason for this is that they produce pro-inflammatory by-products, making the body more prone to inflammation. A plant-based diet will cause the Prevotella family to dominate, and more anti-inflammatory substances will be produced as by-products. Does this mean you should not consume any animal products at all? Not at all, as animal products also provide good nutrients, including proteins, vitamin B12, and iron. However, to avoid unnecessary inflammatory processes, a shift towards more plant-based food is wise.

Eating more plant-based? How do you do that?

The transition to more plant-based food requires some preparation, especially if you decide to go vegetarian or vegan. If you manage to avoid certain pitfalls, you can prevent feeling discouraged and feeling listless, weak, and hungry. We give you some tips!

🧡 Replace animal products with an equivalent plant-based alternative.
Do not simply omit animal products, as you do not want to miss out on nutrients or feel hungry again after an hour. Replace meat with legumes, nuts, or tempeh, for example. Milk and yoghurt can be replaced with plant-based variants.

🧡 Eat enough calories 
Plant-based food contains fewer calories than animal-based, so you need to eat larger portions of plant-based food for the same amount of fuel. 

🧡 Eat a varied diet
This is important not only for taste but also to ensure you get a good representation of all nutrients. For example, the body needs the full spectrum of essential amino acids daily. When you combine a grain product with legumes, such as beans with rice, you meet this need.

🧡 Keep it simple
It is very tempting to start with the most complicated recipes, but this can demotivate you in the long run. Initially, don't set the bar too high and eat what you used to eat but in the plant-based version. Difficult? Not at all, just search the internet for your favourite dish and add the word vegetarian or vegan... the choice is vast!

Points of attention for vegetarians and vegans

Of course, there are various beliefs that can lead you to choose a plant-based diet, and we won't interfere with that, but in terms of health, it's important that your diet is as complete as possible. With a vegetarian and vegan diet, the risk of deficiencies is higher, so we mention some aspects that deserve your attention. Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that is primarily found in animal products. Vitamin B12 is needed for the formation of red blood cells, supports energy levels, and is important for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Many meat substitutes and plant-based dairy products are fortified with vitamin B12, but this does not involve the biologically active form, and you generally do not consume enough of these foods for your daily needs. Therefore, we recommend vegans take a supplement. A good vitamin B12 supplement contains the biologically active forms of B12, namely methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. The recommended dosage for adults and pregnant women is a daily intake of at least 50 mcg and a weekly intake of 2000 mcg. For those over 65, this is 1000 mcg daily.

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that is primarily found in animal products.

Vitamin D contributes to the absorption of calcium from our food, helps the immune system, and is important for normal muscle function. We produce vitamin D ourselves under the influence of UV radiation, and it is mainly found in animal foods. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread and is a point of concern for everyone. We advise vegans to take 1000 IU of plant-based vitamin D3 daily. For example, from lichen. Vegetarians and vegans are also at a slightly higher risk of an iron deficiency. Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, but also red beets and sweet potatoes are a great source of iron. If necessary, you can take an iron supplement as a course, such as Vitaminstore's Iron Complex, which is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. We recommend a daily intake of 20-25 mg. To promote the absorption of iron from food, extra vitamin C can be supplemented. The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are mainly obtained through the consumption of oily fish. A daily intake of 250 DHA is good for the brain, and when you consume 250 mg of DHA and EPA daily, the normal functioning of the heart is supported. Algal oil is a very good plant-based alternative to fish oil. Flaxseed contains a lot of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which can theoretically be converted into EPA and then DHA. In practice, these conversions are much more difficult, so flaxseed is not a complete alternative to oily fish or fish oil. Do you still doubt whether you are getting all the nutrients you need? Then there is the option to further supplement your diet with a vegan multivitamin and a vegan protein shake.

For the full vegan range of Vitaminstore, we refer you to our website vitaminstore.nl/vegan. Hopefully, this article has given you a push in the right direction. But maybe your situation is just a bit different, or you are missing information to create your own healthy diet? Our Health Coaches are ready via chat, email, phone, or in-store for personal advice.

Author: Adina van der Zwaag