Once upon a time, people weren’t really bothered about what it was they were eating. As long as there was food on the table at the end of the day, that was all that mattered. However, times have changed, and people have become a lot more aware of what they’re putting into their bodies. A lot of animal lovers out there have turned to veganism to fight against the mistreatment of livestock, but is their new diet actually doing more bad than good.
A cause of malnutrition
Are you thinking about becoming a vegan? While it’s all well and good to show compassion to animals and not want to see them as merely a source of food, you could come to regret that decision. That’s because it’s been suggested that a vegan diet is lacking in certain nutrients that are essential for healthy living. Depriving yourself of these could lead to malnutrition, something that’s not exactly common in the developed world.
Prepare in advance
Although it is possible to follow a vegan diet without facing this problem, it’s vital that people who plan on doing so think very carefully about what they eat. As vegans exclude dairy products from their diet, it’s easy to miss out on vitamins and other things that prevent micronutrient deficiencies. These nutrients need to come from somewhere, and if you don’t work these into your diet somehow, you could be in a world of trouble.
The dangers of veganism
There are plenty of problems that arise from being malnourished, many of which you probably don’t ever want to experience. In particular, your bones can suffer from an unhealthy vegan diet, namely because you don’t take in as much vitamin D and calcium as you should. This leads to a drop in bone mineral density, making you incredibly susceptible to permanent damage. If you’re someone that lives life on the edge and regularly faces injury, you may want to think twice about becoming a vegan. You could end up damaging your bones beyond repair.
That’s not the only danger that comes from following a diet like this. The lack of iodine, vitamin B12 and omega three also cause a wealth of problems, from tiredness and bad digestion to struggles with development. The latter is particularly bad for young children who are still growing and maturing, so heaping a vegan diet onto them could do far more bad than good.
Not the end of the world
Of course, this isn’t to say that every vegan is putting their lives in danger. As Heather Russell from The Vegan Society says, it is perfectly possible for someone following the diet to be as healthy as anyone else. Wanting to respect the lives of animals doesn’t mean you have to end up in harm’s way, you just need to think more carefully about what you do eat.
Keep this stuff in mind if you’re planning on becoming a vegan. While saving animals lives is great, it should never come at the cost of your own.
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