How to address nutritional deficiencies in vegans?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 30-year-old male. I was a non-vegetarian for years; now I want to switch to a vegan diet. Can you please tell me if this will make me lose some essential nutrients from animal proteins, or something similar that is only available in non-vegetarian food? In such cases, what should vegans do? During COVID a vegan family started taking non-vegetarian because their doctor advised it for good health, so wanted to check with you. Please advise.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Yes, following a vegan diet is not an issue, but give your body time to adapt to it, and gradually you can shift. Yes, you need to add some supplements initially to cover nutritional gaps, but then, you can manage. I feel that in making a gradual shift Mediterranean diet helps. It mainly relies on a greater intake of plant-based food products, and limited consumption of meat products. It is composed of dietary practices that significantly lower the risk of health problems like diabetes (high blood sugar), cancer, depression (a mood disorder causing persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest), heart attacks, obesity (excessive body fat), etc. The diet includes;

Regular intake of fruits and vegetables.
Frequent consumption of whole grains and legumes.
Daily use of olive oil, nuts, and seeds as a source of fats.
A moderate intake of dairy products.
Occasional consumption of eggs, meat, fish, and wine.
Seldom intake of honey and added sugars.

Foods to avoid on a Mediterranean diet: Before following a strict Mediterranean diet plan, you need to shun certain types of food such as:

Butter and refined oils.
Refined grains like white bread and pasta, pizza, and food products made from white or refined flour.
Processed and packaged food products.
Red meat.
Desserts with high added sugars.

These are a few tips, but you need to take a personalized dietary consultation once.

I hope I have answered your question.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards.