Why vegan junk food may be even worse for your health - Deepstash
Why vegan junk food may be even worse for your health

Why vegan junk food may be even worse for your health

Curated from: bbc.com

Ideas, facts & insights covering these topics:

5 ideas

·

1.84K reads

5

2

Explore the World's Best Ideas

Join today and uncover 100+ curated journeys from 50+ topics. Unlock access to our mobile app with extensive features.

Vegan fast food

Vegan fast food alternatives may often be worse for your health than the meat equivalent. It is good that people start to think about plant-based foods, but the danger lies in thinking that it is good for you when it can be equally or more unhealthy.

For instance, tofu contains omega 3 called Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), but our bodies are not able to do anything particularly useful with ALA. The Omega 3 that is highly beneficial to us is called DHA and EPA and are found in high quantities in fatty fish oils.

63

374 reads

Plant-based protein menus

Plant-based protein sources are not the same as animal protein sources. Proteins are made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of every cell and hormone in our body. Meat protein contains all nine essential amino acids, whereas plant-based protein usually lacks at least one of the nine essential amino acids our body needs.

Unripe jackfruit makes a convincing choice for pulled pork alternatives, curries and burgers. But it is almost valueless if you needed protein since jackfruit consists of carbohydrates. Vegan burgers are made up of beans, but this is not a complete protein source.

53

282 reads

Iron content

One study found that 25% of vegans (mainly women) had very low blood iron levels, compared to 0% of omnivores.

Plants like whole grains, legumes and spinach are high in iron but is not always the best type. Animal sources contain haem iron. Non-haem iron, found in plants, is not as well absorbed by the body.

50

401 reads

Vegan considerations

  • If you go long-term vegan, it is essential to pair food. For instance, vitamin C helps your body to absorb non-haem iron sources.
  • Vegan burgers contain more salt, sugar, and carbohydrates than meat equivalents. Vegan burgers also contain less protein.
  • Coconut oil, a general go-to for vegans, is higher in saturated fats than animal fats. Saturated fats increase LDL cholesterol, which is responsible for plaque build-up in arteries.
  • Dairy products are good sources of B12. Plant sources of B12 are less easily taken up by the body.

61

370 reads

The spillover effect

If someone can find vegan food in pubs, restaurants, and fast food outlets, then the spillover to a vegan lifestyle will be easier.

However, there is a risk that nutrient deficiencies might develop over time that will not be immediately apparent, like tiredness with low B12 levels, infertility with low iron or osteoporosis from a calcium deficiency.

48

422 reads

IDEAS CURATED BY

racfp

I believe we can live longer if we live healthier. Travel ninja. Problem solver.

Rachel P.'s ideas are part of this journey:

The Psychology of Willpower

Learn more about health with this collection

How to strengthen your willpower

How to overcome temptation and distractions

The role of motivation in willpower

Related collections

Read & Learn

20x Faster

without
deepstash

with
deepstash

with

deepstash

Personalized microlearning

100+ Learning Journeys

Access to 200,000+ ideas

Access to the mobile app

Unlimited idea saving

Unlimited history

Unlimited listening to ideas

Downloading & offline access

Supercharge your mind with one idea per day

Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.

Email

I agree to receive email updates