Iron is an important mineral that is involved in various bodily functions, including the transport of oxygen in the blood. Although vegetarian and vegan diets are generally high in iron from plant foods, this type of iron, called non-haem iron, is not absorbed as well as the iron in meat (haem iron).
The nutrients of concern in the diet of vegetarians include vitamin B(12), vitamin D, ω-3 fatty acids, calcium, iron, and zinc. Although a vegetarian diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients, the use of supplements and fortified foods provides a useful shield against deficiency.
Common examples of the limiting amino acids in plant-based proteins include lysine, methionine, isoleucine, threonine and tryptophan. Of these, lysine appears to be to be most commonly absent, particularly from cereal grains [46].
In fact, several studies show that excluding meat and fish from the diet could have a possible negative impact on the immune response, since people who follow a vegetarian diet have fewer cells used to defend the body, resulting in a significantly lower antibody response.
While there are a variety of health benefits associated with following a vegan diet, eating a vegan diet won't make you age faster or slower in and of itself.
High-carb diets cause your blood pressure to spike and drop, which negatively impacts overall health and increases your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Other cons of being a vegetarian include vitamin deficiencies, especially when it comes to nutrients found only in meat.
Tofu, tempeh, and edamame
Soybeans are considered a whole source of protein. This means that they provide your body all the essential amino acids it needs.
If a protein-containing food does not contain all of the essential amino acids, it's not considered to be a “complete” protein source. Vegan diet amino acid deficiencies are actually more common than protein deficiencies. Leucine, lysine, and sulfur-containing amino acids are the ones that vegans may be lacking.
“It's important for consumers to know that there is currently not a plant-based source of collagen. Collagen can only come from animal-based products.” The good news: Your body naturally makes collagen, so you can absolutely give yourself a boost if you're feeling dull and deficient.
Sun exposure.
Unprotected sun exposure is the number one culprit for ageing, damaged skin. UV damages the skin by entering the dermis (the middle layer of skin) and breaking collagen down faster. UV also causes free radicals which break down collagen further by increasing the enzymes in the skin.
Simply, vegan face is a name for a slack, wasted look that is caused by an absence of protein in your diet. The skin is dry, sallow and flaky. Protein literally props up the face: it makes it look plump (in a good way) and fresh-faced and wakeful.
Eating vegan foods can help with painful conditions, but they can also just make your skin glow too. According to Tiessen, patients who follow a vegan diet achieve superior skin results to those who do not. They also have more energy and they sleep better.
Iodine deficiency is very common among vegans, often leading to acquired hypothyroidism [58]. Vegan sources of iodine include iodized salt and sea vegetables containing various amounts of the mineral [45].
Dietary sources
The main foods which provide vitamin B12 are derived from animals, such as dairy products and eggs. For people not eating any animal products, yeast extract and other fortified/supplemented foods such as breakfast cereals, soya milks, soya/veggie burgers, and vegetable margarines are all good sources.
Foods that contain all nine essential amino acids are called complete proteins. These foods include beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, soy, quinoa and buckwheat. Foods that contain some but not all the essential amino acids are called incomplete proteins. These foods include nuts, seeds, beans and some grains.
Quinoa is a super grain for good reason. It is one of the few plant foods that is high in protein and contains all 9 of the essential amino acids while also being high in fibre, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and many vitamins.
There are a few vegetarian sources that contain all 9 essential amino acids, including eggs and dairy (for those lacto-ovo vegetarians), as well as quinoa, buckwheat, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and spirulina.
To sum it up, many vegetarians and vegans choose to let go of their non-meat diet for multiple reasons: health, impulse, life events, and mood shifts.
Vegan diets have a possible advantage when it comes to sustainability and animal welfare, but vegetarian diets might be superior when it comes to nutrition and health benefits. Of course all of this depends on how well vegans and vegetarians plan and execute their nutrition.
Vegetarians tend to be slimmer and less extroverted than meat eaters, study finds. Summary: The less animal products someone consumes, the lower his body mass index on average and the less he tends to be extroverted.
Vegan Diet, Nutrient Deficiencies and Fertility
Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, whereas the Iron present in vegetables and other plant foods is in a poorly absorbable form. A deficiency of either of these two nutrients could negatively impact chances of conceiving and maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
A number of motivations were identified by a majority of current vegetarians/vegans: health (69%), animal protection (68%), concern for the environment (59%), feelings of disgust about meat/animal products (63%), and taste preferences (52%).
Observational studies between men from different dietary groups have shown that a vegan diet is associated with small but significant increases in sex-hormone-binding globulin and testosterone concentrations in comparison with meat-eaters.
Typically, a plant-based diet is high in vitamin C, lysine and antioxidants, all of which help with the production of collagen at a cellular level. In turn, this helps the skin to stay supple and youthful-looking.