Fact file: Vegan myths

1. Vegan Myths:
Butvegans only eat vegetables don’tthey?
“It’s true that vegans eat lots of vegetables, and that our food is plant
based, but this doesn’tmean that vegetables are the sole sourceof food
eaten!
As well as fruit and vegetables, a vegan diet includes bread, legumes,
chocolate, whole grains (wheat, barley, rye, spelt, oats etc…), fortified
dairy substitutes, nuts and seeds, fats, and sugar.
Lots of vegan foods are very healthy, but there are also great vegan pies,
pastries, sweets and cakes, so you can eat junk food galore if you do so
wish!”
A vegan diet is dangerous for children:
“Any diet needs to be carefully planned to ensure correctnutrition, and
with growing children this becomes even more important. However, there
is no evidence to show that children eating a balanced, properly
supplemented vegan diet are any less healthy than meat or dairy-eating
children. In fact, vegan parents are often better informed about nutrition
and well-cared for vegan kids may eat healthier than many omnivorous
ones whose diet often includes too much junk food and not enough fruit
and vegetables.
The most important thing to bear in mind is that the low-fat, high-fibre
diet recommended for adults (which a plant-based diet is perfect for) is
not suitable for children. Growing kids burn a lot of energy and need a
high calorie intake; too much fibre will cause small stomachs to feel full
before they’ve actually got enough. Wholegrain versions of cereals are
therefore not usually recommended. Adding vegetable oils to meals to
increase calorie count, and feeding your children smaller, more frequent
meals and snacks are some strategies that can help to deal with this.
A vegan child’s diet also needs to be supplemented with appropriate
vitamins such as D and B12 to avoid deficiencies and a wide range of
pulses; tofu and other protein-rich foods need to be eaten to provide all
the amino acids. Non-dairy milk should be calcium fortified, something
breastfeeding vegan mothers also need to take into account, and nuts can
help to get enough iron.
If you’re thinking about going vegan and have kids, why not visit a
nutritionist who can help you to plan a well-balanced diet and ensure the
whole family is getting what they need?”

2. But vegans only eat processed foods, don’tthey?
“Sure it’s possible to be vegan and only eat processed foods, butisn’t this
also true for meat eaters and vegetarians?
Many people state that their primary reason for going vegan was for
animals, not their health. But, equally, it’s not uncommon to see these
same people become more ‘nutrition savvy’ once they’ve made the
transition… We get asked so many questions after all! And, contrary to
popular belief, being vegan doesn’tmean you have to rely on ‘fake’
meats and cheeses. Because you can get all of the nutrients you need (yes,
even protein) from whole plant foods.
It’s also worth pointing out that even processedvegan foods contain zero
cholesterol, and significantly less saturated fats than their meat/dairy
based counterparts. They come from plants… a veggie burger is
practically a salad!
Take a look at our recipe section… It’s packed with wholesome,
delicious vegan recipe and there’s hardly a processed food in sight!”
But I love sports;won’t being vegan make me weak?
“This myth’s foundations probably lie in ‘But where do you get your
protein?, so in answering that we have already gone some way to
debunking this. What you may not be aware of, however, is just how
many great and successfulathletes are vegan. If sportis your thing then it
is probably worth familiarising with the ‘who’s who’ of the vegan
sporting world. Within the Vegan People section you’ll find individual
case studies for sprinters, ultramarathon runners, boxers, racing car
drivers and everyone in between. You may not be familiar with the name,
but ScottJurek is recognised as probably the greatest ultrarunner
(distances of 50, 100 and more miles) of all time. He has been a vegan
since 1999 and has won most of the toughest long distance races in the
world, and many of these on numerous occasions. You’remore likely to
have heard of Carl Lewis but did you know that he’s vegan? One of the
world’s greatest athletes, Carl attributes his dominant and record breaking
performances of 1991 to being vegan.”
Don’t vegans need to take several supplements to stay healthy?
“No. The only supplement that vegans, and many non-vegans, are
recommended to always take is Vitamin B12 (or regularly eat B12
fortified foods).”

3. Don’t we need to drink milk to have strong bones?
“No. This has been a much repeated marketing line of the dairy industry.
It is perfectly possible to obtain sufficient calcium (and vitamin D) while
being vegan.”