Is Eating Vegan Healthy?

A vegan is a person who chooses to give up all animal products either because of his health, the environment or his morals. Ethics often cause people to become vegans because many believe that animals should not be exploited by humans for food and other uses. Vegans are vegetarians, meaning they do not eat meat, but they also do not consume or use products that come from animals, including eggs, dairy products, leather, silk, wool and cosmetics.

Health

Many aspects of a vegan diet are healthful because vegans eat a lot of foods that people are supposed to get large servings of each day. Many people don't eat enough fruits, whole-grain products and vegetables each day, but these foods are central to vegans' diets. According to a chart created by the United States Department of Agriculture, people are supposed to get three to five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, two to four servings of fruit and six to eleven servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta.

Vitamins

Vitamins that help with both children's and adult's growth and development can be found in foods that are part of vegans' diets, including the fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products they consume. Vitamin A, for example, can be found in carrots, spinach, cantaloupe, apricots, papaya, peas, tomato juice, peaches and peppers. Vitamin A is important to the body because it helps the immune system fight off infections, aiding in the development of white blood cells, and it assists in the development of better vision, bone growth, reproduction and cell division.

Minerals

Like vitamins, a number of minerals that are important to people's health can be obtained without having to eat animal products. An example of a mineral that can be found in fruits and vegetables is magnesium. It is present in soybeans, spinach, kidney and pinto beans and bananas. It can also be found in other foods that are parts of vegans' diets, such as almonds, oatmeal, whole-grain cereals, rice and potatoes. Magnesium helps with nerve and muscle function, aids the body in keeping a steady heartbeat, helps strengthen bone and aids in the regulation of blood sugar levels.

Deficiencies

While there are a number of vitamins and minerals that vegans can get through their diet, some are found in larger quantities in meat and other products that come from animals, such as milk. Vitamin D is found only in a few foods, and it is important to the body because it helps strengthen bones. The best sources of Vitamin D are fish and fish liver oils, but it can also be found in milk, cheese, eggs and liver. Calcium is found mostly in animal products. This mineral aids in the development of bones and teeth and also aids in blood vessel and muscle contraction. It is mostly found in dairy products such as yogurt, milk and cheese. Calcium can be found in kale, broccoli and spinach, but these vegetables do not provide as much calcium as dairy products. In order to get the daily recommended dose, a person would need to eat eight cups of spinach. The same amount of calcium is in one eight-ounce glass of milk.

Considerations

People who are vegan are sometimes at risk for health problems, and they have a higher risk of cancer, autoimmune diseases and hypertension, irregular thyroid function, heart disease and stroke, and osteoporosis. Their risks are greater if they do not find substitutes for meat products to get vitamins and minerals that are important to their body functioning properly, including Vitamin B12, iodine, protein, iron and calcium. Studies have found that vegans get about 500 to 600 mg of calcium a day compared to 1,000 mg for nonvegetarians. This risk of having vitamin and mineral deficiencies is why vegans need to be aware of what fruits, vegetables and grains they need to consume or what other measures they need to take.

Alternatives

There are multivitamins and other sources that vegans can turn to to ensure they receive vitamins and minerals they need. Certain multivitamins contain supplements such as B12, iodine, iron and D2. These often are available at health food stores and at Bodybuilding.com and VegetarianVitamin.com. There also are other sources that can provide the body with important vitamins, such as the sun. Spending 20 minutes a day in the sun can help the body produce more Vitamin D.