Vegan For A Week, Part Two
Janet Denzel
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Global veganism campaigns like 'Veganuary' have gained popularity. We conducted an observational study to assess the impact of a 4-week vegan diet during 'Veganuary' on nutrient intake, status, knowledge, and motivations for veganism. Data were collected before and after 'Veganuary', using Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) to estimate dietary intake. Micronutrient knowledge and motivation were assessed through questionnaires. A total of 154 UK adults aged 18-60 years (2019: n81; 2020: n73) participated. Groups were vegetarians and omnivores committed to a 4-week vegan diet during 'Veganuary'. Control groups were vegans and omnivores who did not transition. Short-term vegan diets significantly decreased intake of iodine, B12, cholesterol, and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in omnivores. Micronutrient knowledge was low, and motivation for veganism varied. Short-term vegan diets reduce macro- and micronutrient intake in omnivores. Veganuary participants could benefit from nutritional guidance or supplementation. Attention is required for UK micronutrient intake and knowledge. Motivations for vegan pledges may influence diets, warranting further research.
I have been following a low carb lifestyle for several years now, so when Diabetes Digital Media asked me to go vegan for a week, I was keen to embrace the challenge. The challenge involved following my usual low carb diet but adapting it to include only vegan friendly foods for one week.
I like to think that I have an open mind and that I can approach scenarios and new challenges with critical judgement and come to my own conclusion. The vegan challenge was no different for me. Catch up with part 1 of my challenge here.
With that, I approached the week-long vegan challenge with enthusiasm and with an open mind. I was not concerned about meeting the objective of keeping my carbohydrate intake under 130g per day as this is something I have consistently been doing for several years now. What was going to be a challenge for me was the lack of animal produce. The team at DDM supplied me with a vegan meal plan for the week, for which I was very grateful, particularly as the week went on.
There are several things to bear in mind when following a low carb vegan diet. It is important to be aware that some nutrients are more difficult to obtain from the diet when following a low carb lifestyle as a vegan. These mainly include some essential fatty acids, protein and some vitamins and minerals. In some cases, these can be found in vegan low carb foods, but some vegans may want to consider supplementing if they need to. It is always advisable to speak to your healthcare professional before taking supplements.
Protein: Getting enough protein is a common concern for people cutting out meat and dairy from their diet. Including a range of soy foods, nuts, seeds, beans and green vegetables can be a good way of making sure vegans get enough protein and essential amino acids.
Vitamin B12: This vitamin is found in animal products and fortified foods such as bread and cereals. For low carb vegans, there is an increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, so a supplement is often recommended [1,2].
Iodine: The main sources of iodine in the UK are fish and dairy. Some vegans may want to consider taking an iodine supplement, but make sure to check with your medical professional before taking iodine supplements if you have any thyroid issues [3].
Calcium and vitamin D: There are several sources of calcium and vitamin D which are suitable for vegans following a low carb lifestyle. These include soy foods, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables. Also, many dairy-free milk and dairy alternatives are fortified with calcium.
Omega-3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA are two types of omega-3 fatty acids needed by the body which can be insufficient in a vegan diet. Although the body can produce these from certain plant-based foods, this is limited. Taking a supplement of algae oil has been suggested as a workaround for this [4].
There are plenty of misconceptions about following a low carb lifestyle. One of them being that it is impossible to follow if you are vegan or vegetarian. Many of my patients choose to eliminate or reduce animal products for ethical or religious reasons which I respect.
Some vegan foods are highly processed and should be avoided. Plenty of nuts, seeds, avocado, and [unsweetened] fortified dairy alternatives can be consumed when following a low carb lifestyle. Depending on your individual preferences you may need to monitor the amount of pulses and beans due to carbohydrate content.
Journalist and food expert Michael Pollan, vegan author Kathy Freston, and journalist Lisa Ling were invited onto the show to talk about veganism and being conscious of where our food comes from. Oprah was clear in stating that everyone needs to make the choice for themselves and the show was neither pro-vegetarian nor pro-vegan, but pro-education, much like her show with Pollan several months ago.
The show ended with vegan author, Kathy Freston who served as the vegan guide for Oprah and her staff members during the vegan challenge. Kathy took staff member Jill to Whole Foods to show her examples of vegan foods she could cook for her family. I expected Kathy to show her beans, legumes, lentils, vegetables, fruits, nuts, or seeds, but sadly, Kathy showed her a plethora of packaged fake meats, fake mayonnaise, fake cheese, and fake ice cream sandwiches. I strongly believe that a vegan diet does not need to rely on processed, imitation products, so I was disappointed to see this focus. When I first went vegan, I tried all the fake meat products because that is what I thought I was supposed to eat, but my real satisfaction with veganism only came when I experimented with non-processed foods like grains, beans, lentils, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. That is when it all clicked for me and I knew that I could do it long term.
To end the show, Oprah and staff members at HARPO announced that they will be holding a Meatless Monday each week in honour of this challenge. I think this is a great idea and it shows that no matter what kind of diet you do chose eat, you can always make changes, big or small, to impact the system.
I did not catch Oprah, but have heard a lot about it. I agree with you, vegan foods does not always mean fake, replacement stuff. Well I guess at least vegan diet is getting attention, hopefully will become more positive in the views of others.
Thanks for the post. I enjoyed that. It is good to read that Oprah treated it as education rather than promotion of a particular POV. I agree with avoiding faux vegan products. There are so many wonderful foods for vegetarian or vegans without imitating meat dishes. Again thanks.
I recorded this episode and just watched it last night. It is definitely a real eye opener for so many people. Although I eat meat, I am much more educated on my selections now than I was even a year ago.
I have repeatedly shared meals with a high number of vegans and can count on less than 2 hands (probably even 1) the number of them who rely solely on foods similar to those pictured on the Oprah episode.
To be clear, my qualm is definitely directed more at Oprah for implying that the vegan diet is generally cruelty free versions of conventional junk food. But I just wanted to illustrate that not all vegans make use of the unhealthy eats around the clock.
Thanks for this post. This Oprah episode connected with my wife (even though I have pushed her to be vegan for some time) more so than any other veg facts I have shown her. I highly recommend checking this out via YouTube. Go team Veg!
Woo hoo! My Two-Week Test for the Born to Run 2 program is over! In case you've missed it, I've been on a super-duper low-carb diet for the past two weeks (well, almost ... but we'll get to that in a second) as part of the Run Free program from Christopher McDougall's new-ish Born to Run 2 training guide. It's basically a follow-up to his best-selling Born to Run book, and it helps you transition to more a more minimalist style of running with a focus on foot strike and cadence.
I made these awesome Raw Beet Burgers in the dehydrator last week. I loosely followed this recipe but added some walnuts. I grated beets, zucchini, and carrots, added about four tablespoons of ground flax mixed with a little water (to make a paste), a handful of walnuts, a handful of pepitas, a handful of sundried tomatoes and some spices. And then I pureed it all in the food processor and made patties that I dehydrated for about 12ish hours. I had roasted broccoli with cashew cheese on the side and drizzled on cashew cheese on my burger, too.
Yesterday, I attempted to make Coconut Flour Pancakes, but well, I made scrambled pancakes. Haha. Turns out pancakes don't flip well without some gluten. They still tasted good though, so I drizzled these with tahini.
Now, about that "almost two weeks" part. The test was supposed to end Sunday evening. But I got invited to a Memphis Hash House Harriers run on Saturday, and if you know anything about hashing, it's basically a running and drinking party. Run a bit, drink cheap beer, run some more, drink more cheap beer. And another big tenant of the Born to Run 2 program is fun! And I figured fun was most important. So I ended my test on Saturday, and my first carbs were from Busch Light. HAHAHA. Not the tastiest or classiest, but the run was a blast.
This week, I'm slowly adding one type of carb each day. I started with beans on Sunday, and I'll post about that tomorrow. But by week's end, all of my carbs will be back. Yay! Here are a few things I learned on two weeks of essentially vegan keto:
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