If you’re tired of vegan naysayers warning you about the important nutrients your vegan diet is missing because you don’t eat meat, dairy, and other animal-derived foods, you can fire back that your vegan diet is also missing a few not-so-savory things that are inherent in animal-heavy diets. Here are three things missing from the vegan diet that make the vegan diet healthier than diets high in animal products.
If you’re tired of vegan naysayers warning you about the important nutrients your vegan diet is missing because you don’t eat meat, dairy, and other animal-derived foods, you can fire back that your vegan diet is also missing a few not-so-savory things that are inherent in animal-heavy diets. Here are three things missing from the vegan diet that make the vegan diet healthier than diets high in animal products.
3 Things your vegan diet is missing
1. Animal-derived antiobiotics
The FDA recently confirmed that 80 percent of all antibiotics used in the U.S. go to animal agriculture. The use of antibiotics in animals has the potential of making antibiotics less effective in humans who eat animal products. You can share with your non-vegan friends that if they are going to eat animal-derived foods, to opt for organic varieties to reduce their exposure to antibiotics and other drugs or synthetic hormones that are often used in factory farms.
>>Avoid pesticides and herbicides by going organic
2. Saturated fat
Saturated fat, the type of fat that is associated with high cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease, is found primarily in animal products, including meats, poultry, eggs, cream, cheese, butter, ghee, and lard and any foods made these ingredients. The vegan diet is inherently lower in saturated fat and higher in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, such as those derived from olives, olive oil, avocadoes, nuts, and seeds.
3. Higher risk of diet-related chronic diseases
Research shows that meat eaters not only tend to weigh more than non-meat eaters, they also tend to gain the most dangerous type of fat, called visceral fat, which is considered a significant risk factor for heart disease and cancer. Further, studies demonstrate that plant-based diets promote healthy weight maintenance (or weight loss) and a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diverticulosis, renal disease, and even gallstones. The more plant-based foods you eat, the more disease-fighting nutrients you’re consuming to protect your body against a wide range of illnesses.
>>Eat less red meat and live longer
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