World Health Day Special: Is All

Vegan Food

Healthy? Decoding Plant-Based Diet & Nutrition

Quick Summary

To say that all vegan food is healthy is like proclaiming all Indians watch cricket—the statement is popular enough to be true, but factually incorrect. And what better time than World Health Day (which falls on April 7) to dig into the common claims around vegan food, separate fact from fiction, and understand what a balanced vegan meal actually looks like. 

Deep Dive

In the last few years, or rather, almost a decade, dietary trends across the globe have undergone a significant change to the point where spicy is no longer the only label on food menus. Vegan, vegetarian, non-vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, and other such terms have cropped up in food displayed in stores, available in restaurants, being delivered at home, and everywhere else. Some of these terms or categories, like vegan or plant-based food, carry an inherent notion of being “healthy”. But the theme of this year’s World Health Day reiterates “the importance of scientific collaboration, evidence-based decisions”. Thus, this article checks those notions, starting with understanding what it really means to be vegan. 

What Is A Vegan Diet?

A vegan diet is a strictly plant-based diet, which excludes all animal-derived products, including meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, and honey. There can be multiple reasons for people to adopt a vegan diet, ranging from health concerns to ethical or environmental reasons. 

How does it differ from a vegetarian diet?

A vegetarian diet excludes animal flesh (meat, poultry, fish) but often includes dairy, eggs, and honey. However, a vegan diet is strictly plant-based. People who adopt veganism as a lifestyle (and not just a diet choice) also avoid animal products beyond food, like leather, for ethical or environmental reasons. 

Is it the same as being gluten-free?

No. A gluten-free diet is an eating plan followed by people who are allergic to gluten (a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, or rye, which helps food keep its shape). A gluten-free diet can include both plant and animal products, as long as they are gluten-free. 

Now that you know what vegan food is (and what it isn’t), it’s time to answer the most important question: Is all vegan food healthy?

Vegan Food: The Health Report

A vegan diet focuses on foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. Such a diet¹ has the potential to improve heart health, lower cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.

However, it’s not a universally healthy diet. And vegan food does not provide complete nutrition, with studies indicating that a plant-based diet can lead to deficits in micro- and macronutrients. 

Health Benefits & Nutritional Considerations

Health Benefits

Various studies conducted by national and international organisations, such as the World Health Organisation², have linked a vegan diet to lower BMI, improved blood sugar control, and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. 

However, there are just as many studies that highlight the nutritional considerations of vegan food, and both should be taken into account when rejigging your diet. 

Nutritional Considerations³

Here are key nutritional considerations of a plant-based diet: 

• Nutrient Deficiency: Without proper planning, a vegan diet can lack nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and vitamin D.
• Iron Deficiency: According to NIH and ICMR reports, plant-based diets rely on non-heme iron, which has lower absorption and must be paired with vitamin C–rich foods. Thus, poorly planned vegan diets can cause deficiencies, leading to serious health complications like anaemia or weakened bones.
• Protein completeness: Many animal products are sources of complete protein (all 9 amino acids), but few vegan foods compare. Thus, a plant-based diet needs to be properly planned for protein quality and completeness. 

Important Health Consideration: Remember that a vegan diet is not a complete solution to health concerns. A vegan diet alone cannot lower the risk of heart diseases or other diseases in a person who is prone to these conditions due to genetics or lifestyle. Simply put, if an individual has a family history of strokes or is an active smoker, vegan food will not be an absolute cure. 

Bottom Line: Without proper planning, a vegan diet can lead to deficiencies in nutrients typically found in animal products. However, a well-planned, diverse diet focusing on whole or minimally processed foods can be highly nutritious. 

Now, you may have noticed the word unprocessed in the above statement. And that highlights a core part of vegan food today: vegan junk food.  

Vegan Processed Food: The Good, Bad & Ugly

If you thought adopting a vegan diet meant junk food gets automatically eliminated from your diet, think again. As soon as veganism went from a niche lifestyle choice to a trend, vegan products began flooding the market. From processed vegan meat to dairy-free sweets, vegan food today spans almost all food categories, including junk. 

Vegan junk food includes plant-based alternatives to traditional comfort foods like fries, cookies, and sugary snacks, as well as dairy-free ice cream.

Vegan Junk Foods: Examples & Characteristics

• Fast Food Alternatives: Vegan sausage rolls, burgers with plant-based patties, vegan pizza, and French fries.
• Snacks: Oreos, potato chips, pretzels, and many sugary candies. 
• Frozen Desserts: Vegan chocolate milkshakes and dairy-free ice cream.
• "Accidentally" Vegan: Many traditional snacks, like some types of cereal and chocolate syrup, are also vegan. 

These items can make it easier to transition to a vegan diet and offer social and indulgent alternatives. However, vegan junk food is still processed food, which means:

• It’s often high in sodium and saturated fats, and can hinder health goals if consumed regularly. 
• Often created in labs, these foods break the connection to natural plant-based eating.
• It provides limited amounts of vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds, similar to conventional junk food.

How To Enjoy A Balanced Vegan Meal

So, a plant-based diet alone won’t fix your health issues. And too much junk food is out of the picture. Does it mean it’s time to give up on veganism altogether? Well, no. Just like any other diet has its pros and cons, so does a vegan diet. To be nutritionally proficient, the answer remains the same across diets: a well-planned, balanced meal.

A balanced meal contains an optimal mix of carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Using the "MyPlate method from ICMR," aim for 50% vegetables/fruits, 25% lean protein, and 25% whole grains, complemented by healthy fats and water. 

Here’s what a well-balanced vegan plate can look like: 

• 50% Plate: Non-starchy vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes).
• 25% Plate: Protein (tempeh, tofu, lentils, beans).
• 25% Plate: Whole grains or starchy veggies (quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato).
• Small amounts of avocado, nuts, or seeds for healthy fats.

Getting the right nutrients in a vegan diet

The following table explains how to get the right nutrients with a vegan diet, including different plant-based sources. It also mentions those that may require supplements (marked with *). 

*Sources for vegans are limited, and a supplement may be needed.

Vegan Diet: Key Tips To Remember

You can also ensure a vegan diet translates into a healthy diet by keeping certain key tips in mind: 

• Always pair iron-rich foods with Vitamin C-rich foods (citrus, peppers, etc.), as Vitamin C helps improve absorption. 
• Make sure your daily diet includes 5 portions of fruit and vegetables.
• Ensure your meal includes fortified dairy alternatives
• Consult a nutritionist or doctor for required supplements, if any
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day

Vegan Food Vs Other Diets

Here’s a quick comparison of a vegan diet vs other dietary options to help you make more informed choices. 

Ultimately, the diet you choose should be determined by your health concerns, dietary needs, lifestyle choices, and, of course, your taste preferences. 

Going Vegan, The Right Way

A vegan diet is not a one-stop solution or a miracle worker. Nor is it something to be disregarded. Just as with any other diet, the need of the hour is to conduct thorough research and not introduce any radical changes to your diet without proper consultation. Food is meant to sustain the human body, and the right knowledge will ensure your diet matches your needs and preferences. 

[Content reviewed and verified for accuracy by ITC Nutrition Team]

References

1. Bali, A., & Naik, R. (2023). The impact of a vegan diet on many aspects of health: The overlooked side of veganism. Cureus, 15(2), e35148. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.35148
2. Clem, J., & Barthel, B. (2021). A look at plant-based diets. Missouri Medicine, 118(3), 233–238.
3. Bali, A., & Naik, R. (2023). The impact of a vegan diet on many aspects of health: The overlooked side of veganism. Cureus, 15(2), e35148. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.35148
4. Indian Food Composition tables, 2017