by Sam Hill

A vegan is one who, for ethical or dietary reasons, avoids the use and consumption of animal products. While many claim that such a diet is healthier, evidence suggests that humans were, in fact, meant to eat meat. 

Humans are not carnivores, but we possess many similar anatomical traits such as canine teeth for tearing meat, a one-chambered stomach, and the enzymes necessary for the digestion of meat. Furthermore, our bodies require nutrients found ONLY naturally in animal products.

Here are a few nutritional areas in which vegans tend to find themselves deficient:

Vitamin B12

This vitamin is one such nutrient in nature found solely in animal products. Herbivores are able to obtain this nutrient through the reingestion of their own feces because a section of their digestive system produces it.

Vitamin B12 plays a key role in the normal functioning of the nervous system and the formation of blood. Overt deficiency can result in fatigue, anemia, and permanent damage to the nervous system (e.g. blindness, deafness, dementia). 

Protein

Proteins are built from strands of 20 different amino acids. The nine amino acids that the human body cannot synthesize on its own are called essential amino acids. While nearly all foods contain all twenty amino acids, plant products tend to be deficient in one or more. Nearly all animal products are considered complete proteins because they contain sufficient amounts of all of the amino acids.

Soy is one of the few exceptions to this rule, but soy in abundance can be detrimental, especially to males. Soy contains genistein and daidzein, two isoflavones that can act as estrogen. According to Men’s Health, these phytoestrogens have been proven to stimulate the development of female characteristics and inhibit male characteristics.

Calcium and Vitamin D

There are countless sources of Calcium in vegetables, but Vitamin D, which is necessary for Calcium absorption, is much harder to find.

The majority of Vitamin D is produced by our skin when exposed to direct sunlight. Most people obtain the rest of their Vitamin D from fish, eggs, and dairy products, but for vegans, the options are a bit slimmer, i.e. alfalfa sprouts or mushrooms. A diet deficient in Vitamin D will eventually lead to rickets, a form of osteomalacia.

Survival on a vegan diet is entirely possible, but thorough knowledge of the body’s nutritional needs is a must. Any vegan or vegetarian should have a well-planned diet to ensure that nutritional needs are met. Also, a supplement for Vitamin B12 is necessary.