COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS OF A PLANT-BASED/VEGAN DIET

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 ISCONCEPTIONS:  Of a Plant-Based Diet

 

     

1. YOU NEED ANIMAL PRODUCTS FOR "COMPLETE" NUTRITION, such as complete proteins: FALSE (#13)

-Plants contain ALL of the nutrients we need for optimum health (including protein and all amino acids) as long as we’re eating a variety of plant foods in different

combinations

Exception: B12 has been eliminated out of our natural food system due to destruction of our soil and likely needs supplementation or addition of nutritional yeast BUT meat eaters are also lacking this nutrient


2. WE NEED ANIMAL PROTEIN TO BE HEALTHY: FALSE (#13)
* Plant- protein is actually healthier than animal protein

    -20% decrease in overall mortality, decreased CVD

    -More animal protein= increase mortality BUT Plant protein= DECREASE in mortality! (#23)

*Not only can you be strong, muscular, and energetic on a plant-based diet, you can Thrive and even increase your performance!

-There are many athletes out there such as tom brady, cam newton, Nate daiz (MMA fighter), alex caceres (ufc fighter), serena williams, arnold Schwarzenegger, just to name a few, that have had tremendous success in their sports while eating a plant-based diet.

Example:
- Low Protein, High Carb with High Fiber has been shown to be healthiest with reducing/controlling type II diabetes. High carb is around 60%.

* All of the protein we get from animals, they get from plants! Plants are the only producers of protein, so why don’t we get it straight from the source without all of the related chronic diseases animal proteins contribute to?


3. OUR BODIES REQUIRE ANIMAL PROTEIN TO BE STRONG AND GAIN MUSCLE: FALSE (#14, #15)

Example:
-Americans get about Double the amount of protein that we need
-Excessive protein is actually shown to have NEGATIVE impacts on our health
  Such as: increased mortality rate

4. WE ABASORB NUTRIENTS BETTER FROM ANIMAL FOODS VS PLANTS: FALSE

Example: (#16)
-You absorb 50% to 60% of the Calcium from green vegetables like kale, arugula and broccoli, roughly twice as much as the Calcium in comparison to dairy products whose absorption rate is about 30%

Sources:

13.  Plant Protein sufficiency and benefits

Plant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function - PMC (nih.gov)

14. High protein diets: negative effects

Protein Consumption Linked to Longevity | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

15. Animal protein and Plant protein on muscle strength

Animal Protein versus Plant Protein in Supporting Lean Mass and Muscle Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials - PMC (nih.gov)

16. Calcium absorption

Calcium | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health