The Dark side of Vegan and Plant-Based Food

You’re doing it! You’re completely omitting all animal products! You’re going to be so much healthier now… right? 

Unfortunately, one of the unmentioned parts of the Vegan Plant-Based diet is the fact that it is not immediately better for you. Yes, if your diet was full of processed meats, take-out, and frozen dinners, your plant-based alternative meals will fill you with more nutrition. It might not, however, be healthier for you.

Hot Chips and Oreos are vegan, but any nutritionist will tell you they’re not healthy. As you’re starting to shop in the vegan aisles, purchasing Beyond Burgers, Faux Cheeses, and Vegan Chocolate, you may think you are on a healthier journey. It is quite the opposite.

Faux meats, frozen or otherwise, are often high in sodium. They can also be jampacked with artificial ingredients, preservatives, and processed oils. Products that contain more artificial ingredients often lack the nutrients required for a well-rounded diet. Despite the belief that vegan meat will provide you with protein, quite often it will be lacking in what the human body needs. Too many of the faux alternatives will find you not only unhealthier than when you started but potentially with other issues - such as skin flare-ups and digestion problems.

As you explore more into the Vegan Plant-Based lifestyle, ensure to balance out your faux meat meals with whole foods. Look for packages that list beans or legumes as the first ingredient. Legumes and beans are two healthy sources of pure plant protein, as well as hemp and quinoa. If you must go with the faux frozen and deli meats, ensure you find ones with less than 400mg of Sodium per serving, and watch out for sugar!