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Corey Walls

Ashley S. Wright, MA

ENG 1201

11/16/2021

Literature Review

Consuming food is not only completely necessary for survival, but also directly related to

society and civilization as a whole. Human ancient civilizations were quickly accelerated by

advancements in agriculture and the mass production of food. Today we are blessed with a ton of

knowledge about how our dietary choices and habits effect both our health and wallets.

Regarding those choices, WebMD estimates that roughly three percent of Americans follow a

Vegan diet. So, what is a Vegan diet and how pursuing that lifestyle benefit our health?

In Medical News Today, Jamie Smith lays out the basics of following a vegan diet. She writes, a

vegan diet is free from any animal or animal-based products. These include any meat, eggs, and

cheeses or milks derived from animal sources. It should be noted that honey is also considered an

animal product and is, therefore, excluded from consumption. It is also noted that some people

choose to not only make it a dietary choice, but a full lifestyle choice excluding soaps, furniture,

and clothing made from animal sources. These lifestyle choices are often associated with ethical

stances instead of being related directly to health benefits.

Lacking any foods sourced from animals, vegans consume plant-based foods consisting

of fruits, vegetables, seeds, grains, and legumes. Additionally, foods derived from fruits,

vegetables, seeds, grains, or legumes are eaten. These would include breads, pastas, and even

plant-based meat substitutes.

In the WebMD article “What is a Vegan Diet?” it is noted that plant-based foods are

naturally high in dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. The National Health Library

states that higher intakes of dietary fiber are directly related to reductions in blood pressure and

cholesterol. Additionally, a 2017 study published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and

Nutrition found that diets high in fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals helped reduce the risk of

cancer by up to fifteen percent.

Animal and animal-based products are quite low in dietary fiber and lack any of the

naturally occurring phytochemicals present in plant foods. In addition, the International Agency

for Research on Cancer found that the consumption of red meat was related to increases in the

risk for colon, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. When consumed as part of a dietary habit, meats

high in fat or processed with salt are found to increase blood pressure and cholesterol, both of

which are associated with heart disease.

In various medical journals published by the American Medical Association, a relation to

diets high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and legumes and a reduction in risk for type

two diabetes was prevalent. Naturally occurring and unrefined sugars were not found to be

linked heavily with type two diabetes. Additionally, in patients with type two diabetes, vegan

diets were found to help decrease high glucose levels and further stabilize them through dietary

practices.

There are many benefits of relying on plant-based foods for you diet. However, every

medical and science journal does indicate that a vegan diet lacks in some forms of

micronutrients. Vitamins b12 and D, iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, and omega 3 fatty acids are all

largely found in animal products. Without attention to these deficits, a vegan diet would need to

be supplemented in order to fulfill these dietary deficiencies. With specific care, a vegan diet can
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include foods like quinoa, seaweed, walnuts, nutritional yeast, and oats to counteract these

deficiencies.

It seems to be evident, there are many health benefits in practicing vegan dietary habits.

Studies from medical and science journals largely agree that lowering blood pressure and

cholesterol are key factors in a healthy heart while dietary fiber increases blood flow and bowel

regulation. The naturally occurring high counts in vitamins and phytochemicals found in plants

are beneficial in reducing cancer risks while red meats are directly related to certain forms of

cancer. Specific care needs to be taken to ensure deficiencies of healthy nutrients found in animal

products are negated or supplemented accordingly. The evidence indicates that a vegan diet is

indeed beneficial for human health, with special attention needed to meet its shortcomings.
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Works Cited

Anderson, James W et al. “Health benefits of dietary fiber.” Nutrition reviews vol. 67,4 (2009): 188-205.
doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00189.x
Bakaloudi, Demitra Rafailia, et al. “Intake and Adequacy of the Vegan Diet. A Systematic Review of the
Evidence.”Define_me,ClinicalNutrition,6Dec.2020,
https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(20)30656-7/fulltext.
Dinu, Monica, et al. “Vegetarian, Vegan Diets and Multiple Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review with
Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.” Taylor & Francis, Critical Reviews in Food Science and
Nutrition,13June2017,https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2016.1138447
?journalCode=bfsn20&.
Daniela Pollakova, et al. “The Impact of Vegan Diet in the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes:
A Systematic Review.” Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 2123, June 2021, p. 2123. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.3390/nu13062123.
Qian F, Liu G, Hu FB, Bhupathiraju SN, Sun Q. Association Between Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Risk
of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med.
2019;179(10):1335–1344. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2195
Smith, Jamie. “Vegan Diet: Health Benefits, Foods, and Tips.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon
International, 27 Apr. 2020, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149636#nutrients-to-
consider.
Zelman, Kathleen M. “Vegan Diet - Foods You Can and Cannot Eat, Benefits and Risks.” WebMD,
WebMD, 6 Sept. 2021, https://www.webmd.com/diet/vegan-diet-overview#1.