Vegan - animal health?

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

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Those who follow a vegan diet usually do so not only for the sake of the animals, but also for their own health. But does that also work?

No more schnitzel, mozzarella and honey! But also with wool sweaters, leather shoes and silk blouses: vegan lifestyle is in vouge. Cookbooks, magazines, blogs, celebrity chefs - the topic is omnipresent. According to a survey by the IfD Allensbach, around 850,000 people in Germany are now committed to giving up all animal products.

The followers proudly announce that no more animals should die for them - and neither should they be tortured or exploited. No male chicken chick should be shredded for her sake, no calf should be separated from its mother. That is undeniably a noble proposition. In addition, many people who live without meat have a desire for a sustainable, healthy lifestyle. But can vegan do that at all?

The two sides of meat

No question: factory farming and massive meat consumption are immoral, unsavory and unecological. And in fact, it is not only chic to do without meat and Co. - it is also considered healthy. Processed and red meat in particular - and that includes the pale pink pork that Germans love so much - has long been pilloried. Among other things, sausages, steaks & Co. increase the risk of colon cancer, recently warned the WHO. In addition, animal fats (including those from fatty dairy products) are suspected of contributing to the calcification of the arteries.

But is it actually healthier who lives meatless? In 2014, researchers at the University of Graz snubbed the vegan-vegetarian community: According to their study, meat eaters suffered less from depression, allergies and cancer than vegetarians. And the researchers went one step further: the quality of life of those living without meat was also poorer.

Where the hen is here and where the egg remains, however, it remains unclear - under certain circumstances, the sick could seek their salvation disproportionately in meatless food. A meta-analysis by the University of Cambridge from the same year falls in the same direction as the Graz study: Contrary to what has been assumed, animal fats do not increase the risk of heart disease, the data show. And the largest European study on the causes of cancer (EPIC study) showed that it is not those who completely spurn meat live the longest, but those who eat it moderately.

Animal products also have their good side: they contain plenty of vitamins, iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids, the stores of which can only be replenished with difficulty through a purely plant-based diet - for example because plants usually contain less of them and in their herbal form are less readily absorbed by the body.

Vegan deficiencies

Vegans who are not very well informed and who eat extremely consciously often suffer from deficiency symptoms. And they can take revenge in the long term: in the form of weakness due to iron deficiency, for example, susceptibility to infections due to a lack of zinc or brittle bones due to calcium depletion. Nutrition experts advise pregnant women, seniors, the sick and children against a vegan diet altogether.

A particular problem with a vegan diet is the supply of vitamin B12: In a form that can be used by humans, it is probably only contained in foods of animal origin. While vegetarians can cover their needs well with dairy products, vegans have to resort to dietary supplements or appropriately fortified foods. It has little to do with natural nutrition.

The vegan diet is sure to backfire if it is limited to avoiding animal foods. It is hard to believe that there are also fast food and sweet stuff junkies among vegans. In the absence of nutritionally correct alternatives, they stuff French fries into themselves or munch loads of soy puddings or vegan cupcaces. That is not healthy.

Because of course

A critical look at the list of ingredients for vegan ready-made meals raises additional doubts: "Seitan burgers" and "Quorngeschnetzeltes" usually have to be elaborately processed and pepped up with all sorts of additives such as flavor enhancers, colors and flavorings in order to achieve a meat-like consistency and taste.

With a higher degree of processing, however, the energy consumption increases and the list of ingredients becomes longer. In addition, some products contain genetically modified ingredients and pesticide residues. Because if it says vegan, there is still no organic in it. Last but not least, there are also CO2-intensive transport routes, especially for products from the Far East. Admittedly, that is little compared to the enormous amounts of C02, water and animal feed that the production of one kilo of beef devours. But none of this is absolutely ecologically correct.

Conclusion: By renouncing meat and products obtained through cruelty to animals, you are undoubtedly doing something good for the animals. But you don't necessarily live more sustainably or healthier. And if you are not careful, the vegan diet can even make you seriously ill.

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