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One study found that meat eaters experienced a reduction in vitamin B12 and iodine levels
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Signing up to Veganuary could see meat eaters risking their health by missing out on vital vitamins and minerals.
Many people think that a poorly planned switch to a vegan diet during the month of January is harmless, as it only lasts four weeks.
But a study that followed the diet of people who joined Veganuary in two separate years found that meat eaters experienced a significant reduction in their vitamin B12 and iodine levels if they did not take dietary supplements.
Iodine, important for fetal brain development, is added to cow’s milk and found in dairy products, as well as eggs and various types of seafood.
Meanwhile, a deficiency of vitamin B12, which is only found in animal products, has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and temporary infertility.
Signing up to Veganuary could lead meat eaters to risk their health by losing vital vitamins and minerals (file image)
A study that followed the diet of people who joined Veganuary in two separate years found that meat eaters saw a significant reduction in their vitamin B12 and iodine levels if they did not take dietary supplements (File Image)
The new study, involving 154 people and published in the journal Nutrients, found that meat eaters who went vegan in January also lowered their cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, which could separately reduce their risk of disease. cardiovascular and help lose weight.
But researchers conclude that people doing Veganuary need to plan their diet appropriately and risk missing out on important nutrients if they simply choose convenient vegan milk and meat substitutes.
Dr Simon Welham, lead author of the study, from the University of Nottingham, said: “Veganuary can be consumed in a perfectly healthy way if followed sensibly, but otherwise it can have an effect on people’s nutrient levels. , even after only one month.”
«It is important that people who choose vegan milks, for example, check that they are fortified with iodine or try to buy foods that contain iodine, such as iodized salt.
‘Plant milks and some breakfast cereals may also contain vitamin B12.
‘There are people who sign up for this month-long lifestyle change who don’t put much effort into thinking about it and may rely too much on processed vegan alternative foods that lack nutrients.
“The advice for them, according to this study, is to check the label, especially when it comes to things like the iodine that is added to some plant milks.”
The new study found that meat eaters who went vegan in January also reduced their cholesterol and saturated fatty acids (File Image)
The study looked at meat-eaters and vegetarians aged 18 to 60 who signed up for Veganuary, comparing them to vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters who continued to eat normally.
It was estimated that meat eaters who did Veganuary saw a 10-fold reduction in their cholesterol, but also saw a significant reduction in iodine.
Commenting on the study, television dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton said: “Switching to a vegan diet requires careful preparation, as animal-based foods are rich sources of several essential nutrients, particularly vitamins B12, iodine, iron , zinc and selenium”.
‘Rather than struggling for four weeks on a nutritionally unbalanced vegan diet, Brits could make practical longer-term changes to their current diets by eating more whole foods, aiming for five daily servings of fruit and vegetables, cooking meals at home and cutting back. about sweets, takeaways and soft drinks.