Is a vegan diet necessarily healthy?

Author: He Xinhua, Chief Physician, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University

Reviewer: Guo Shubin, Chief Physician, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University

In the eyes of many elderly people, eating meat is unhealthy, and they think that their blood lipids are not well controlled because of eating meat. They simply equate eating meat with high blood lipids, which is actually unscientific. So is a vegan diet necessarily good?

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

1. Vegetarianism is not necessarily healthier

In many cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment guidelines at home and abroad, a low-salt, low-fat, high-calcium, high-quality protein and high-fiber diet is recommended as a healthy diet. Many studies have confirmed that compared with omnivores, lacto-vegetarians (milk + vegetarian) have significantly lower blood pressure, body mass index (an indicator of obesity), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, fasting blood sugar and carotid intima-media thickness (an indicator of arteriosclerosis), and the risk of ischemic heart disease is reduced by about 32%, and the risk of cardiovascular disease in 5 to 10 years is significantly reduced.

What is mentioned here is that partial vegetarianism reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease caused by metabolic syndrome risk factors such as obesity, but strict vegetarianism may have adverse effects on cardiovascular health. A domestic survey and analysis of the health status of a group of monks and nuns aged over 63 with a vegetarian history of more than 14 years showed that long-term overly strict vegetarianism and unbalanced diet can lead to endogenous lipid metabolism disorders. Although obesity may not be the cause, the incidence of cardiovascular disease has not been reduced.

2. Strict vegetarianism is harmful to the health of the elderly

Vegetarians will feel very hungry due to lack of fat, and eating more oil-absorbing vegetables will increase their fat intake. Strict vegetarianism will also cause deficiencies in iron, zinc, calcium and fat-soluble vitamins in the body. The homocysteine ​​level in the blood of such people will increase, which is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. In addition, strict vegetarianism will also cause anemia, hypoproteinemia, kidney stones, osteoporosis, low immunity, etc., which will endanger the health of the elderly.

3. A balanced diet is the best choice

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

For most elderly people, a balanced diet is the best choice. According to the dietary guidelines recommended by the Nutrition Society: a certain amount of meat, eggs, milk and sufficient fresh vegetables and fruits should be consumed every day; yellow-green and red vegetables and fruits should be emphasized, especially dark and green vegetables, which are rich in iron, calcium, folic acid, vitamin B, carotene, etc.