Vegan Diets are Healthier

So far I've given the evidence showing that animal-based foods cause CVD, cancer and diabetes. In this round I will highlight the virtues of plant-based foods. As usual my rebuttals will follow. I will provide the authoritative sources advocating vegan diets in round 5 instead of here due to space constraints. I will also address Con's claim, that a modest amounts of meat is better than no meat, in round 5. Plant-based Foods When animal-based foods are excluded from the diet, there is more room on the plate for plant-based foods. Plant-based foods are high in fiber[1], contain no dietary cholesterol[2] and are low in saturated fats[3]. Fiber (which animal-based foods lack[1]) lowers cholesterol levels, improves blood sugar control, reduces the risk of gastrointestinal disorders, aids in weight loss, and normalizes bowel movements.[1] Phytochemicals Phytochemicals are substances found exclusively in plant foods which confer a protective influence on us[4]. A diet which derives more of its calories from plant-based foods will necessarily have more phytochemicals. Where animal-based diets cause cancer and cardiovascular disease, the phytochemicals in plants actually work to counter the risk of these diseases. The following will be a detailed look at phytochemicals in various types of vegetable and their antioxidant, anticancer, anti-CVD, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Cruciferous vegetables (i.e. broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) have[9]: * Indoles and isothiocyanates (anti-cancer) Umbelliferous vegetables such as celery, carrots and parsnips have[9]: * Coumarins (anti-CVD) * Flavones (antioxidant, anticancer, anti-CVD) * Carotenoids (antioxidant, anticancer, immune-enhancing effects) * Phthalides and polyacetylenes (anti-tumor) Allium vegetables like garlic, onions, leeks, etc... have[9]: * Allicin (anti-CVD, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer) * Ajoenes (anti-thrombotic) * Vinyldithiins (antiasthmatic, antithrombotic) * Allyl sulfides (anticancer, anti-CVD) Citrus fruits have[9]: * Flavonoids (anticancer, anti-CVD) * D-limonene (anti-CVD, carotenoids) Grapes and their juice have[9]: * Flavonols (anticancer, anti-CVD) * Anthocyanins (strong antioxidant) * Resveratrol (antioxidant, anti-clotting, anticancer, anti-inflammatory) Berries have[9]: * Anthocyanins (strong antioxidant) * Flavonols (anticancer, anti-CVD) * Phenolic acid (antioxidant, anticancer) Whole grains have[9]: * Phenolic acid (antioxidant, anticancer) * Lignans (a possible anticancer agent) * Phytates and tocotrienols (antioxidant) Legumes have[9]: * Isoflavones (antiestrogenic, antioxidant) * Lignans and phytates Nuts and seeds have[9]: * Flavononols, phenolic acid, lignans and phytic acids (anticancer) and tocotrienals Rebuttal Vegans Need Spreadsheets Despite my pleas, I could not get Con to argue that vegans can't get enough protein in their diet. Con is wise in not pursuing this. Despite popular misconceptions, the plant kingdom is abundant in high quality sources of protein and vegans can, with ease, obtain all of the essential amino acids in adequate quantities[5]. This includes vegan athletes who often require 3-4 times the amount of protein recommended for non-athletes[5]. I contend that vegans are at no disadvantage with regard to protein though I concede that poorly planned vegan diets may be low in B12 or omega-3. So far, I think it is fair to say that Con and I are in agreement. Con wants to argue, though, that a well planned vegan diet is beyond the average person because spreadsheets would be required to keep track of B12, iron, protein and omega-3 intake. Research shows that there is no significant difference in the intake of iron between vegans and meat-eaters[6]. Also, on average, vegans meet dietary recommendations for protein[10][11]. So this leave us with the question: How can a vegan get enough B12 and omega-3s? As I stated earlier, a cup a fortified soy milk provide a daily allowance of B12. Daily consumption of fortified soy milk, modest amounts of flax seed and walnuts will meet recommendations for omega-3[7][8]. As you can see, it is extremely easy for vegans to obtain what they need on a diet that has been well planned. Is it so easy for meat eaters though? The meat eater has to always be on guard against exceeding the 18oz. (cooked weight) weekly limit of red meat or else they will be at a greater risk for cancer? How can meat eaters know for sure how much cholesterol and saturated fats they've consumed on any given day (substances which lead to greater risk of CVD and that are virtually absent in a vegan diet)? Is it not hard for meat eaters to calculate the fiber they are consuming to ensure adequate intake? Could it not be argued that a spreadsheet would be required for all of this? WCRF Cancer Study Controversy Con wasn't able to prove the review to be anything more than a controversy between science and industry. B12 I didn't say the B12 producing bacteria are contaminated. I said livestock animals are contaminated/infested with B12 producing bacteria. My argument was that B12, when bound to animal protein, is harder to absorb than B12 extracted directly from the bacterial source. (Protein bonds are difficult to break). B12, extracted directly from bacteria, is used to fortify foods and is better than protein bound B12 because it is easier to absorb. 1 http://www.mayoclinic.com... 2 http://findarticles.com... 3 http://www.livestrong.com... 4 http://www.phytochemicals.info... 5 http://www.adajournal.org... 6 http://www.ajcn.org... 7 http://silksoymilk.com... 8 http://www.vrg.org... 9 http://books.google.com... (147-150) 10 http://books.google.com... (45) 11 http://www.ajcn.org...