Young women who eat little or no red meat and dairy are at risk of developing vitamin deficiencies that could lead to health problems later in life, one scientist said.
Professor Ian Givens, director of the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health at the University of Reading, said in a briefing at the Science Media Center that half of young women ages 11 to 18 were consuming less than the recommended minimum level of iron and magnesium.
A quarter of the women in this age group consumed very little iodine, calcium and zinc, he added. Professor Givens cautioned that young women were at higher risk of developing nutritional deficiencies than men, which could be because women were “more sensitive to messages about how bad” meat and dairy are for the environment. .
During the briefing on alternative protein sources, Professor Given said that while there were good environmental reasons to reduce meat consumption, the shift to a more plant-based diet should be done “with some caution.”
“We already have a nutritional situation that is quite marginal in many ways and for some of the problems I think we will not know the result for quite some time,” he warned.
“The teenage years are absolutely critical for bone development. If you do not do it well, it has a great importance in terms of bone health in the elderly, which increases the risk of tears that can reduce the quality of life ”.
Comes as data from the Finder credit check agency revealed this week that 14 per cent of adults in the UK (7.2 million) are currently on a meatless diet, with another 8.8 million people planning to cut back on meat this year.
Vegetarianism is the most popular meatless diet, with around 3.3 million Britons adopting it, followed by Pescetarianism (2.4 million) and veganism (1.6 million).
Professor Givens said broader comparisons between the benefits of meat and plant-based products should be provided, to show whether meat and dairy alternatives provide the same amount of nutrients as their animal-based counterparts.
Anna Mapson, a registered dietitian at Goodness Me Nutrition, said The independent that adolescent girls require especially high levels of iron and calcium in their diets. If they are deficient in these nutrients, it could lead to problems like anemia and osteoporosis when they grow up.
While eating a balanced vegan diet is possible, it takes a lot of planning, understanding what nutrients are lacking in plant-based sources and what supplements are needed to make up for them, Mapson says.
“For example, Omega-3 is really lacking in a vegetarian diet, but it is really important for brain health. Children between the ages of 11 and 18 have brains that are still developing and need preformed DHA to support that.
“You can get Omega-3 through some plant-based products, but you have to convert it into a proper form and you don’t get much. Walnuts, hemp seeds, and flax seeds can give you a little bit, but I would recommend vegans take a preformed Omega-3 supplement, ”he adds.
Other supplements he recommends for people on a vegan or vegetarian diet include B12, vitamin D, and multivitamins. He urged people to see a qualified nutritionist or doctor if they are not sure what they need.
Mapson also cautions people who are thinking about switching to a vegan diet not to switch to vegan meat alternatives without adding different types of vegetables to their meal rotations.
“Focus on a good plant-based diet instead of a junk food diet because then you will get more nutrients. Don’t just trade a sausage roll for a vegan sausage roll, ”she says.
“Research has shown that eating up to 30 different plant-based foods a week is actually good for your gut health, so it would be something to consider if you plan to go vegan. Make sure you eat as varied a diet as possible to make sure you get as many nutrients as possible. “
