A couple of days ago I was interviewed by Yahoo Style UK about James Blunt who was diagnosed with scruvy (vitamin C deficiency) after going on a meat-only diet. Caroline Jones reported that he did this out of “principle” to take a stand against his vegan friends.
My thoughts:
1. Missing out on whole food groups – be it carbs, fruit and veg, or fats – can mean you end up lacking in essential nutrients.
2. There’s a place for animal and plant-based foods in a healthy diet.
3. Completely taking away fruit, vegetables, beans and other plant-based foods can set you up for low intakes of vitamin C, fibre and potassium.
4. Not having enough vitamin C can leave you feeling tired and lethargic.
5. Certain types of fibre such as oats and barley can reduce your blood cholesterol levels and have other benefits – you need fibre!
My bottom line: Choose a wide variety of foods. Those with natural colours give you a range of nutrients (think orange carrots for beta-carotene, red tomatoes for lycopene and purple plums for anthocyanins).
A well-designed plant-based diet, with the addition of vitamin B12, can be nutritionally adequate.
