Plant-Based Diet Myths
By Sara Butler
Nutrition is a complicated topic. It's not complicated because eating healthy is difficult to understand, but it's complicated because of all the misunderstandings out there about what and how people eat. False information tends to disseminate quickly and before you know it, a misconception can be seen as fact.
While these misunderstandings happen about all ways of eating, they are really prevalent when it comes to plant-based eating. Here are some of the common myths people believe about plant-based eating and the truth behind them.
Protein Is a Problem
Many people think that if you eat a plant-based diet where you don't eat animals, then protein is difficult to get. That is simply not the case.
Protein comes in many forms and there are many plant-based foods that are high in protein. As long as you're eating a varied diet and eating enough to maintain a healthy weight, then you should have no problems getting the amount of protein you need to be healthy. And if you adopt a plant-based diet and are worried about protein, then you can simply use plant-based protein powder in your smoothies to help bump up your intake.
If You Eat a Plant-Based Diet, You'll Be Iron Deficient
While it's no misconception that the iron found in meat is easier for the body to absorb, eating a plant-based diet will not make you iron deficient. Leafy greens, chickpeas, hemp seeds, certain dried fruits, chia seeds, and lentils all have some amount of iron. Researchers have found that eating some of these foods in combination with Vitamin C can help your body to absorb the iron easier.
Vegan Foods Are All Very Healthy
Many people equate plant-based eating with health. In most cases that is true because many of those that live plant-based lifestyles eat a wide variety of foods. However, some foods that are vegan simply aren't that healthy. There are cookies that are high in saturated fat, sugar, and salt that are vegan-friendly -- and they're anything but healthy.
Plant-Based Option Are Hard to Find
Some are under the belief that plant-based eating means you'll eat a lot of salads, but that's not the case. Many of your favorite things to eat can be made into plant-based dishes. Plus, committing to plant-based foods means you make room for more vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes than you may have been eating before.
Reducing meat in your diet is healthy -- don't believe otherwise!
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