A
vegan diet involves avoiding all animal derived products such as meat,
fish, eggs and dairy. This is due to both ethical reasons, particularly
the animal suffering inherent in these industries, as well as the health
benefits of avoiding many of these foods. Whilst animal products may be
high in protein, for example, this is usually accompanied by cholesterol
and saturated fat, which are detrimental to health in the long term.
Vegans can get all
the nutrients necessary for good health from a wealth of foods including
fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains and pulses. It is therefore possible to guarantee a sufficient intake of
essential nutrients, and for optimal nutrition is it advisable for
vegans to supplement only vitamin B12. This is made by
micro-organisms found in soil, obtainable by eating unwashed plant foods
and drinking dirty water, as many animals do. This is obviously not
recommendable for modern humans, however, and vitamin B12 is
additionally available in sources such as fortified soya milks, spreads,
breakfast cereals and yeast extracts like Marmite, as well as in the
form of a vitamin supplement. A wide variety of alternative nutrient
sources to animal products exist, for example whilst eating oily fish is
often recommended for the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, this is also
obtainable from ground flaxseeds. A vegan version of just about
everything is now available, such as soya, rice and oat milks,
dairy free spreads, egg replacer powder for baking, imitation meat,
cheese and milk chocolate. It is therefore possible to have a rich and
varied vegan diet.
Vegans also refrain from wearing items of animal origin such as leather.
This is not difficult however as there are numerous synthetic materials
now available which often perform to a higher standard due to the
technical engineering involved. There is consequently a huge choice of
animal-free clothing and equipment available, making it easy for vegans
to select suitable fitness accessories for any activity. A number of
athletes illustrate how it is possible to reach the top whilst
maintaining a vegan lifestyle, such as Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis
(voted "Sportsman of the Century" by the Intenational Olympic Committee),
Dave Scott (winner of 5 Ironman Triathlons) and Scott Jurek (attaining 7
consecutive 100 mile ultramarathon victories on vegan fuel). To find out more about
veganism or the achievements of these athletes, please see the links section
of this
website.
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