Bulking and Cutting: Vegans vs.Omnivores by Jerry Brainum 6/24

 

In the past, vegetarianism was considered a type of fad style of eating, relegated to those who were considered "weirdos." But more recently, vegan diets have come into vogue because of various health benefits attributed to vegan eating styles. This notion is bolstered by countless Internet videos posted by numerous vegan advocates, who claim that not only is vegan nutrition healthier, but eating animal protein foods is more likely to result in disease and early death. There is no doubt that vegan eating offers several health benefits, including lower rates of obesity, reduced risk for type-2 diabetes, and lower cardiovascular risk factors such as lower blood lipids and lower blood pressure. Yet, despite these notable benefits associated with a vegan diet, recent studies show that even hard-core vegans who only consume plant foods do not live longer than omnivores or those who consume both animal protein foods and plant foods. The emerging research shows that a combination of mostly plant foods and a conservative intake of animal protein foods is best for promoting increased longevity. A good example of this eating style is the Mediterranean diet, which consists mainly of plant foods but also allows a smaller intake of meat and fish, along with other foods such as red wine and extra virgin olive oil that impart features that favor health and longevity. 

Vegetarian diets come in several styles. The most basic form is the pure vegan style, which disallows all forms of animal-based food and relies exclusively on plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Another type of vegetarian diet is called lacto-ovo, and it excludes meat and fish but permits the consumption of milk and eggs. This style suits bodybuilding because milk and eggs are the highest quality protein foods available because of their essential amino acid content. Bill Pearl, who won the Mr.America contest in 1953, followed by four Mr.Universe victories, favored a lacto-ovo vegan diet. However, Pearl didn't begin eating that way until he was in his late 30s and had already won several major bodybuilding titles. His primary reasoning for starting a lacto-ovo diet was because he was afflicted with gout, a painful disease marked by uric acid crystal deposition in joints. Some animal protein foods contain purines, which increase the production of uric acid in the body. Other types of vegan nutrition include eliminating most animal protein foods but allowing fish, which is called a pescatarian. The other types of vegan diets are so restricted that they aren't worth mentioning since following them for any length of time will result in poor health and loss of lean mass due to a lack of sufficient protein and essential nutrients.

One reason vegan diets seem to . . .