The latest report from the British Nutrition Foundation highlights a need for extra plant-based support
A new report from the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) reveals the potential risks involved in following an entirely plant-based diet. This comes in the wake of an explosion in vegan popularity, with 500,000 people taking part in 2021’s Veganuary campaign.
In the report, researchers highlight the potential loss of essential nutrients like iodine, zinc, vitamin B12 and iodine that vegans can experience by cutting out animal products. The findings suggest that more steps need to be taken to address these nutritional gaps before plant-based diets can be adopted on a truly widespread scale.
Professor Judy Buttriss, Director General of the BNF, comments: “All too often nutritional quality and delivery of essential nutrients is not considered in judgements about the environmental impact of foods and diets.”
So what are the potential issues of an entirely vegan diet, and does seaweed have a role in addressing them?
The problem with meat replacements
The plant-based meat alternatives market has been going from strength to strength in recent years, spearheaded by brands like Quorn, which recently reached billion dollar status. In the UK alone, the meat alternative market is valued at upwards of $500 million, while worldwide this figure has reached a whopping $4,536 million.
Yet despite this, the BNF highlights issues with these popular meat replacement products.
According to the report, many meat alternative products contain high levels of fat and salt, with plant-based meat and dairy alternatives increasing intakes of sodium, sugar and saturated fats. As well as this, products were found to contain low levels of key nutrients like calcium, magnesium and iodine.
Like the meat alternative market, plant-based milks have seen a recent surge in popularity, with oat milk set to become a multi-billion dollar market by 2026. Yet dairy alternatives like almond or rice milk can be water-intensive to produce, and offer lower levels of iodine and other essential nutrients.
Brands must go further to ensure vegan needs are met
There are many reasons why consumers are choosing to go plant-based with their eating habits. Reports continue to show the numerous health and environmental benefits of going vegan, including lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol. A study by the University of Oxford also found that cutting meat and dairy from one’s diet could decrease their individual carbon footprint by as much as 73%.
However, the BNF’s report shows that more needs to be done in order to make vegan diets accessible and beneficial to all. By addressing vegan limitations head on, brands can provide a higher standard of nutrition while also gaining the upper hand over competitors.
Seaweed is the vegan iodine source consumers need
Iodine is a critical nutrient that is often overlooked in plant-based diets. It is essential for supporting the healthy function of the thyroid, which itself is key for supporting a healthy metabolism, healthy skin, cognitive development and more.
Seaweed is naturally high in iodine, and is in fact one of the only viable vegan sources of the nutrient. At PureSea®, our seaweed is sustainably wild-harvested from the pristine waters of the Scottish Outer Hebrides, using our proprietary technologies. Each batch is also tested to ensure it offers the maximum nutritional value.
PureSea® can be easily added into a wide range of nutrition products to help ensure consumers are achieving their recommended daily intake of iodine, addressing one of the largest concerns regarding vegan diets.