Veganism

[Alfabeta]

Hi All

Given its veganuary, I have been very concerned about the number of articles extolling the virtues of a plant based diet but not once mentioning the danger of b12 deficiency.

Fortunately, Dr Porter in today’s times has written an extensive warning about the dangers (as well as the virtues) Veganism.

Going vegan is healthy — if you beware the pitfalls

thetimes.co.uk/article/dr-m...

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad

[topazrat]

Whenever one of my friends decides to try Veganism, I always warn them about B12 and iron deficiency risks. Going Vegan isn't as simple as just cutting out animal products, as many people believe.

[Alfabeta in reply to topazrat]

Very true. However, eating meat, as Dr Porter explains, is no guarantee of good health - quite the opposite. I guess the nhs advice of meat free days and varietarianism is the key.

[fbirder]

It could be worse, they could be spreading the myth that ‘natural’ fermented foods contain usable amounts of B12. Their favourite is kimchi.

Well, it’s sort of a myth. Some fermented foods do contain B12. It is synthesised by bacteria living in the fermentation. Indeed, they are the same bacteria that make B12 in your own gut. Of course, there is only one way those bacteria can get from a human gut to a nice jar of kimchi - if the person who prepared it wasn’t too fastidious about hygiene.

Yum yum.

[Alfabeta in reply to fbirder]

Hi fbirder

I’ve read articles where plant based b12 has been stated but I think this is nearly always contested in articles that I have read.

[fbirder in reply to Alfabeta]

Several plants contain molecules that look like B12. Indeed, some of these B12 analogues look so much like B12 that they will bind to Intrinsic Factor. But they are biologically inactive. All they do is block the absorption of any real B12 that might be present.

[helvella in reply to fbirder]

In my experience, it almost always seems to be chlorella - sometimes spirulina! For example:

microalgaesupplements.com/c...

Spirulina also figures in so many claims about iodine content which range from being effectively zero to rivalling kelp. I struggle to believe that freshwater spirulina can contain significant iodine unless it is tipped into the growing medium.

The world is chock full of false claims.

[Hidden]

This is yet another 'fashion', one which is current. Over the past 50 years there have been any number of them and they generally disappear into the background once the popular magazines and newspapers find something else to 'educate' their target readers about. Having tried to point out the need for caution over B12 on an international forum and had no end of people commenting to the contrary I take the view now that if someone has decided to take up a particular fashionable diet then the best thing to do is to leave them to find out the pitfalls for themselves. They only want to hear what they see as the good points and anything else is being negative and not permitted.