Hardly a week goes by without news of another benefit of plant-based eating, from improving gut health to reducing your risk of cancer. But the recent inquest into the death of Georgina Owens, a 21-year-old student – who took her own life while suffering delusions linked to vitamin B12 deficiency from a vegan diet – has highlighted a less-discussed reality.
Experts warn that giving up meat, fish and dairy without replacing their nutrients may leave us vulnerable to nutrition gaps that can harm everything from our energy levels and brain function to bone and thyroid health.
A review in Journal of the American Nutrition Association found vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids are among the most common deficiencies in vegan diets. And recent research shows that 38 per cent of adults in the UK and Germany are planning to cut down on meat and dairy.
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