Vegans beware: As study suggests going vegan makes you younger here’s how to avoid the hidden health pitfalls of cutting out meat and dairy

Not only can a vegan diet help you lose weight and eat more vegetables, it can also lower your biological age.

Researchers at Stanford University in California found that volunteers who ate a plant-based diet for eight weeks showed fewer signs of aging than volunteers who followed their normal diets, a move likely to encourage people to make the switch.

While there are many benefits to eating more vegetables and cutting back on foods like red meat in general, a completely vegan diet also comes with potential health risks.

Vegans risk missing out on some essential nutrients, such as calcium, iron and vitamin B12, which are abundant in an omnivorous diet, when they switch entirely to a plant-based diet, the NHS warns.

If you don’t get these, it can lead to problems such as fatigue, dizziness, heart palpitations and even brittle bones.

Here, MailOnline outlines some of the potential hidden health costs of a vegan diet and what you can do to avoid them.

You may need to limit your vitamin B12 intake…

A B12 deficiency is one of the well-known pitfalls of veganism.

Vitamin B12 is needed for healthy blood and a healthy nervous system.

It is common in meat, fish and dairy products, so most people do not need to worry about it. However, vegans are at risk of deficiency.

People with a vitamin B12 deficiency or have underdeveloped red blood cells that are larger than normal. The medical term for this is megaloblastic anaemia, says the NHS.

This can make people feel weak or tired, shortness of breath, headache, loss of appetite, vision problems and cognitive changes, such as memory problems.

Vegans have limited options when it comes to sources of B12, but breakfast cereals and unsweetened soy drinks fortified with the vitamin are a good source, according to the NHS.

Eating Marmite or other yeast extracts and nutritional yeast flakes is also a good way to get some B12, as these are both fortified.

Vegan Omega-3 May Not Reduce Heart Disease…

Omega-3 is found in oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon. It is known to support a healthy heart and reduce the risk of heart disease.

The NHS recommends eating at least one portion of oily fish per week, around 140g per portion, to ensure we reap the benefits.

But with a vegan diet this can be much more difficult.

The NHS warns that plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids may not offer the same benefits as oily fish when it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease.

However, there are a few vegan sources of omega-3 that can contribute to a balanced diet.

Flax seeds and vegetable oil, chia seeds, hulled hemp seeds and walnuts are all sources of omega-3.

But you can also improve your heart health by not eating too much salt and eating lots of fruit and vegetables.

Make sure you eat plenty of vegetables for healthy bones…

If you are vegan, avoid milk, cheese and yoghurt. These are all good sources of calcium.

Calcium is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. A calcium deficiency can lead to rickets in children, which causes weak and soft bones, and osteoporosis in later life, a condition that causes brittle bones.

According to the NHS, adults need 700mg of calcium per day. That’s about the amount in 100g of cheddar cheese.

Typically, people get most of the calcium they need from dairy products, but vegans can also find good sources of calcium.

Leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, are a good source of calcium.

But you will have to eat a lot of it to reach your daily intake. 100 grams of broccoli contains only 47 mg of calcium.

Other plant foods high in calcium include fortified unsweetened soy, pea and oat beverages and tofu, which contains 350 mg per 100 grams.

The NHS also advises vegans to eat sesame seeds, tahini and pulses to increase their calcium intake.

Bread in the UK also helps you maintain healthy calcium levels, as calcium is legally added to white and brown flour to increase the general population’s intake.

Eating dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, figs and dried apricots, is not only one of the five fruits you need each day, but is also a good source of calcium.

However, the NHS warns that dried fruit should be eaten with meals and not as a snack, to reduce the impact of sugar on teeth.

Plant-based iron to prevent anemia…

Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells.

If you don’t get enough iron, you run the risk of developing anemia.

Fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitations, paler than normal skin and headaches are all signs of iron deficiency.

Although a vegan diet can be high in iron, iron in plant foods is less well absorbed by the body than iron in meat. That is why it is so important to eat the right foods.

The British Dietician Association advises vegans to consume foods or drinks containing vitamin C. This helps the body to better absorb plant-based iron.

Examples of foods rich in vitamin C include oranges, both fresh and juiced, strawberries, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes.

According to the NHS, men aged 19 and women over 50 need 8.7mg of iron per day, and women aged 19 to 49 who have their periods need around 14.8mg per day.

For comparison, ground beef contains about 5.8 mg per 160 gram serving and lentils contain 4.9 mg per 125 gram serving.

According to the NHS, pulses, wholegrain bread, fortified breakfast cereals, leafy greens, nuts and dried fruit are all good sources of iron.

Meat-free doesn’t mean healthy…

Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are loaded with fat, salt and sugar and have long been vilified as increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

And plant-based UPFs are no better.

Vegan burgers, sausage rolls and breaded ‘chicken’, while good sources of protein, are generally considered UPF.

By definition, UPFs are foods that have been modified in various ways to extend their shelf life or make them more appealing to the consumer, or sometimes both.

Critics of the products say that an easy sign that a food has a UPF is if it contains ingredients you won’t find in your kitchen cupboards, such as unrecognizable dyes, sweeteners and preservatives.

Another clue is the amount of fat, salt and sugar in each package. UPFs often contain high concentrations.

When choosing ready-made vegan meals, it is best to avoid foods that are covered in dough or breadcrumbs, as these often contain a lot of saturated fat.

For example, a Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll contains 18 grams of fat, 8.7 grams of saturated fat and 1.8 grams of salt.

‘I think most people assume that all plant foods are healthy, but many of them can be high in salt, sugar and saturated fat, just like animal products,’ Dr Duane Mellor, dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, previously told MailOnline.

“You can also check the label on the front of the package to see how much salt, sugar and saturated fat is in the product. That way you can make a healthy choice,” he added.

Any food containing more than 5 grams of saturated fat, which is unhealthy for the heart, is considered “high in saturated fat” and should therefore be consumed in moderation.

That’s because too much saturated fat in your diet can lead to heart disease.

The NHS advises men to eat no more than 30 grams of saturated fat per day and women no more than 20 grams.