Is veganism better for health?

The short answer is – yes! We have detailed information in our Incredible Vegan Health Report. Here’s a snapshot:

Plant-based foods, are more protective than animal food groups against chronic diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, kidney and liver disorders and cancers.
Fardet, A. and Boirie, Y. 2014. Associations between food and beverage groups and major diet-related chronic diseases: an exhaustive review of pooled/meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Nutrition Reviews. ¹

Vegans have the healthiest weight among all dietary groups and received the highest score on the healthy eating scale.
Clarys, P. et al. 2014. Comparison of nutritional quality of the vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and omnivorous diet. Nutrients. ²

Vegans have more than sufficient intakes of protein, vitamins and minerals – including calcium and iron – above recommended intakes.
Rizzo, N.S. et al. 2013. Nutrient profiles of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dietary patterns. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. ³

Vegans have the highest intake of fibre and the lowest intake of fat.
Rizzo, N.S. et al. 2013. Nutrient profiles of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dietary patterns. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Key T.J. et al. 2014. Cancer in British vegetarians: updated analyses of 4998 incident cancers in a cohort of 32,491 meat eaters, 8612 fish eaters, 18,298 vegetarians, and 2246 vegans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. ⁴

Vegan diets are associated with lower risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, certain cancers and lower cholesterol levels.
Garton L. 2014. Food Fact Sheet – Vegetarian Diets. British Dietetic Association. ⁵

Vegan diets have a cancer-protective effect as vegans have a considerably higher intake of foods and nutrients protective against cancer.
Craig W.J. 2009. Health effects of vegan diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. ⁶

Compared to vegetarian diets (which include dairy and eggs), vegan diets offer greater protection from obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease related mortality.
Le, L.T. and Sabaté, J. 2014. Beyond meatless, the health effects of vegan diets: findings from the Adventist cohorts. Nutrients. ⁷

References

1
Fardet A and Boirie Y. 2014. Associations between food and beverage groups and major diet-related chronic diseases: an exhaustive review of pooled/meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Nutrition Reviews. 72 (12) 741-162.
2
Clarys P, Deliens T, Huybrechts I, Deriemaeker P, Vanaelst B, De Keyzer W, Hebbelinck M and Mullie P. 2014. Comparison of nutritional quality of the vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and omnivorous diet. Nutrients. 6 (3) 1318-1332.
3
Rizzo NS, Jaceldo-Siegl K, Sabate J, Fraser GE. 2013. Nutrient profiles of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dietary patterns. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 113 (12) 1610-1619
4
Key TJ, Appleby PN, Crowe FL, Bradbury KE, Schmidt JA and Travis RC. 2014. Cancer in British vegetarians: updated analyses of 4998 incident cancers in a cohort of 32,491 meat eaters, 8612 fish eaters, 18,298 vegetarians, and 2246 vegans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 100 Suppl 1: 378S-385S.
5
Garton L; British Dietetic Association. 2014. Food Fact Sheet – Vegetarian Diets
6
Craig WJ. 2009. Health effects of vegan diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 89 (5) 1627S-1633S.
7
Le LT and Sabaté J. 2014. Beyond meatless, the health effects of vegan diets: findings from the Adventist cohorts. Nutrients. 6 (6) 2131-2147.