Should malnutritioned patients go vegan?

Answer:

An average person can remain healthy while following a vegetarian or vegan diet. But a malnourished person may suffer from a lack of some necessary nutrients like iron, calcium, zinc, cholesterol, and vitamin B12 if following a vegan diet.

Excluding animal products from their diet plans for a long time may result in a lack of high biological value proteins, which results in muscle atrophy, memory loss, and skin problems.

A malnourished person may suffer from a lack of various nutrients if following a vegan diet. Photo illustration by Freepik

Malnourished vegan eaters may also see their anemia situation go worse since fiber, the main ingredient of plant-based food, reduces the speed of the processes of absorbing iron and regenerating blood. Anemia can be the cause of several health problems including dizziness, tiredness, or even stroke.

Vegan or vegetarian diet plans are thus not optimal choices for malnourished people. However, if you really want to follow those types of diets, you should make sure that you consume a variety of different food sources, take enough protein into your body via eating dishes rich in the nutrient like soybean, prioritize raw and boiled dishes, carry out a micronutrient test frequently, and consult a doctor in order to create a healthy diet plan.

Dr. Tran Thi Tra Phuong

Nutrihome Nutrition Clinic System