Animal products

If documentaries on the hype

Netflix were at the root of this trend, the birth of filthy-as-theycome vegan burgers and cheese fries has no doubt fuelled the 360% rise in the number of vegans in the UK over the past decade. Combine the zeitgeist with the fact that chowing down on plants delivers a hefty dose of fibre, plus that fruit and veg tend to be low in fat and calories and, next to the likes of steak and cream, a vegan diet looks like a no-brainer.

The research in the reality favour of adopting a vegan diet on health grounds is promising. A 2013 study published in the

Journal Of The Academy Of Nutrition And Dietetics found that those who shunned meat and dairy were three times less likely than omnivores to be obese. Further research suggests vegans are also less prone to conditions like type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease than non-vegans. What’s more, the protective effects are thought to increase with time: a 2015 study suggested that each year a person spends on a vegan diet can trim their odds of obesity by 7% – perhaps because vegans tend not to eat many fried and sugary foods. The catch? Cutting out animal products can make it really hard to take in enough nutrients. ‘Vitamin B12 is essential and you can use a vegan spray for optimal absorption,’ says Killiner. ‘Vitamin D3 for those who don’t get much sun (vegan options are available) is vital, too. Calcium can be lacking if you’re not getting enough cooked greens and, if you have heavy periods, you may need an iron supp.’ And considering you can now get your hands on vegan doughnuts, brownies and cheesecake, a vegan diet is by no means an automatically nutritious option.