How a vegan diet affects your brain – BBC REEL

Is taking up veganism one of your New Year's resolutions? A well-planned vegan diet can be delicious, nutritious, and environmentally friendly. But understanding the nutritional impact of changing your diet is really important.

In this video, Kimberley Wilson, a psychologist with a master's degree in nutrition, looks at what impact a vegan diet can have on the health of your brain, highlighting what you should be aware of and the best ways to address it to ensure your diet is as healthy as possible.

Written and presented by Kimberley Wilson
Animation by Daire Collins

Disclaimer: All content within this article is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical and dietary advice of healthcare professionals. The BBC is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis or actions taken by a user based on the content of this site. The BBC encourages anyone interested in making dietary changes to consult their healthcare provider beforehand. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.

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#bbc #bbcreel #bbcnews

[ck-pzou]

I have been vegan since I was around four and right at the end of covid I had an abnormal amount of anxiety so I went the doctor and I took a bunch of tests like blood and urine, and they told me that my mineral levels were perfect except I had vitamin D deficiency because I was staying inside all the time (lockdown). Never had a food related deficiency. Just thought I'd add a perspective.

[ajcorpor]

Feel sorry for whoever goes to the BBC for nutrition advice

[macalienx]

when people talk about nutrition they must be very careful how they present things. I have been b12 deficient in b12 for years on an omnivore diet. I always went to the doctor and there wasn't one who thought it could be a lack of b12... only when I changed my diet to vegetarian did I read about b12 and since then I checked my blood levels and saw it was very low. now I take a supplement and the values ​​are stable and I have no more symptoms. So vegans aren't the only people in danger when it comes to b12....coline you can find it in tofu, soy milk, quinoa, broccoli, peanut butter... omega 3's exist in chia and flaxseeds. .. they would be much more sincere and help people more if they researched and found alternatives. supplements should only be used if food or body absorption fails.

[maritamiozzy]

What a disservice this video, everyone in the modern world needs to check and supplement B12, not only vegans.

[livwsz]

B12 is produced by BACTERIA, not livestock. A lot of livestock is actually supplemented for B12 through their feed.

[thanatosor]

- Iodine : Seaweeds, Iodized salts...
- Selenium : nuts
- Coline : tofu, soy milk, quinoa, broccoli
- Omega 3 : chia/flaxseeds, hemp seed, tofu
- B12 : Maitake Mushroom, Nutritional Yeast.

[soundslikebroken]

Plant foods that are especially rich in choline include tofu, soynuts, soymilk, cruciferous vegetables, cooked dried beans, quinoa, peanuts, and peanut butter.

[veganandlovingit]

I'm healthy at 57. On no meds, blood pressure 120 over 84. Been vegan since I was pregnant at 25. Went vegan in second trimester. Son now 32 and still vegan (whole life). He is healthy, has a degree, very intellectual. So there (tongue out). I earned a degree in my 40's and a Masters in my early 50's, so I am obviously not completely useless, yet. TBH i didn't watch this video, just read a few of the comments and got the gist of what the BBC is laying down lol I have taken B12 periodically and same with my son.

[telescopicS]

The reason we eat meat is because it is more nutrient dense. Our ancestors prefer meat to vegetables because when you eat only vegetables you have to spend half your day chewing to get the same nutrients. The problem with meat arises when you eat American sized portions and the meat is half your plate.

[-Jay-]

Good attempt to keep up the doubt agenda for the meat and dairy industry BBC. Let’s have a video next week about all the pitfalls of the default diet we have in place currently? Maybe it’s just blatantly obvious in todays society how unhealthy it can be. There is no mention of red meat or processed meat being a class 2 and class 1 carcinogenic (World Health Organisation)

This video is a half truth which will easily make people think their meat and dairy diet is working out great for them 👎🏻

There is plenty of healthy plant based fats to maintain a healthy brain. There is also an array of foods fortified with B12 and Iodine.

[blakeREVOLUTION]

This is a disgrace of a video. When giving your examples of what can be found in certain foods you only mention the animal products and not the plant products that do in fact have these nutrients available. I’ve been Vegan for 8 years I rarely get sick and have boundless energy. Go Vegan!

[dukeau]

I’m sorry, I just have to say that right at the beginning of the video she forgot to mention that the animals are supplemented with B12. Definitely important to supplement B12 while pregnant. But also like 40% of people have a B12 deficiency. Vegans get plenty of choline: broccoli, peanut butter, mushrooms, etc. Like honestly this whole video just ignores the reality that a balanced vegan diet satisfies all of these concerns. Crazy how much misinformation is out there and how industry funded our dietary “knowledge” is. Go vegan for the animals, plan it out, and do it. After a couple weeks it just becomes an everyday thing as if it’s always been that way

[fakestrawberries]

I've been vegan for nearly 7 years now and my bloods have recently come back with absolutely nothing wrong with them (I had a blood test because my resting heart rate was significantly low for someone who doesn't do a lot of intense exercise). Over the last two or so years I've started to take a multivitamin, but otherwise have not experienced any health downsides to it, however we're all different.

The important thing is to listen to your body, visit the doctor when things don't seem right, and to keep your diet varied and full. Yes it's vegan to just eat pasta with passata but it's not healthy nor is it sustainable. Experiment and work out what's best for you, and regularly check in with yourself if something needs to change.

Make sure to find good protein sources you like, try out some of those vegan substitute meats if you want to (or can afford to!), and buy foods that are fortified in B12 and other vitamins you can't get so easily.

[djmoulton]

Lots of misinformation, here. Choline is available in many soy foods, for example. It is not necessary to supplement. Iodine is easily available in seaweeds, e.g. nori. Omega-3s are available in chia and hemp seeds, cruciferous veg, etc.

[ianmarshall]

I’ve been vegan 10 years and in very good health physically and mentally. This video is cleverly presented to make veganism seem like it’s deficient. IT’S NOT. An interesting fact is that the vast majority of the meat has B12 in it because animals are supplemented with B12. 98% of animals globally are factory farmed. So when consuming meats, people are indirectly consuming the supplements that the animals were given. Just look at livestock feed… almost all of them contain B12, iron, and other minerals and vitamins. Those supplement nutrients are just accumulating in the tissues of the animals. Even grass fed animals are given supplements. This is all just health focus. The ethical aspects of veganism are even more of a reason to stop consuming animals.

[dozjax]

Did the meat industry sponsor this video by any chance 🤔

[Rachypenguins]

where do animals get their iodine though? surely we are better off eating the source, instead of eating it 2nd hand through animal products. i love seaweed.

[derrickctv]

Who sent u? Every vegan and vegetarian i know are WAY more healthier, vibrant and energetic than the average meat eater. I get all my supplements thru herbs daily

[kiwikim]

Cholesterol is a very weak predictor of heart disease. Most people who have heart attacks didn’t have high cholesterol. Only one type of LDL causes heart disease. These are the dense particles that have been damaged by sugar and seed (vegetable ) oils. If your triglycerides and HBa1c is high, you most likely have high levels of small dense LDL particles that could damage your vessels. Moreover, animal foods have much more bioavailable nutrients.

[ingeniouspixie]

Veganism is about humans choosing to not harm animals in any part of their life; clothing, makeup products, cleaning products, to name just a few. It is NOT just a "diet." Any even slightly educated vegan eats a varied diet which includes supplements that provide all of these things.
There are MILLIONS of highly intelligent and productive athletes, business people, scientists, etc., who are vegan.
This video should be posted more as "tips to being a successful vegan" rather than trying to create a fear bias that you're going to get brain damage from being vegan. 🙄