In an era where health is at the forefront of many people’s minds, understanding the impact of our dietary choices on our well-being is more crucial than ever. The increasing curiosity about how diet influences health and longevity has spotlighted plant-based and omnivore diets. There is likely no greater debate in the world of nutrition than that of omnivore vs. plant based nutrition approaches to health. In this article, we delve into the advantages of a well-balanced omnivore diet, exploring its nutritional completeness and potential health benefits.
Defining the Omnivore Diet
An omnivorous diet includes both animal- and plant-food sources. Many diets restrict certain foods, but an omnivorous diet provides balance. Due to the wide variation among omnivorous diets, there’s no one standard diet plan that most people follow. Some omnivores are primarily carnivorous and have meat with every meal; others follow a “flexitarian” diet and eat meat only rarely. Even though omnivores who follow a balanced diet have a high likelihood of getting all of their essential nutrients through the foods they eat regularly, it’s still important to be mindful of nutritional concerns.
Nutritional Completeness of an Omnivore Diet
The balanced omnivore diet includes a variety of lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy, and more. Following a balanced omnivore diet provides you with essential nutrients that help reduce your risk of diseases. A well-planned omnivore diet can provide all the necessary nutrients for optimal health.
High-Quality Protein Sources
Meat based diets have the benefit of more quality proteins to support lean mass. Animal proteins are complete, containing all essential amino acids in the right ratios for human health. The protein found in meat is complete, high biological value protein, which means the proteins are more easily absorbed and utilized by the body.
Essential Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in significant amounts in animal products. Without meat in the diet, humans cut out vitamin B12 and limit DHA/EPA (active forms of omega-3 fats), nutrients which promote brain health. Iron and Omega-3 Fatty Acids: While plant sources contain these nutrients, the bioavailability from animal sources is generally higher. Vitamin B12 is essential to prevention of pernicious anemia, which affects the central nervous system; thus an omnivore’s diet helps to protect the brain and nerves.
Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.
Benefits for Bone and Muscle Health
Meat has demonstrated the capacity to improve bone health, which is beneficial as humans grow older. In contrast, omnivorous diets offer a wider range of nutrients, including vital proteins and fats that help promote muscle mass and overall health as individuals age.
Omnivore vs. Vegan: A Comparative Analysis
The research comparing a healthy omnivore diet to a healthy vegan diet is fairly limited. Just as not all omnivore diets are created equal, neither are all vegan diets. It is possible to go vegan and gain weight or negatively impact your health if you aren’t careful in your food choices. Like a healthy omnivore diet, the best vegan diets emphasize whole food nutrition from plants and limit heavily processed options.
Protein Intake and Muscle Mass
Omnivore diets can supply more quality complete proteins that are easily absorbed. The vegan participants were not able to gain lean muscle mass as easily as the omnivore eaters. However, their lower protein content may negatively impact your lean muscle mass. A healthy vegan approach should also prioritize plant based proteins at every meal to ensure you get enough protein to support your lean mass.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Vegan diets may increase the risk for nutrient deficiencies like vitamin B12, vitamin D, and zinc. Vegans will need to be cognizant of the potential of nutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin B12 and iron as well as calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are more readily available in animal products. As people grow older, their bodies often struggle to absorb vitamins such as B12 and D, both of which are abundant in animal products but lacking in vegan foods. To maintain optimal health, older adults following a vegan diet should ensure they receive these nutrients through fortified foods or supplements, along with enough protein, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Impact on Weight Loss
When it comes to weight loss, it is less about what you eat and more about how much you are eating. However, certain diets may make it easier to keep your weight under control. Both the mediterranean diet and vegan diet have been associated with weight loss. However some research suggests that vegan eaters overall tend to be leaner than omnivores.
Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run
Potential Health Benefits of a Balanced Omnivore Diet
Following a balanced omnivore diet provides you with essential nutrients that help reduce your risk of diseases. A well-planned omnivore diet can provide all the necessary nutrients for optimal health.
Heart Health
High intakes of meat and dairy are often linked to increased LDL cholesterol. A plant-based diet is associated with lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, two significant risk factors for heart disease. Although it’s well-known that eating less meat improves cardiovascular health. At the end of the study (after eight weeks on the diet), participants following the vegan diet had LDL cholesterol levels that were an average of 13.9 points lower than those on the omnivore diet.
Diabetes Prevention
There is a strong correlation between plant-based diets and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. The vegan participants also showed about a 20% drop in fasting insulin - higher insulin level is a risk factor for developing diabetes.
Cancer Risk
The evidence linking plant-based diets with a reduced risk of certain cancers is compelling but complex.
Addressing Concerns About Meat Consumption
Today, meat and poultry are often treated with hormones to make the animals grow faster and larger, and antibiotics are used not only to treat, but also to prevent, disease. These methods concern for some consumers. High intakes of meat and dairy are often linked to increased LDL cholesterol. Interestingly, there is also research that points to possible health risks to going vegan.
Read also: Mobile Dining Revolution
The Importance of Balance and Moderation
Even though omnivores who follow a balanced diet have a high likelihood of getting all of their essential nutrients through the foods they eat regularly, it’s still important to be mindful of nutritional concerns. It is important to note that this study is also fairly small, sampling only 42 participants and that it only lasted 8-weeks. There is quite a bit of difference between a standard American diet high in calories and low in fruits and vegetables, compared to a balanced omnivore diet that includes plenty of healthy fats and plant based foods.
The Mediterranean Diet as a Model
The Mediterranean diet is a great example of a healthy approach to omnivorous eating. Both diets were healthy, replete with vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains and void of sugars and refined starches.
Individualized Nutrition
It is difficult to say whether a vegan or omnivore diet is truly best for your health. One could argue that the best diet for you is the one that allows you to eat more nutritious foods. It is also likely that the “best diet” lies somewhere in between the two options - a plant based diet that includes the occasional lean protein, seafood, egg, and low fat dairy options. The one thing we will always understand is that nutrition is highly individualized and there is no “best diet” for everyone. Ultimately, both diets can be healthy if they prioritize nutrient-rich, whole foods, but each requires careful planning to avoid gaps in nutrition.
Considerations for Specific Age Groups
Vegan diets can be healthy for older adults, but they require particular attention to certain nutrients that may become harder to obtain with age. For those who plan carefully, a vegan diet can provide sufficient nutrition to support overall health in older age. With a focus on plant-based proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, vegan diets may help lower risks for heart disease and manage weight. However, without careful dietary management, there is an increased risk of deficiencies that could impact bone density, muscle mass, and energy levels, making proper supplementation particularly important for older adults.
Healthy Aging
There is no definitive evidence that vegans or meat-eaters age faster purely based on diet. For meat-eaters, the key to healthy aging lies in the quality of the meat consumed and the balance with other nutrient-dense foods. A diet that includes lean meats, plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats can provide essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals that support long-term health and slow down the aging process. Factors such as genetics, physical activity, and lifestyle habits play a more significant role in how quickly someone ages, whether they are vegan or omnivorous.