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What is Angelina Jolie’s biggest beauty secret?
By her own admission, a thick, juicy steak!
In interviews prior to the release of her film Salt, Jolie says that she was vegan for a long time and that it “nearly killed” her.
“I found that I was not getting enough nutrition,” says Jolie.
Thankfully, Jolie wised up in time before her health and teeth were irreparably damaged. Many vegans are not as lucky. The fact is that some of the most critical nutrients for health, vitamins A, D,and B12 are simply not found in an exclusively plant based diet.
Vegans cite beta carotene as a plant based source of Vitamin A, but at best, human digestion can only convert a very small percentage of beta carotene into true vitamin A.
People with any sort of gut imbalance, which would be the vast majority of people today, generally cannot convert any beta carotene to true Vitamin A!
Vegans also claim that getting vitamin D from the sun or mushrooms is all that is necessary, but during winter months, it is crucial to be consuming animal based sources of vitamin D, else one is a sitting duck for flu and other wintertime illnesses.
Because the original source of B12 in nature is bacteria, some nutritional sources confuse the issue by maintaining that beneficial B12 is synthesized by gut flora in the colon of humans.
While this may be true, the B12 that is produced this way is not in a usable form as very little if any of this B12 is able to be absorbed across the walls of the large intestine or colon. The reason is that the bacteria produced B12 in the gut is not attached to the “intrinsic factor” (IF), a special protein that is secreted in the stomach.
B12 must attach to an intrinsic factor protein to be absorbed effectively. This happens when B12 that is consumed binds with the intrinsic factor that has been broken down by pancreatic enzymes in the small intestine. The tightly bound B12-intrinsic factor complex then moves through the gut to the Ileum or lower portion of the small intestine and attaches to cell receptors for absorption.
B12 Not Available in ANY Plant Foods
Contrary to claims by the vegan community, usable B12 is not available in algae like spirulina or tempeh (a fermented soy product). The B12 found in these foods is similar to true B12 but not exactly the same thing. The B12 in Brewer’s yeast is due to factory fortification, in other words, it is not naturally occurring in the food.
Studies have indicated that the B12 analogues in algae and tempeh are not bioavailable to the human body – blood levels of the nutrient did not change even after algae or tempeh were added to the diet.
Even worse, these B12 imposters can actually inhibit the absorption of true vitamin B12 as the result of a competitive situation in the digestive system. This puts those that avoid animal foods at an even greater risk for deficiency!
For these reasons, even die-hard vegans who are well researched admit that B12 supplements must be taken when one is on a vegan diet for an extended period of time.
How could a diet such as veganism possibly be a good idea if supplements are required to prevent serious deficiency?
The final nail in the coffin for the vegan diet is the travels of Dr. Weston A. Price back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. For over 10 years, Dr. Price traveled the globe only to discover absolutely no native vegan cultures whatsoever. Even the vegetarian cultures Dr. Price examined had poorer health compared to the meat and seafood eating cultures as evidenced by higher dental caries and lower immunity to degenerative disease.
No ancestral society ever ate vegan!
Why? The culture would have died out in a generation or two from lack of nutrients, low immunity to infectious disease as well as rampant infertility.
Even reviews of What The Health, the popular vegan documentary, point out that the film failed to cite a single healthy vegan population that has stood the test of time.
From Dr. Kaayla Daniel’s article Do Vegetarians Really Live Longer? on vegan tall tales of spry centenarians supposedly living on a plant based diet:
In reality, the Hunza and Vilcabambans consume some meat and raw dairy, and the Okinawans eat far more pork than soy. What’s more, there’s no anthropological evidence of healthy, happy fruitarians sunning in gardens of eden prior to the hunter gatherer eras. Indeed, leading anthropologists present convincing evidence that meat helped us evolve from big bellied, tiny-brained primates to big-brained humans able to leave all-day “grazing” behind and spend the time developing civilization. In other words, eating animal products made us human.
In truth, veganism is a modern phenomena – a political statement against animal abuse and confinement as practiced by CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations).
Not that vegans do not have a good point – eating meat from CAFOs is not a good idea at all! The good news is that one can find humanely raised, antibiotic/steroid free, grassfed meat from locally based family farms. No need to reject meat and animal foods in their entirety by going vegan if you sympathize with the political arguments against eating animal foods!
So find a local farmer you trust and eat your meat, eggs, and dairy with the confidence that humans are omnivores not herbivores and that animal foods are clearly necessary to achieve your best health!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I just want to say that Veganism is the most nutrient way to live. You can find EVERYTHING on the nature without eating animal products.´
Most of the nutrients you can also find them in SPIRULINA, a water plant that is amazing.
Oops, not Vitamin D or Vitamin A. Beta carotene isn’t true vitamin A. There hasn’t been a SINGLE CULTURE IN HUMAN HISTORY that ate vegan. Zero, Nada. There’s a reason for this … you become infertile and the culture dies out. Animal foods are critical for the fat soluble vitamins needed for hormone production.
I became a Vegan 26 years ago I am also a mother of healthy children who are now strong adults.
I have not had so much as a cold ever since I became a Vegan and my children have never been unwell either. It is not because we were born healthy because I used to get colds and flu etc before I became Vegan . Also my brothers and sisters do get sick as did my parents.
My brother was the youngest of 8 and he died and my parents are dead all from illness and they ate meat. My sister is alway ill and she eats meat.
Yet my Vegan friends are fit and healthy as are my Veggie friends they all look 20 years younger than they should.
I am a bad Vegan I have never looked into replacing vitamins I just stopped eating dairy and meat I am not saying that it is a good idea I am lucky. Everyone should take vitamins or replace them I am just saying I feel great so why is that?
Start off as a Veggie and replace your vitimins etc along the way and eventually you will become Vegan and it is a healthy way to be.
I go to Box Fit twice a week and I run and I am not young but I am very fit. It is better than eating the flesh of dead animals and all their illness.
Any grandchildren? Children raised vegan would likely have major fertility problems.
Vegans are often the most fertile actually!
I think you need to do a bit more research, preferably using medical research papers and peer reviewed medical journals. Books are often biased or used as a selling point for the authors diet, which nullifies some of your arguments.
I get all of my nutrients eating a plant based diet, and ensure by entering my food intake into Cronometer.
I’ve also seen many children (not my own, I’m too young) grow up vegan to have kids that are also happy and thriving!
You need a history lesson. Read Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.
Sarah, you do of course realise that a simple multivitamin tablet will solve all of the problems you raise. Thus one can be vegan and not deficient in any nutrient. Also your criticisms do not apply to vegetarian diets at all, only vegan ones.
Does it not strike you as odd that supplements are REQUIRED to maintain minimal health for a vegan? How then can veganism in any way viewed as natural … when one cannot be healthy subsisting naturally on that diet? And, I wouldn’t rely on a synthetic, lab derived multivitamin for my health. Scary scenario indeed!
@Ana,
So what you are saying is that your are getting more nutrients now than when you were eating meat? How can eliminating a major source of complex biochemicals (from meat) lead to more nutrients in your diet? You do know that plants and animals are different right? Animals have more complex components and compounds that are unique and more bioavailable to humans.
There is a very good book called “eat right for your blood type”. I suspect you will find different people are genetically geared to benefit from different diets… There is no one answer for everyone.
Can anyone verify any legitimate studies that show that vegans fare worst than others? I’m very skeptical about the few examples listed in the comments section. I can give plenty of examples of meat-eaters that are chronically sick. I do not believe this is simply cause and effect. That is way too simplistic. What is true is that our planet is chronically sick and we need to explore other more sustainable options. One doesn’t need to go far to understand more about this – the documentaries, Cowspiracy, Food Inc., and Forks over Knives are great examples. I thank anyone who chooses this path because they are leaving a smaller carbon footprint and they are doing the compassionate thing for all of us. I know many vegans and vegetarians who enjoy a healthy life. Yes, it may take work, can’t just live off of tortilla chips and black coffee..
According to The American Journal of Clinical Medicine, being vegan and vegetarian has many benefits.
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/89/5/1627S.full
SUMMARY
Vegans are thinner, have lower serum cholesterol and blood pressure, and enjoy a lower risk of CVD. BMD and the risk of bone fracture may be a concern when there is an inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D. Where available, calcium- and vitamin D–fortified foods should be regularly consumed. There is a need for more studies on the relation between vegan diets and risk of cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is a potential problem for vegans, so that the use of vitamin B-12–fortified foods or supplements are essential. To optimize the n–3 fatty acid status of vegans, foods rich in ALA, DHA-fortified foods, or DHA supplements should be regularly consumed. Vegans generally have an adequate iron intake and do not experience anemia more frequently than others. Typically, vegans can avoid nutritional problems if appropriate food choices are made. Their health status appears to be at least as good as other vegetarians, such as lactoovovegetarians. (Other articles in this supplement to the Journal include references 83–109.)
I can tell a vegan just by shaking their hand or looking at their face. Cold fish handshake. Pale, no color face.
I can say the same for big meat and dairy consumers.
You should checkout ‘freelee the banana girl’, ‘durian rider’ or even the couple happy healthy vegans on youtube. These are all very active, fit mid-aged individuals who have been vegan for many many years.
I love Happy Healthy Vegan, they rock! Glad I am not the only one 🙂
Happy, Healthy Vegan is a bit of an oxymoron, don’t you think?
Sadly, my friend was a vegan for 25 years -she died recently from cancer that had metasticized all over her body- 122 tumors. Her doctor said it was more than likely due to a b12 deficiency. I think being vegan is a slow death and most people give up on the diet before they ever get to that point. And one point I want to make to the vegans-most b12 tests only test for total b12-that includes inactive b12 that your body cannot utilize. So while your numbers may look great the actual active b12 can be very low putting you at an increased risk of cancer-but it will take some years to show up.
I know of no cases of someone dying from cancer because of B12 deficiency. They can however, be at an increased risk of cancer if they have too much B12.
I have 2 autoimmune diseases diagnosed in January 2012. I live in Boston area. Have been to a number of specialists at Mass General Hospital and Lahey Clinic. Western Medicine has no valuable advise to offer. Then I went to a holistic doctor who told me how to eat right to recover. Mostly all autoimmune sufferers need extra B12 every day. The foods highest in B12 such as liver..seafood…raw milk have brought me great improvement in my illness. I was told to eat like my grandmother did. She was from Ireland. Drank goat’s milk..ate sardines..you get the picture. I eat animal protein at every meal and even though I am told that my cholesterol is higher than they would like the only way I can manage my disease without medication is by eating these animal proteins. When I ate low protein my hair was falling out by the handfuls. So with that said…the proof is in your body. I am thriving on animal proteins…raw milk..raw cheese..grass-fed liver…wild salmon. I am on one medication for my thyroid because the disease has already caused damage to this gland otherwise I feel food is my medicine.
Hi Sarah, Another great article about traditional food! I eat eggs, pastured meat and wild-caught fish as well as lots of organic plant foods, but recently while working from home I started getting mid-day brain fog. Maybe I have a nutrient deficiency, or maybe I don’t get enough exercise or sunlight. Anyway, I started taking supplements every morning: Vitamin D, Magnesium, and B12. I think one of those helped get rid of my brain fog but I’m not sure which. And now I’m wondering, is it bad to supplement with Vitamin B if you already eat meat and fish regularly? Can you get too much B12?
B12 is water soluble as are all the B vitamins so any excess is flushed out in the urine.
I’m willing to bet it’s the magnesium that helped. Most people are severely deficient in magnesium and magnesium helps the body to absorb vitamin d. I’ve also been reading that you shouldn’t take vitamin d (which I’d actually a hormone) supplements unless it is in the form of something like cod liver oil.
Hi Sarah,
I think your article is based on insufficient research and very misleading. I have been a vegetarian for the last 15 years and suffer from no deficiency what so ever.
As your website is supposedly ‘ healthy…’ I can only request you to be more responsible with your posts/ information.
Um, vegetarian is VERY DIFFERENT than vegan.
I would also like to add that if you want to follow the advice or lifestyle of a beautiful celebrity, why not give equal time to Jennifer Lopez: http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/06/25/jennifer-lopez-weight-loss-vegan-diet-10-pounds/
And if she’s not good enough for you, try this list of famous vegetarians : http://www.happycow.net/famous_vegetarians.html
Once again, this article is about *vegans* not vegetarians.
Oh, yeah, Angelina Jolie, rarely the best picture of health, states that she wasn’t getting enough nutrition and contributes a thick, juicy steak as her big secret to beauty. It would be easier to believe that her lack of nutrition was based on the fact that she did NOT eat responsibly. Being vegan or vegetarian, does not only mean eliminating meat from your diet. It’s not complicated, but eating a well-varied, plant-based diet with plenty of vitamins and minerals and augmenting that with high quality supplements will take you from feel okay to feeling crazy fabulous with the blood test to back it up. It goes without saying that diet alone will not get your there. Due diligence includes exercise, quality sleep, skin brushing, sauna, sunlight, etc. Angelina Jolie is a great actress, but definitely not my source for inspiring great health.
I am just wondering… if I am eating nutritiously and have no particular medical problems indicating otherwise, I shouldn’t need to take supplements (other than Vitamin D3,since that’s mostly sun-derived, and I can’t be out during working hours soaking it in). I do, however, get your point — I have no idea how Jolie was eating, or eats now. Being a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore covers a lot of ground. I also don’t believe any one given dietary plan fits everyone. You do what works for you.