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Nutrients
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Plant-Based Diet: Benefits and Concerns
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Plant-Based Diet: Benefits and Concerns

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemicals and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 August 2024) | Viewed by 5598

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Winston Craig

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
Interests: plant-based diets and chronic diseases; health-promoting properties of phytochemicals; healthy sustainable diets; non-dairy alternatives
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Consumer interest in plant-based diets has markedly increased over the past few years. Segments of the population desire food products that improve human and planetary health and protect against major chronic diseases. As non-dairy and non-meat alternatives become mainstream, the following questions have emerged concerning the sustainability of these plant-based diets: What impact do they have on food security? Do these plant-based meat and dairy alternatives help lessen environmental degradation? Are these products nutritious and healthy? Do plant-based diets put populations at risk for any vitamin or mineral deficiencies? Do plant-based diets help diminish malnutrition and overnutrition (leading to obesity)? We invite research papers that discuss such issues and provide some answers to these important questions.

Prof. Dr. Winston Craig
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • vitamin B12
  • vitamin D
  • calcium
  • iron
  • iodine
  • planetary health
  • chronic disease
  • meat alternatives
  • dairy alternatives
  • intestinal microbiota

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 822 KiB  
Article
The Relevance of Plant-Based Diets and Micronutrient Supplementation for Body Composition: Data from the VeggieNutri Cross-Sectional Study
by Cátia Pinheiro, Flávia Silva, Inês Rocha, Carina Martins, Liliana Giesteira, Bruna Dias, Ana Lucas, Ana Margarida Alexandre, Catarina Ferreira, Bruna Viegas, Isabella Bracchi, Juliana Guimarães, Joana Amaro, Teresa F. Amaral, Cláudia Camila Dias, Andreia Oliveira, Altin Ndrio, João Tiago Guimarães, João Costa Leite, Rita Negrão and Elisa Keatingadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3322; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193322 - 30 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1359
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to compare the anthropometry and body composition of vegetarian and omnivorous adults living in Portugal, while exploring nutritional and health parameters underlying observed differences. Methods: 425 omnivorous (OMNI), lacto-ovo-vegetarian (LOV), or vegan (VEG) healthy adults were recruited. Anthropometry was [...] Read more.
Objectives: This study aimed to compare the anthropometry and body composition of vegetarian and omnivorous adults living in Portugal, while exploring nutritional and health parameters underlying observed differences. Methods: 425 omnivorous (OMNI), lacto-ovo-vegetarian (LOV), or vegan (VEG) healthy adults were recruited. Anthropometry was measured, and bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed. Participants answered food frequency, sociodemographic, and lifestyle questionnaires. Serum iron, ferritin, and CRP were quantified by spectrophotometry, and serum B12 vitamin and homocysteine were quantified by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Results: Total protein intake significantly decreased with increasing strictness of vegetarian habits (median (P25; P75) in g/day: 98.6 (79.5; 123.1), 90.4 (65.9; 121.0), and 87.6 (59.8; 118.5) for OMNI, LOV and VEG, respectively; p = 0.020), and carbohydrate intake was the highest in LOV (median (P25; P75) in g/day: 231.5 (178.4; 287.9), 283.9 (227.3; 342.6), and 263.0 (222.0; 348.3) for OMNI, LOV and VEG, respectively; p = 0.001). VEG were the main users of B12 vitamin (93% in VEG vs. 17% in OMNI and 59% in LOV, p = 0.001), and LOV were the main users of iron supplements (29% in LOV vs. 14% in OMNI and 13% in VEG, p = 0.042), respectively. Blood levels of B12 vitamin correlated negatively with blood homocysteine (rs = −0.386, p < 0.001) and positively with % muscle mass (rs = 0.136, p = 0.005). Participants using iron supplements presented higher C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.014) and they had lower % MM (p = 0.003). Finally, when compared to being OMNI, being LOV independently associated with: (a) having +4.8% (p = 0.002) of fat mass, which could be due to higher carbohydrate intake, and (b) having −2.2% (p = 0.043) of muscle mass. Our data suggest that the association between diet and muscle mass could be attenuated in VEG due to B12 supplementation and/or aggravated in LOV due to iron supplementation-associated inflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Diet: Benefits and Concerns)
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17 pages, 579 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Protein Quality, In Vitro Intestinal Iron Absorption and Human Faecal Microbiota Impacts of Plant-Based Mince
by Damien P. Belobrajdic, Simone Osborne, Michael Conlon, Henri Brook, Rama Addepalli and Beverly S. Muhlhausler
Nutrients 2024, 16(14), 2339; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142339 - 19 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1473
Abstract
The nutritional quality of plant-based meat analogues compared to traditional meat products has been questioned in recent commentary, particularly in relation to protein quality and micronutrient bioavailability. However, the attributes of specific products within this category are unclear. We therefore undertook a comprehensive [...] Read more.
The nutritional quality of plant-based meat analogues compared to traditional meat products has been questioned in recent commentary, particularly in relation to protein quality and micronutrient bioavailability. However, the attributes of specific products within this category are unclear. We therefore undertook a comprehensive assessment of the compositional and functional attributes of v2food® (Sydney, Australia) plant-based mince, including an assessment of the effects of reformulation, including the addition of amino acids, ascorbic acid, and different forms of elemental iron. The protein digestibility and protein quality of v2food® plant-based mince were comparable to beef mince in the standardized INFOGEST system, and favourable effects on microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production were demonstrated in an in vitro digestion system. The use of ferrous sulphate as an iron source improved in vitro intestinal iron absorption by ~50% in comparison to other forms of iron (p < 0.05), although levels were ~3-fold lower than beef mince, even in the presence of ascorbic acid. In conclusion, the current study identified some favourable nutritional attributes of plant-based v2food® mince, specifically microbiota and SCFA changes, as well as other areas where further reformulation could be considered to further enhance the bioavailability of key nutrients. Further studies to assess the effect of plant-based meat analogues on health measures in vivo will be important to improve knowledge in this area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Diet: Benefits and Concerns)
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20 pages, 704 KiB  
Article
Development of the VEGANScreener, a Tool for a Quick Diet Quality Assessment among Vegans in Europe
by Selma Kronsteiner-Gicevic, Leonie H. Bogl, Maria Wakolbinger, Sandra Müller, Joelina Dietrich, Willem De Keyzer, Vanessa Bullón-Vela, Eliska Selinger, Vanessa Keller, Ainara Martínez Tabar, Tooba Asif, Leone Craig, Janet Kyle, Sabrina Schlesinger, Christian Köder, Anna Ouradova, Marina Henikova, Wendy Van Lippevelde, Monika Cahova, Miguel Angel Martínez González, Walter Willett, Maira Bes-Rastrollo, Jan Gojda, Stefaan De Henauw, Markus Keller, Marek Kuzma and Eva Schernhammeradd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Nutrients 2024, 16(9), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16091344 - 29 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2394
Abstract
Background: Plant-based diets are not inherently healthy. Similar to omnivorous diets, they may contain excessive amounts of sugar, sodium, and saturated fats, or lack diversity. Moreover, vegans might be at risk of inadequate intake of certain vitamins and minerals commonly found in foods [...] Read more.
Background: Plant-based diets are not inherently healthy. Similar to omnivorous diets, they may contain excessive amounts of sugar, sodium, and saturated fats, or lack diversity. Moreover, vegans might be at risk of inadequate intake of certain vitamins and minerals commonly found in foods that they avoid. We developed the VEGANScreener, a tool designed to assess the diet quality of vegans in Europe. Methods: Our approach combined best practices in developing diet quality metrics with scale development approaches and involved the following: (a) narrative literature synthesis, (b) evidence evaluation by an international panel of experts, and (c) translation of evidence into a diet screener. We employed a modified Delphi technique to gather opinions from an international expert panel. Results: Twenty-five experts in the fields of nutrition, epidemiology, preventive medicine, and diet assessment participated in the first round, and nineteen participated in the subsequent round. Initially, these experts provided feedback on a pool of 38 proposed items from the literature review. Consequently, 35 revised items, with 17 having multiple versions, were suggested for further consideration. In the second round, 29 items were retained, and any residual issues were addressed in the final consensus meeting. The ultimate screener draft encompassed 29 questions, with 17 focusing on foods and nutrients to promote, and 12 addressing foods and nutrients to limit. The screener contained 24 food-based and 5 nutrient-based questions. Conclusions: We elucidated the development process of the VEGANScreener, a novel diet quality screener for vegans. Future endeavors involve contrasting the VEGANScreener against benchmark diet assessment methodologies and nutritional biomarkers and testing its acceptance. Once validated, this instrument holds potential for deployment as a self-assessment application for vegans and as a preliminary dietary screening and counseling tool in healthcare settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Diet: Benefits and Concerns)
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