Fortify yourself against ‘bad’ news!

The study was reported in the Lancet and undertaken by a consortium of researchers from four universities , and the nutrients in the firing line were calcium, iodine, B12 and B2 (known commonly as riboflavin).

The research team reported that even partly replacing dairy with plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDA) could lead to reduced intake of the four nutrients in question, particularly among young children, adolescents and adult females. But that fortification of PBDA’s with these nutrients prevented a decline in nutrient intake, although getting sufficient iodine remained an issue particularly among the groups listed above.

Now of course if you are vegetarian and eat a balanced, varied diet then you should be getting enough of these nutrients, as dairy contains a good proportion of the daily recommended intake.

If you are following a vegan diet, then there is a risk of deficiency. But in my opinion, anyone who has followed a vegan diet for some time is typically aware of how they need to manage their diet to avoid nutrient deficiency.

The Vegetarian Society supports fortification of PBDA’s with key nutrients found in dairy and a good number of products on the market already do this. Checking the nutrition labelling on packaging is an easy way to see what a product is fortified with how it compares to the recommended daily amount. And where people on a vegan diet choose to consume unfortified products (which includes organic PBDAs), they can boost levels of these nutrients from other food sources or consider taking a supplement.

Now of course some people may be averse to taking a vitamin / mineral tablet, but it’s important to note that the levels of iodine found in dairy are a direct result of supplementing cattle feed with iodine. By taking a supplement containing iodine, you are simply cutting out the middleman (or middle cow) in this instance.

So as ever, go beneath the headline and do your own research.

Yes, consumption of unfortified PBDAs within a vegan diet can lead to nutrient deficiency. But a balanced and varied vegan diet can largely overcome this, particularly if you choose fortified products. And of course, vegans will aways need to supplement with B12, as has been common knowledge for many, many years.

Richard McIlwain

Chief Executive |  The Vegetarian Society