In recent years, vegan nutrition has experienced significant growth in many countries, including Italy. According to several food consumption surveys, the number of people choosing to reduce or eliminate animal-based foods has increased, driven by motivations that can be very different from one another: ethical, environmental, religious, cultural, or health-related.

At the same time, interest from the scientific community has also grown. Universities, nutrition societies, and international organizations have published numerous studies to evaluate the effects of a vegan diet on human health, the risk of certain pathologies, and the environmental impact of food systems.

Although the debate is often characterized by highly polarized positions, scientific consensus invites us to consider the issue with greater balance. No dietary pattern can be defined as automatically healthy or harmful: the overall quality of the diet, the variety of foods, and the correct intake of nutrients are determining aspects, regardless of whether or not animal-based foods are present.

As you know, in our shop you can find products suitable for any type of diet; we therefore wish to clarify that in this article we are not trying to favor or disfavor a particular type of diet, but only to analyze impartially, informatively, and with scientific evidence what a vegan diet is, what it entails, and other questions we often ask ourselves about it.

We also wish to specify that we at Spilucco are neither doctors nor nutritionists; we have drafted this article based on the most authoritative evidence collected online with the help of AI, and if your intention is to adopt a particular dietary regimen, we invite you to do so with the support of an expert.

What is a vegan diet

The vegan diet, as reported by the NHS, is a dietary pattern that excludes all animal-based foods. In addition to meat and fish, milk and dairy products, eggs, honey, and all ingredients obtained directly from animals are not consumed.

It is important to distinguish the vegan diet from other dietary patterns that are often confused with it.

The omnivorous diet includes foods of both plant and animal origin and is currently the most widespread model in most Western countries.

The vegetarian diet eliminates meat and fish, but can include milk, dairy products, and eggs, depending on the variant adopted.

Within vegetarian nutrition, there are in fact different types:

• lacto-vegetarian, which includes milk and dairy products but excludes eggs;

• ovo-vegetarian, which includes eggs but not dairy;

• lacto-ovo vegetarian, the most common form, which includes both dairy and eggs;

• pescatarian, which, while not considered a vegetarian diet in the strict sense, excludes meat but maintains the consumption of fish and seafood.

The vegan diet, on the other hand, completely eliminates every food of animal origin, basing nutrition exclusively on plant products.

This choice can stem from different motivations. Some people adopt veganism for ethical reasons related to animal welfare, others to reduce their environmental impact, while others choose it as part of a health-oriented lifestyle. There are also religious or cultural motivations that can influence dietary preferences.

From a nutritional standpoint, however, personal motivations do not change the needs of the body: any diet must be able to provide energy, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids in adequate quantities.

What foods does a vegan diet include

Contrary to what one might think, a vegan diet can include a great variety of foods.

Among the main food groups, we find cereals, both refined and whole grain, such as pasta, rice, bread, spelt, barley, oats, and corn. Alongside these are legumes, which represent one of the main plant sources of protein: beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas, fava beans, and soy are among the most consumed foods.

Fruits and vegetables constitute another fundamental pillar of vegan nutrition. Nutritional guidelines recommend a daily and varied consumption of vegetables and fruit, prioritizing seasonal products, regardless of the dietary pattern followed.

Nuts and oilseeds also find ample space in this dietary regimen. Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds provide unsaturated fats, fiber, and numerous micronutrients.

Among the fats used for seasoning, extra virgin olive oil is generally preferred; it is a central element of the Mediterranean diet and widely recommended by the main international guidelines for its nutritional profile.

In recent years, the offer of products specifically intended for vegan consumers has also expanded. Plant-based drinks made from soy, oats, or almond, plant-based yogurts, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and numerous alternatives to traditional products are now easily available in mainstream retail.

Some of these products are also fortified, that is, enriched with vitamins or minerals, such as calcium, vitamin D, or vitamin B12, nutrients that may require particular attention in completely plant-based diets.

It is important to emphasize, however, that the mere fact that a food is "vegan" does not automatically make it healthy.

The market for vegan products also includes ultra-processed foods characterized by high contents of sugar, salt, fats, or additives, the consumption of which should remain moderate, similar to what is recommended for ultra-processed products found in an omnivorous diet.

For this reason, the overall quality of the diet remains a central element. A vegan diet rich in whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and high-quality fats has very different nutritional characteristics compared to a diet based predominantly on packaged snacks, sugary drinks, or industrial meat substitutes.

Can a vegan diet be nutritionally complete?

One of the most frequent questions concerns the ability of the vegan diet to meet the body's nutritional needs.

According to the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, one of the most authoritative scientific organizations in the field of nutrition, a well-planned vegan diet can be nutritionally adequate and appropriate during the various stages of life, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.

The expression "well-planned" is, however, fundamental.

By completely eliminating animal-based foods, some nutrients indeed become more difficult to consume in the recommended quantities or present a different bioavailability compared to animal sources. For this reason, a vegan diet requires greater awareness in the choice of foods and, in some cases, the use of fortified products or specific supplements.

All the main nutritional guidelines (such as those of CREA) agree on one essential point: health depends on the overall quality of the nutrition, the variety of the foods consumed, and the balance between the different nutrients, more than on simple adherence to a specific dietary model.

In the next part of the article, we will analyze in detail which nutrients require greater attention in a vegan diet, which benefits have been observed in scientific studies, and what possible critical issues may emerge when this dietary model is not correctly planned.

The nutrients that require greater attention in a vegan diet

As highlighted by the main scientific societies, a vegan diet can meet the body's nutritional needs if it is planned consciously. However, the exclusion of all animal-based foods makes it necessary to pay particular attention to some nutrients.

This does not mean that such deficiencies are inevitable, but that it is appropriate to know which foods are their main sources and, when necessary, to resort to fortified products or specific supplements.

Protein: variety counts most

Proteins perform numerous fundamental functions in the body: they contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass, participate in the production of enzymes and hormones, and are involved in tissue repair.

For many years it was believed that plant proteins were necessarily inferior to those of animal origin. Today, scientific research, as also suggested by the publication by Harvard Health Publishing, has clarified that a varied plant-based diet can provide an adequate protein intake.

Legumes, soy derivatives such as tofu and tempeh, whole grains, nuts, and oilseeds all contribute to the daily protein intake. Furthermore, the idea that it is necessary to combine cereals and legumes in the same meal has been superseded: it is sufficient to consume different protein foods throughout the day so that the body has all the essential amino acids available.

Naturally, as also occurs in omnivorous diets, protein requirements vary based on age, level of physical activity, and individual physiological conditions.

Vitamin B12: the most important nutrient to monitor

Among all nutrients, vitamin B12 is the one that requires the greatest attention in a completely plant-based diet.

This vitamin is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system and for the production of red blood cells. Food sources naturally rich in vitamin B12 are almost exclusively of animal origin.

For this reason, the main scientific societies agree that those who follow a vegan diet must consume vitamin B12 through fortified foods or specific supplements (here is the NIH's position).

It is important to emphasize that foods such as seaweed, spirulina, or fermented products are not considered reliable sources of biologically active vitamin B12.

Iron: it's not just quantity that counts

Iron is essential for the transport of oxygen in the blood.

Plant-based foods such as legumes, whole grains, pumpkin seeds, and green leafy vegetables contain interesting quantities of it. However, the iron present in plant foods (non-heme iron) is generally absorbed with less efficiency than the iron contained in meat.

This does not mean that a vegan diet necessarily causes an iron deficiency, but it makes it important to adopt some dietary strategies.

For example, consuming foods rich in vitamin C during the same meal can promote the absorption of plant-based iron. Citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, bell peppers, and tomatoes represent some of the main sources of vitamin C.

Tea and coffee, if consumed immediately during or after meals, can also temporarily reduce iron absorption.

Calcium and vitamin D

Calcium contributes to the maintenance of bone and tooth health.

In a vegan diet, it can be taken through fortified plant-based drinks, tofu prepared with calcium salts, cabbage, broccoli, almonds, and certain types of mineral water rich in calcium.

Vitamin D deserves a separate discussion.

Our body produces it mainly thanks to the skin's exposure to sunlight, while only a part is derived from nutrition.

Its potential deficiency does not exclusively concern those who follow a vegan diet: numerous studies show that insufficient levels of vitamin D are also common in the general population, regardless of the dietary model.

When necessary, the doctor can evaluate the opportunity for supplementation.

Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in cardiovascular health and the normal functioning of the nervous system.

The main plant sources are flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and their respective oils.

These foods provide mainly ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which the body can convert into the forms EPA and DHA. However, this conversion has limited efficiency and can vary from individual to individual.

For some categories of people, such as pregnant or breastfeeding women, it may be appropriate to evaluate with their doctor the potential use of supplements based on DHA obtained from microalgae.

Iodine and zinc

Iodine and zinc also deserve attention.

Iodine contributes to the normal function of the thyroid. In the Italian diet, the main source remains iodized salt, recommended by the Ministry of Health regardless of the dietary model followed.

Zinc is present in numerous plant foods, including legumes, whole grains, seeds, and nuts. However, some substances naturally present in plants can partially reduce its absorption.

A varied and well-planned diet generally allows one to reach the recommended intakes.


If you are looking for quality ingredients for your diet, as you know, in our online shop you can find cereals, legumes, and organic flours, artisanal rice and pasta, perfect for every dietary regimen.

What benefits have been observed in scientific studies on vegan nutrition?

When talking about vegan nutrition, it is important to distinguish between what has been proven with a high degree of evidence and what emerges mainly from observational studies.

Much of the available research compares population groups with different dietary habits, but this does not always allow for a direct cause-and-effect relationship to be established.

For example, those who follow a vegan diet also tend on average to smoke less, exercise more, consume less alcohol, and pay more attention to their health. All these factors can influence the results of the studies.

For this reason, the main scientific reviews use cautious language, speaking of associations rather than certain effects.

Increased fiber intake

One of the most documented aspects concerns the intake of dietary fiber.

Vegan diets are generally rich in legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—foods that help increase fiber intake compared to the average Western population.

Fiber promotes bowel regularity and contributes to maintaining a diverse gut microbiota.

Lower intake of saturated fats

On average, those who follow a vegan diet consume less saturated fat and dietary cholesterol than those who regularly consume meat and dairy products.

However, it should be remembered that even a vegan diet can contain high amounts of saturated fat if it is rich in processed products or certain tropical oils, while an omnivorous diet can be perfectly balanced if it prioritizes fish, extra virgin olive oil, legumes, whole grains, and plenty of vegetables.

Once again, it is the quality of the diet as a whole that makes the difference.

Body weight and cardiovascular health

Numerous observational studies report that people who follow a predominantly plant-based diet have, on average, a lower body mass index compared to the omnivorous population.

Some systematic reviews also suggest possible benefits regarding certain cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels.

However, the authors emphasize that these results also depend on the overall quality of the diet and lifestyle.

For this reason, it is not correct to state that simply switching to a vegan diet automatically guarantees an improvement in health status.

The potential critical issues of an unplanned vegan diet

Just as an omnivorous diet rich in ultra-processed foods can be unbalanced, a vegan diet constructed without adequate nutritional knowledge can lead to some critical issues.

The main ones concern the risk of insufficient intake of vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, iodine, zinc, and Omega-3.

Categories that require particular attention are children, adolescents, pregnant or breastfeeding women, the elderly, and athletes, for whom the support of a nutrition professional may be useful.

Major scientific societies recommend avoiding "do-it-yourself" approaches, especially during life stages characterized by higher nutritional needs.

It is important to remember, however, that no dietary pattern is automatically risk-free.

Even among the omnivorous population, deficiencies in vitamin D, fiber, fruits, and vegetables are common, while the consumption of salt, added sugars, and ultra-processed foods is often higher than recommended.

For this reason, scientific research is increasingly focusing on the overall quality of the diet rather than the simple presence or absence of animal-based foods.

Let us now move on to the last aspect of our analysis, namely the environmental impact of a vegan diet and its relative environmental impact compared to an omnivorous diet.

Vegan diet and environmental sustainability

The relationship between nutrition and the environment has become one of the most studied aspects of food system research. Agriculture, livestock farming, fishing, processing, distribution, and consumption of food all contribute in different ways to the use of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions.

In this context, diets characterized by a higher presence of plant-based foods are generally considered one of the possible strategies to reduce the environmental impact of nutrition.

The IPCC, in its Sixth Assessment Report, points to a shift toward dietary patterns with a higher presence of plant-based foods, such as legumes, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, as one of the options that can contribute to reducing emissions from food systems. Studies considered by the IPCC indicate that vegetarian and vegan diets can lead to significant reductions in emissions compared to current dietary patterns in many industrialized countries.

This result, however, does not mean that any plant-based food necessarily has a reduced environmental impact or that the sustainability of a diet can be determined solely by the presence or absence of animal products.

The assessment must consider the entire food system.

Why animal-based foods can have a greater environmental impact

One of the main reasons concerns the efficiency with which agricultural resources are converted into food for human consumption.

To produce animal-based foods, additional resources for animal farming are generally required, including feed, water, and land. Added to this are emissions related to animal digestion, manure management, feed production, and changes in land use.

The impact, however, is not the same for all foods.

Beef production, for example, has very different environmental characteristics compared to the production of poultry or eggs. Similarly, milk, cheese, fish, and different types of meat have different environmental footprints.

For this reason, it is not scientifically correct to speak generically of "animal foods" as if they were all equivalent.

The FAO itself emphasizes that the role of animal-based foods in food systems must be evaluated taking into account the local context. Livestock farming can have a significant environmental impact, but in certain agricultural systems, it can also perform economic and ecological functions, especially where land is not easily usable for the production of crops intended directly for human consumption.

Is a vegan diet always more sustainable?

The most accurate answer is: on average, a diet strongly based on plant foods tends to have a lower environmental impact than a diet characterized by high consumption of animal products, but it is not possible to establish the sustainability of a diet by considering only the "vegan" or "omnivorous" label.

Numerous factors come into play.

Among these are:

• the type of food;

• the production method;

• land use;

• water consumption;

• the energy required for production;

• industrial processing;

• transport;

• storage;

• packaging;

• food waste;

• seasonality;

• climatic and agricultural conditions of the production area.

Even within the plant world, there can be considerable differences.

A legume grown under favorable conditions may have very different environmental characteristics compared to a product that requires heated greenhouses, intensive irrigation, or long processing stages.

At the same time, transport is not necessarily the main determinant of a food's environmental impact. For many agricultural products, the production phase contributes significantly more to the overall footprint than transport.

Consequently, the idea that "local" automatically means "more sustainable" must be interpreted with caution.

The sustainability of a food is the result of a set of factors and must be evaluated considering the entire production cycle.

The role of plant-based foods in sustainable food systems

The FAO considers plant-based foods to be an important component of healthy and sustainable diets. A greater presence of legumes, grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds can help build dietary patterns characterized by a lower environmental impact.

This does not necessarily imply the total elimination of animal-based foods.

The FAO also highlights that the relationship between animal foods, health, environment, and food security is complex and depends on the context. In some populations, especially in low-income countries, animal-based foods can provide important nutrients and contribute to food security. In other contexts, characterized by high consumption, reducing them can, however, produce benefits both nutritionally and environmentally.

It is therefore possible to identify common ground among many scientific analyses: globally, there is ample room to increase the consumption of plant-based foods and reduce certain forms of excessive animal product consumption, without this necessarily implying the universal adoption of a vegan diet.

 

Is it possible to convert the entire world population to veganism?

This question requires a fundamental distinction between two different concepts: theoretical possibility and real-world feasibility.

From a purely nutritional point of view, it is possible to construct completely plant-based diets capable of providing adequate energy and nutrients, provided they are correctly planned and the most critical nutrients, such as vitamin B12, are managed.

But transforming this theoretical possibility into a global conversion of the entire population is a much more complex problem, and it is not just a matter of determining whether it is possible to produce enough plant-based food.

One must simultaneously consider agriculture, land availability, climate, water, infrastructure, international trade, food prices, access to nutrients, local cultures, employment, and food security.

According to the latest United Nations projections, the world population is expected to reach approximately 9.7 billion people by 2050. This means that food systems will have to continue to provide sufficient and nutritionally adequate food for a larger population than the current one.

The question is therefore not only "can we all become vegan?", but also "what food system would allow us to feed the world population in a way that is healthy, accessible, economically sustainable, and compatible with environmental limits?".

There is currently no single, universally accepted answer to this question.

The problem of land availability

One of the most discussed topics concerns land use.

A significant reduction in livestock farming could free up some of the areas currently used for feed production or grazing. In theory, some of these areas could be used for other purposes, including the restoration of natural ecosystems.

However, not all land used for livestock can be converted into agricultural land.

There are vast grazing areas that, due to climatic, topographic, or pedological characteristics, are not suitable for growing grains, legumes, or other food crops.

In these contexts, animals can transform biomass not directly edible by humans into food intended for human consumption.

The FAO highlights this very difference between various farming systems and emphasizes that a significant portion of livestock feed consists of resources not directly edible by humans.

This does not negate the environmental impact of livestock farming, but it shows why a simple replacement of all land used for livestock with food crops would not always be possible.

The economic and social aspect

A potential global transition toward a completely plant-based diet would also have enormous economic consequences.

The livestock sector does not produce only meat, milk, and eggs. In many areas of the world, it represents an important component of household income and the rural economy.

According to the FAO, the livestock sector supports the livelihoods of about 1.3 billion people worldwide and represents a significant component of agricultural systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

In many communities, animals also perform functions that go beyond food production: they can represent a form of savings, a source of manure for agriculture, an economic resource in case of emergency, and, in some contexts, a source of labor and transport.

A global and immediate conversion to veganism would therefore require a profound transformation of entire rural economies.

This does not mean that a transition toward food systems with a greater plant component is impossible.

It means rather that a modification on a global scale would have to be gradual, differentiated by geographic area, and accompanied by appropriate agricultural, economic, and social policies.

What if we simply reduced the consumption of animal products?

This is one of the possibilities considered by food system research.

It is not necessary to imagine only two opposite scenarios: "all vegan" or "no change".

There is a wide range of possible intermediate models.

A person could, for example, increase their consumption of legumes and whole grains while simultaneously reducing their meat consumption. Another could maintain the consumption of animal products but decrease their frequency, while increasing fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods.

Globally, even partial changes in dietary habits can have significant consequences when they involve large populations.

The IPCC considers changing dietary habits, along with reducing waste and improving production systems, to be among the various strategies that can contribute to mitigating emissions from food systems.

From this point of view, the dietary transition does not necessarily have to be interpreted as a switch from one model to another, but as a process that can involve different levels of change.

Vegan diet and omnivorous diet: which to choose?

Scientific research does not allow for the identification of a universally better diet for every individual and in every context.

A well-planned vegan diet can be nutritionally adequate, but it requires particular attention to certain nutrients, in particular vitamin B12.

An omnivorous diet can easily provide numerous nutrients, but it is not automatically balanced: a diet rich in processed meats, sugars, salt, and ultra-processed foods can be qualitatively very different from an omnivorous diet based on vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits, extra virgin olive oil, fish, and moderate amounts of meat and dairy.

From an environmental perspective too, the comparison cannot be reduced to a simple opposition between "vegan" and "omnivore."

What actually matters is what is eaten and, above all, how it is produced.

A diet characterized by a high presence of plant-based foods, moderate consumption of animal products, and a low quantity of ultra-processed foods can represent, in many contexts, a possible direction toward a more sustainable food system.

 

Food sustainability is not just about the climate

Furthermore, when speaking of sustainability, it is important not to limit the discussion to greenhouse gas emissions.

A sustainable diet must be considered across multiple dimensions:

• environmental, due to the impact on climate, water, soil, and biodiversity;

• nutritional, due to the ability to provide sufficient nutrients;

• economic, due to the possibility of being accessible to the population;

• social, due to the effects on communities and workers;

• cultural, because eating habits are deeply linked to the history and traditions of different peoples.

In fact, the FAO defines sustainable diets as food patterns characterized by a low environmental impact, but also capable of contributing to food and nutritional security, health, and economic and social sustainability.

This definition helps us understand why it is not sufficient to establish that a given food has a lower environmental footprint to conclude automatically that it represents the best solution in any situation.

 

Conclusions: what can we say about vegan diets today?

The available scientific evidence allows us to formulate some fairly solid conclusions, but also to identify issues that remain more complex.

A properly planned vegan diet can provide adequate nutrition, but it requires special attention to certain nutrients, particularly vitamin B12.

Diets rich in plant-based foods are generally associated with a lower environmental impact compared to food models characterized by a high consumption of animal products. The IPCC, in fact, considers increasing the proportion of plant-based foods as one of the possible strategies for reducing emissions from food systems.

However, this does not mean that every vegan diet is automatically sustainable or that every food of animal origin has the same impact.

Likewise, there is currently insufficient evidence to state that a global and complete conversion to veganism represents the only possible solution for feeding the world's population sustainably.

The direction indicated by many of the main scientific analyses seems to be, rather, towards food systems capable of increasing the consumption of plant-based foods, reducing food excesses and waste, improving production efficiency, and adapting to the characteristics of different territories and populations.

In other words, the sustainability of a diet does not necessarily depend on belonging to a specific food "category."

It depends on the sum of the choices that make up the diet and how the food is produced.

However, let us not forget one important thing: a vegan diet absolutely does not mean bland and boring dishes; just think of our soups and risottos, or truffles, and a nice cold beer to accompany it all!