Dr. Muzammil Ahmad says his life changed for the better four years ago when he chose a vegan diet.
The Burlington-based doctor and nutrition coach, who prides himself on being an academic, had long suffered migraines, skin issues, fatigue, weight management and a host of other issues. Research led him to discover the various health benefits of plant-based diets, and he made the switch to plant-based eating and incorporating more fibre into his diet.
Dr. Ahmad, part of the team at McMaster Family Practice, has discovered that he has more energy than ever eating plant-based foods entirely, and he has been able to keep a lean physique and feel better than ever.
Reacting to a recent column written by a registered orthomolecular nutritionist with a clinic in Bradford West Gwillimbury that appeared on BurlingtonToday.com, Dr. Ahmad was surprised by some of her statements. Specifically, she claimed that a vegan diet is one of the most unhealthy diets, and stated that she had seen many people become ill as a result of that choice.
A vegan diet has done the opposite for 32-year-old Dr. Ahmad.
“I love eating a whole food plant-based diet and I’ve seen the difference it’s made in my life,” he said, adding people can get protein from any number of plants, without having to rely on animals — or insects.
The Blue Zones
He points to the Blue Zones, five regions around the world where on average people live longer and have the highest number of centenarians. He said they all eat different forms of plant-based diets, consuming close to all their calories from plant-based whole foods.
He also stated that Canada’s Food Guide has removed the dairy category and recommends water as choice of drink. It also recommends half the plate be filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with whole grains and the other quarter with protein. It also suggests “try to choose protein foods that come from plants every day.”
“To make my stance clear, however, I don’t personally believe a person has to be 100 per cent vegan,” said Dr. Ahmad. “There are a lot of people who live in the Five Blue Zones in the world, all predominantly plant based, but not 100 per cent vegan. The current evidence shows that those are predominantly 90 to 100 per cent plant-based. The Mediterranean diet is one of those that gets 85 to 95 per cent of calories plant-based, but they eat meat once a week.”
He also pointed out that being vegan doesn’t mean a person will have, or develop an eating disorder. “A vegan diet cannot cause an eating disorder; a person with an eating disorder may pick a diet that is calorie restrictive,” he said.
“There are thousands and thousands of edible products in the world,” he added. “Some choose to eat vegan because they can’t afford animal protein products, some choose based on culture. No one is eating one specific plant all day long.”
Health benefits
Burlington’s Stephanie Metzger, a registered holistic nutritionist and owner of Thrive Health and Wellness agrees that a vegan diet does indeed have health benefits.
“Although a plant-based diet may not be for everyone, I do believe that it is a choice, and it does have some health benefits,” she said. “It may help reduce cholesterol levels and improve heart health, promote weight loss and it may also have a positive impact on blood sugar levels and the management/prevention of Type 2 diabetes.”
She said plant based diets are lower in saturated fats and are typically lower in sodium.
While there are some key nutrients that you will miss out on by not eating meat and animal-based products, including protein, vitamin B12, iodine, essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin D, you can still meet your needs for these nutrients from other plant-based foods as well as supplementation.
“I believe you can achieve optimal health and nutrition with both a meat-based and plant-based diet,” said Metzger. “It all comes down to the foods you choose to consume – find a good balance and do your research to ensure that you’re getting the nutrients that your body needs.”
To learn more, visit the online Canada Food Guide, the Dr. Ahmad's website or Thrive Wellness online.
