When we talk about ten frightful facts surrounding veganism, the numbers are hard to ignore. Between 2004 and 2019, the United States saw a roughly 300 percent surge in people calling themselves vegans, topping out at about ten million. Across the pond, a 2021 British survey recorded an increase of nearly half a million vegans in just one year.[1] As plant‑based eateries and specialty grocers sprout faster than kale, the trend feels permanent. Yet the question lingers: is this lifestyle truly beneficial? Below we dive into ten unsettling realities that many experts argue give vegans something to chew on.
ten frightful facts Overview
10 Vegans Fart More
First up, the flatulent side of plant‑based living. Aside from missing out on a juicy steak, vegans may find themselves dealing with a rather aromatic problem. For years, physicians—and probably anyone sharing a bathroom with a vegan—suspected that a diet rich in plants could crank up intestinal gas. A recent study finally gave this notion a scientific stamp of approval, revealing that vegan men can produce up to SEVEN times more farts than their meat‑eating peers.
The experiment involved twenty healthy men aged 18‑38, who each followed two distinct eating regimes. One was a low‑fat, fiber‑laden Mediterranean‑style plan packed with vegetables, fruits, legumes, and a modest splash of fish. The other was a high‑fat, Western‑style menu featuring meat, dairy, eggs, and the usual suspects. After two weeks on a diet, participants took a two‑week break, then switched to the opposite plan for another fortnight.
Researchers collected stool samples and even attached tiny balloons to participants’ rectums to monitor flatulence. Those on the Mediterranean regimen not only produced softer, more voluminous stools, but they also let loose up to seven times more frequently. Each fart, on average, contained roughly 50 percent more gas than those on the Western menu.
Interestingly, the study also noted that the gut health of the Mediterranean‑diet group appeared superior to that of the Western‑diet group, despite the increased wind‑breaking. Nonetheless, for a married man hoping to keep his marriage intact, the prospect of extra gas may outweigh any gut‑health benefits.
9 Leaky Gut Syndrome
Next on the list is leaky gut syndrome—a trio of words that rarely appear together, yet seem to haunt many vegans. When meat, eggs, and other animal proteins are removed, vegans often lean heavily on legumes—beans, lentils, peas—to meet protein needs. The catch? Legumes are packed with lectins and phytates, substances labeled “anti‑nutrients” because they can block the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals.
These anti‑nutrients can impair nutrient uptake, leading to a condition formally known as intestinal permeability, or leaky gut. In simple terms, the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, allowing undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins to slip through the gut wall and enter the bloodstream.
The body’s immune system reacts as expected, flagging these invaders and mounting a defense. Unfortunately, this heightened immune alert can trigger a cascade of symptoms: heightened food sensitivities, skin eruptions like eczema, joint aches, and even the development of autoimmune disorders.
Omnivores typically avoid leaky gut because animal‑derived proteins contain far fewer anti‑nutrients. This disparity offers a glimpse into why some scientists argue that humans might not be biologically wired for a strictly vegan diet.
8 Iron‑Deficiency Anemia
Iron‑deficiency anemia is another red flag for those on a plant‑only menu. Both vegans and vegetarians face a markedly higher risk of anemia—a condition where the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells to ferry oxygen to tissues. Globally, iron‑deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia, and its prevalence is amplified by widespread vegetarianism and veganism. In India, where roughly 40 percent of the population follows a vegetarian diet for cultural and religious reasons, iron‑deficiency anemia is a recognized public‑health crisis.
Red meat has long been the go‑to source for iron, providing the body with heme iron—a form that’s readily absorbed and used to produce hemoglobin. Plant‑based foods do contain iron, but it’s primarily non‑heme iron, which the body absorbs less efficiently.
Because of this absorption gap, doctors frequently recommend that vegans supplement their iron intake, even though iron pills can cause nausea. This advice is especially crucial for women, who naturally lose more iron through menstruation. Pregnant or trying‑to‑conceive vegan women are often urged to incorporate some meat into their diets for the duration of the pregnancy to safeguard both mother and child.
7 Staggeringly Serious: B12 Deficiency
When it comes to vitamin B12, the stakes are high. Symptoms such as a staggering gait, balance issues, tingling in the extremities, memory lapses, and even a swollen tongue can all point to a serious B12 deficiency. If left unchecked, the deficiency can become irreversible, leading to lasting neurological damage.
Vitamin B12 is naturally found only in animal products—meat, fish, and certain dairy items. While vegetarians can meet their needs by consuming eggs (two eggs supply about half the recommended daily B12), vegans must turn to synthetic sources like fortified cereals, plant‑based milks, or dietary supplements.
A genetic twist complicates matters for some vegans: the MTHFR mutation. This hereditary condition hampers the body’s ability to absorb a range of B‑vitamins, including B12, making supplementation alone insufficient for many. If untreated, the mutation can pave the way to irreversible dementia.
6 How Healthy Is Too Healthy? Veganism and Disordered Eating
While many vegans adopt a plant‑based regimen out of concern for animal welfare, others are drawn by the promise of superior health. Unfortunately, this health‑first mindset can morph into a dangerous fixation known as orthorexia—an eating disorder characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with “clean” eating.
Orthorexia often leads to overly restrictive diets, obsessive food rituals, and an unhealthy relationship with nutrition. Research indicates that vegans and vegetarians exhibit higher rates of orthorexic tendencies compared to omnivores. Moreover, most eating‑disorder specialists advise against restrictive diets—like veganism or vegetarianism—for individuals recovering from conditions such as orthorexia or anorexia.
Because veganism is a step beyond vegetarianism in terms of restriction, it tends to attract people prone to hyper‑vigilance about food. While not every vegan displays these traits, the pattern is evident enough that behavioral science flags a correlation between strict plant‑based diets and obsessive health‑consciousness.
5 Fat Vegans?
Beyond nutrient gaps, vegans also wrestle with the risk of over‑consuming certain macronutrients, especially carbohydrates. Since legumes often replace meat, eggs, and dairy as primary protein sources, vegans inadvertently consume large amounts of carbs. As registered dietitian Michelle Hyman explains, “Many vegan alternatives (quinoa, beans, and lentils) actually contain more grams of carbohydrates than they do protein.”
When caloric intake exceeds what the body can burn—whether those calories come from carbs, protein, or fat—weight gain follows. After filling up on legumes, vegans often turn to the usual carbohydrate‑heavy staples: bread, rice, pasta, salty chips, sugary cookies, and heavily processed snack foods. The result? A diet that, while plant‑based, can still be calorie‑dense and nutritionally unbalanced.
In essence, when a whole segment of the food pyramid is removed, the body seeks calories elsewhere, and carbs become the most accessible—and sometimes the most unhealthy—source of energy for those missing out on meat, poultry, or eggs.
4 Seriously Though: Fat Vegans
The obesity epidemic in many Western nations adds another layer of complexity for vegans. Over 40 percent of Americans now fall into the obese category (BMI ≥ 30). For vegans, maintaining a lean physique can be doubly challenging because protein—an essential nutrient for satiety and weight regulation—is harder to obtain without the accompanying carbs found in most plant proteins.
While soy offers a slightly lower carb alternative, excessive soy consumption can disrupt hormonal balance, notably increasing estrogen levels. Consequently, vegans may find themselves trapped: they’ve eliminated animal products, yet must carefully balance a limited array of foods to avoid weight gain and hormonal upheaval.
Stories abound of vegans who, despite their dietary choices, still struggle with excess weight. One blogger recounted his mother asking his wife, “If being a vegan is so good, why is Michael still fat?” Genetics certainly play a role, but the reality is clear—abandoning animal‑based foods doesn’t automatically guarantee a trim figure; it can even make weight management more demanding.
3 GM‑Oh, No: Meat Substitutes
Many vegans champion a “clean” diet, yet often end up consuming a cocktail of synthetic chemicals hidden in plant‑based meat analogues. These substitutes aim to replicate the taste and texture of real meat, but they rely on a suite of additives that raise eyebrows.
Take tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), a synthetic preservative used to prevent discoloration. The FDA restricts its use because animal studies link it to cancer. Then there’s magnesium carbonate, which helps maintain the color of faux‑meats but also finds applications in flooring, fireproofing, and fire‑extinguishing compounds. Propylene glycol, another ingredient, serves as a moisturizer in these products while also being a key component of e‑cigarettes and antifreeze.
Even the colorants aren’t innocent. Many fake red meats contain Red #3, a dye banned in cosmetics for its carcinogenic potential, yet still permissible in food. So while a Beyond Burger may look appealing, its ingredient list reads more like a chemistry lab than a kitchen.
2 And the Award for “Least Sustainable Food Product” Goes to…
Surprisingly, the most environmentally damaging food item isn’t meat. While cows and hogs emit methane, human activity drives the bulk of greenhouse‑gas emissions. The real culprit? Almonds, especially in the form of almond milk, which now rivals soy milk in popularity.
Almonds are notoriously water‑intensive. Approximately 80 percent of global almond production occurs in drought‑stricken California, a region ill‑suited for such thirsty crops. The water footprint is staggering: California’s almond farms consume as much water annually as the entire city of Los Angeles uses in just three years.
The surge in almond‑milk sales fuels this unsustainable water usage. Market analysts estimate the global almond‑milk market was worth $5.9 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 14.3 percent through 2025, potentially surpassing $13 billion. This boom threatens to exacerbate water scarcity on an already stressed resource.
1 Culinary Catastrophe: The Ruination of Eleven Madison Park
In 2017, New York City’s Eleven Madison Park, founded by legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer, earned the coveted title of World’s Best Restaurant. The accolade, based on votes from over a thousand independent culinary experts, is no small feat.
When the restaurant pivoted to a fully vegan menu, the reception turned sour. Critics from Eater noted that the revamped kitchen “doesn’t yet possess the palate, acumen, or cultural awareness to successfully manipulate vegetables, or when necessary, let them speak for themselves.” Patrons complained that a beet prepared in 18 different ways still tasted indistinguishable from any other beet, a disappointment given the $335 non‑refundable deposit required for the experience.
The New York Times echoed the sentiment, observing that “almost none of the main ingredients taste quite like themselves in the 10‑course, $335 menu,” and that many dishes felt like obvious stand‑ins for meat or fish. Adding insult to injury, it emerged that Eleven Madison Park operates a clandestine “restaurant within a restaurant” that secretly serves meat, revealing a stark hypocrisy.