Plant-Based Nutrition Grew Amid Pandemic

Plant-Based Nutrition Has Increased With the Pandemic Following post-pandemic research, it has emerged that people prefer plant-based foods because they believe them to be healthier. It was announced that 27 percent of global consumers are now turning to plant-based nutrition primarily for health reasons, among many other motivations. The number of people adopting vegan and vegetarian diets is increasing day by day. Although discussions continue about whether it is healthier, the food sector has in recent years made a rapid entry into the plant-based product market suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The research identified that the food sector's move in this direction is not only about reaching consumers with vegan and vegetarian diets, but rather—particularly with the pandemic in recent years—consumers' perception that plant-based products are healthier. The Proveg International report conducted by the V-Label Germany Office of Türkiye Vegan Derneği to evaluate the plant-based food sector also produced results showing that consumers are now turning to vegan-vegetarian diets in line with the coronavirus. The report, which noted that major countries are making significant investments in alternative plant-based proteins to replace animal proteins such as meat, milk and cheese, also found that 76 percent of global consumers have turned to healthier eating and drinking due to the virus. It was also emphasized that 27 percent of these consumers prefer plant-based options in all foods, including meat. In research citing rates in major countries such as the United Kingdom, United States, Germany and Latin America, it emerged that 32 percent of consumers have adopted a vegan diet in recent years.

"There Is a Shift Toward Vegetarian Nutrition"

Vegan-vegetarian diets have drawn the most frequent question of "how healthy" they are. Commenting on this, Dr. Fitnat Şule Çakar, Assistant Professor from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Istanbul Arel University, stated that although this eating style is being discussed now, it has existed since ancient times. Dr. Assistant Professor Fitnat Şule Çakar noted that vegetarian eating habits have particularly increased recently, saying, "Looking globally, vegetarian nutrition has existed since ancient times, so it is not a new eating style. People have different reasons for preferring plant-based nutrition; some groups follow it for religious beliefs, others for animal rights protection. However, recently there are people turning to this diet with the belief that it is healthy. So we see a shift toward vegetarian nutrition for various reasons. Today, sustainable nutrition is a very important issue. As we are turning to foods that cause the least harm to the environment and use the least water in obtaining nutrients, there is a shift toward vegetarian nutrition. The reason for the increase is not only healthy eating but also factors such as price increases in animal-based foods or their unavailability. What is most important is choosing this eating style willingly. If people eat this way, proper nutrition can be achieved with certain additions," he said.

If We Are Not Consuming Meat, It Should Be "Legumes Plus Grains"

Rather than the reasons for the increase, Dr. Fitnat Şule Çakar emphasized certain points that should be considered regarding nutrition if such a choice is being made: "It should be known that this has certain rules; nutritional equations need to be adjusted for adequate and balanced nutrition. Humans need nutrients as much as they need energy to survive. From animal-based foods we obtain both our energy and protein. Additionally, we get iron minerals, especially from the meat group. If we move away from animal nutrition and shift to plant-based nutrition, we need to obtain the protein we get from animal foods from plant-based foods. What do we do here? For example, when they eat meat, they use 98 percent of the protein in the meat, or when they eat eggs, they use 100 percent of it. We combine plant-based foods to increase protein quality. What we use most for this is the combination of dried legumes plus grains. For example, our most beloved ezogelin soup is an example of this. It contains both dried legumes and grains. At the same time, chickpea pilaf is also considered a national dish and one of our favorites. That also consists of beans and rice, a combination of legumes and grains. When we eat these, we obtain proteins equivalent to meat. Our remaining deficit is in iron; when animal-source iron, particularly from red meat, is consumed by the body, it is completely utilized. We call meat good sources of iron, but plants also contain iron. For example, spinach. True, green leafy plants like spinach contain a lot of iron, but the absorption rate in the body is low. Therefore, when obtaining that iron, it should be given within a nutrition program designed to increase their absorption rate," he said.

Turkey Has an Anemia Problem, Not a Protein Problem

Commenting also on eating patterns from a societal perspective, Şule Çakar stated that in Turkey there is a major problem of anemia due to iron not being obtained from meat for various reasons, continuing as follows: "In vegetarian groups, our biggest problem is during growth and development periods or in special physiological conditions such as pregnancy—that is, when protein requirements increase—we face difficulties. And also regarding anemia. We already base all our adequate and balanced nutrition recommendations within what we call the Mediterranean diet in terms of eating style. In the nutrition pyramid created, at the bottom—thus most abundant—are grains and dried legumes. Above that are fruits and vegetables. Then we move to fats. So there is already a reduction in animal food consumption globally. But looking at Turkey's conditions, the protein requirement does not seem very high. Especially we can meet it through breast milk. Our actual problem is not protein because we use dried legumes and grains together, so we obtain high quality. Our country's problem is more anemia. Especially in women, anemia in women of childbearing age causes anemia in the children they will bear. Furthermore, if we evaluate nutrition within a whole, we are generally a vegetarian-eating society anyway," he said.

Milk and Eggs Are Essential for Quality Nutrition

Sharing the eating style that experts refer to as "best" nutrition, Şule Çakar said, "For example, those who are vegetarian for religious reasons do not eat anything from dead animals, but while alive they readily use their products such as milk and eggs. From a nutrition perspective, this is the best eating style. So yes, let us not eat meat, but if we at least consume milk and eggs, our nutrition will be of better quality," he said. Also warning about much false information being conveyed regarding nutrition, Çakar concluded with these final remarks: "Regarding nutrition or any matter for that matter, everyone has the right to receive correct information. We sometimes see, for example, that our staple food is bread. There is nothing wrong with eating bread. Let us not eat white bread, okay, but let us eat whole wheat bread. Because it has fiber, vitamins, minerals, and these are important for us. For example, let us not eat rice, let us eat bulgur. We should obtain correct information from reliable sources without entering into this kind of speculation," he said.