After recently releasing a vegan alternative to their sausage roll, Greggs have been receiving both praise and backlash from the general public, as well as a few public figures.
Now, MuscleFood have stepped in to get a few facts straight. The picture they shared on Facebook appears to be a response from a woman claiming on Twitter that her and her family “do not eat junk food”, before recommending people opt for “meat-free alternatives” instead.
“Rarer than a Pokemon card, the Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll is taking over the country at the minute, but because its vegan – how many of us will automatically think its healthy?
So this got us thinking some more – what other foods are vegan?
- Oreos
- Starburst
- Pringles
- Lotus Spread
& more
are all allowed on a vegan diet. They don’t stand out as healthy, do they?
Being a vegetarian or vegan has been associated with being healthier, but eating a vegan diet doesn’t always mean that you’ll lose weight and be eating healthily.
We all know that weight loss is about calories and being in a calorie deficit – So even on a vegan diet – You can PUT on weight and be unhealthy.
The Vegan Sausage Roll packs more calories than a McDonalds Cheeseburger, for example, so is it really that much healthier than a normal sausage roll?
Piers Morgan was also attacking Greggs’ decision to release a vegan sausage roll, expressing his frustration towards the “PC-ravaged clowns” in a tweet earlier this month.
But MuscleFood highlight a good point. Just because something is vegan, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s “healthier” than something containing meat or dairy.
In fact, it’s just as easy to be an unhealthy vegan as it is to be unhealthy on a non-vegan diet. Whilst an optimal vegan diet would consist of vegetables, nuts, fruits, greens and grains, it’s highly likely that a lot of vegans don’t necessarily consume these foods on a daily basis.
Plus, with so many vegan alternatives now available, a lot of people on a meat and dairy free diet are opting for man-made products, often consisting of dozens of different artificial colourings, flavourings and ingredients, straight out of a factory.
There’s no doubt that when it comes to looking after the environment, the meat and dairy industry is a major problem. However, on the debate of health, it really comes down to what nutrition you’re getting (and not getting) from a variety of foods that are available.
Those looking to optimise their health, whether on a vegan diet or not, should focus on consuming a wide variety of natural food sources to maximise the nutrition they’re obtaining. Remember that it’s about what you’re not eating, just as much as it’s about what you are.
